The Statue
NOTE: The origin of Lady Justice with a sword had to do with the fact that you needed bronze to make a sword and that was EXPENSIVE. So only the rich had swords, and thus only the rich had the means to enforce their judgments and decisions. The arrival of the iron age brought a little more democracy!
By Shona Moonbeam © 2016
The arm of Lady Justice still pointed her sword upward to heaven, but the green patina of the bronze was streaked white with pigeon droppings.
Kelly stopped in front of the statue that guarded her school, and looked up into Justina’s kind face. Kelly had made friends with the lady over the years, stopping often to chat on her way home. Asking for advice when a teacher was mean to her, or to any of the other kids, or for acknowledgment of the sorrow she felt for her fellow humans when the current events class had covered particularly distressing news.
Usually, she held her conversations with Justina in private silence. But today, the first day of a new year, she felt optimistic. “Lady J,” she said, softly, at first, and then a bit louder, as she felt a surge of confidence after the words escaped from her throat.
She looked up again, at the face, and then allowed her eyes to follow the arm up to the clouds, and back to the face. Kelly jumped back in surprise. The head of Justina was tilted downward, to look at her.
“Lady J?” asked Kelly, “do you really see me?”
The mouth of the statue started to curl upwards at the corners, just slightly, for an instant.
“I think that the new teacher is an improvement,” Kelly told the statue.
The statue nodded its head, then resumed its former impassive, classical pose.
“Thank you,” Kelly whispered, “thank you.” Then she turned and started walking home, thinking, thinking.
