I made these drawings to be included in a book that I have written and illustrated entitled The Poet, which has yet to be published. Essentially, the story is about a woman named Josephine who is afraid to leave her house. I contrast her character with her raucous and fancy-free friend, Guinevere, shown in one of my drawings riding in the back seat of a convertible (without wearing a seatbelt!) while her boyfriends drive recklessly down a seemingly deserted street. The other drawing depicts an everyday scene from their neighborhood, in which Josephine and her friends ride through town on a train and witness crime and chaos so appalling, it can only be digested through a humorous lens.

Often when I witness the complete lack of deliberation before a decision is made, I can’t help but laugh. It amazes me what people will do for fun, and how much attention we pay to having fun. So much so that it supersedes the attention we pay to the crises we experience collectively. Perhaps we ignore problems or potential danger intentionally and unintentionally simultaneously, because it’s easier to just have a good time. Like any person, I can’t help but laugh at human folly when I am merely a spectator, and cry when I find myself ensnared in a silly muddle of my own design.