In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

37 One in Four of Us Is Marked For some, a sun-worn butterfly lined by a shaky hand trembles on a back gone fat. Others take more public brands in languages they never spoke, good faith in a scribe who could so easily brand them shithead or slut in elegant kanji strokes. A skull, rose, sparrow: easy as embroidered initials, signifying little. But imagine body as canvas, ideal for a list of critical information. Diabetic, Paranoid, Serial Monogamist, who would waste time on Compulsive Gambler at the end of the bar? Even better to list directions—instructions for handling and care—on the skin. The back of one’s hand might read Do Not Shake. On one buttock: Not Intended as a Flotation Device. Scrolling down a sternum, in bold, Never Puncture Compressed Materials. Imagine: Crepe Hanger meets a man, warnings written in plain fonts, complete disclaimers printed behind the ear. If she undressed him, she would find a list of contents, know what small changes 38 might seep out if she gave him a cold cup of coffee, or if he laid a barefoot sole on a resting bumblebee, a projected response to her urgent, late-night calls. ...

Share