Pilar’s ears were always a point of interest for her new acquaintances. They were unusual after all, and she often noticed others stealing glances at them. She did find it funny how they never seemed to say anything though. Like Dia’s strong accent, she imagined it would be first thing mentioned, but Pilar was more direct than most others. She spoke her mind without worrying about offense. She was hardly without tact however, and somehow had the unique talent of being forward without seeming rude or pushy. Or maybe, everyone was too distracted by her ears to realize she could come across as offensive. Hah! In either case, she was glad to have such a distinctive feature—just another tool in her arsenal.

Pilar nodded as Dia described the location of her homeland. Indeed, she had not been there, and had little desire to leave this place as long as it held her attention. Her own homeland was further away than Dia’s—a place called India—and Pilar had chosen to forget most of it. Not because her childhood was particularly traumatic, but rather because nothing she considered interesting ever happened there. She remembered only a story of another Marwari mare who left—one of her grandmother’s friends or something—who had always said there was more to life than the Marwari herd. She always talked about a group of islands that were reachable only if one swam toward Orion’s belt on a clear summer night. Oh that Highwire was always a looney one, her grandmother would say, but Pilar didn’t think so—hence, her arrival here.

Well, the Islands as whole, at least. She was here because she was testing her newfound stallion-keeper, Kasabian, and so far he wasn’t doing a very good job of ‘keeping’ her. Maybe this whole stallions-owning-mares thing was an elaborate ruse and it didn’t matter. Pilar made a note she would need to investigate this custom further if no issue was made that she was here. Either way, she was enjoying that she might confide her little plan to Dia, if for no other reason than she wanted to she how she might react. Pilar lowered her voice just enough to convey the appropriate amount of confidentiality.

“I’m not here by accident and I’m not looking for anyone who lives here. I just came from the Commons and I wanted to see if Kasabian would notice if I took a little detour.”

Pilar snickered, thoroughly amused at her little game, watching Dia to see what exactly her reaction to such antics might be.


pilar

photo © Sally Mann