You Don’t Need to go to Avatar to “See”--Just go to Walmart

Billy scouts every aisle at Walmart before he makes his final selection. Swiftly and in multiple rounds, Matt and Billy survey all the merchandise which in Billy’s case can take a good hour. Billy’s approach to shopping is like the woman who overwhelmed by all the possibilities, just puts it on hold under her name and swears she’ll be back (that would be me). Billy, however, rapidly paces every nook and cranny and then circles back to a particular aisle and shelf. It doesn’t mean it will be the purchased product but Billy sometimes just has to stand and admire the merchandise.

So was the case this day in Walmart. Black down parka and black ray bans donned, Billy stood looking straight ahead at a kaleidoscope of bright mostly neon colors. Yes Billy was in the girls department standing in front of the pajama section. And standing right next to him was a little red headed girl who was no more than four or five years old. She too was admiring the palette of pajamas. A mutual admiration club, they both reveled at the endless color compositions.

And then it happened. The little red headed girl’s mother saw them standing right next to each other. A tad nervous, the mother suggested gently that she come closer to her. As this brief exchange happened, Billy looked straight ahead at the clothing color wheel. Free of any cultural norms, Billy sees no barriers and neither does the little red headed girl. She looked at her mother and then she looked up at Billy. Turning her child face toward her mother, she said “it’s okay, mom.”

Billy may be unaware of gender norms but I think he knew that the little red headed girl who stood by his side truly shared his love of colors.

A moment of grace.

To see more of Billy's paintings visit www.voicecolors.org/artgallery.html.