Nellie Bly, First Woman Reporter Interviews Papergirl: Art/Life Chat No. 1

NB: Congratulations.

PG: (nodding.) Yes. Thank you. One month down.

NB: How do you feel?

PG: Well, I’ve got my July 1st outfit picked out already, if that tells you anything. I’m driving to Iowa tomorrow for a two-day gig and I’ve got my Youssou N’Dour and my Didion packed and ready to go.

NB: Sounds like you’re ready to move on.

PG: Always. Well. Pretty much always.

NB: (Shuffles notes.) It looks like you had very few lapses throughout the month. 

PG: Oh, no. I never cheated with caffeine or clothes or guava. There were two times I played non-Callas music. Well, and when Michael Jackson died, but that was different.

NB: Is it too early to ask you what you’ve learned so far?

PG: I’ve learned a lot about the artists I selected, of course; their perspectives, their passions, all that.  I figured out that most people don’t know what to say when you tell them you’re doing a year-long project in which, for example, you wear yellow the entire month of June. I guess I expected that, but a few times I felt isolated in a negative way. I genuinely appreciated silence this month. And I have a new found appreciation for yellow that I never had before.

NB: Any predictions for July?

PG: July 1st marks the 20 day countdown to my surgery. I’m scared of the can of lychees sitting on my counter.

NB: Trepidation.

PG: Yeah, a little. It hit me earlier today that I’m following up one musical artist who doesn’t sing in English with another one, so I’m embarking on another month of music sung in a language I don’t understand. This project isn’t a walk in the park, but of course I wouldn’t be doing it if it were. At least I have plenty of blue clothing.

NB: I have a blue blouse you might like.

PG: That’s great. Yeah, I’d love it. Thank you.

NB: It’s in my car. I’ll get it in a minute.

PG: Yeah, yes. Great. Thanks.

NB: What do you feel when you look at the next 11 months?

PG: (pause.) Elated.

NB: Great. Thank you.

PG: (beat.) So can you get that…?

NB: Yes.

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