Kira Piskernik

‘I’m a student and I’m studying biology’, she said calmly.
‘Why biology?’ I asked.
‘My teacher at school gave me her interest for biology,’ she said completely lacking in passion and emotion.

‘Do you like it?’
‘Yes.’

Kira was my last client in Vienna before returning home. I was tired and nervous at the thought that I would have to face one more boring student story.

‘Tell me more about biology, what is it that inspires you?’
‘It gives me a perspective. When I go outside I see trees and think of photosynthesis, I see humans and think of bones, muscle contractions and nervous systems,” she looked around. ‘I see dogs and think of their evolution from wolves, I see flowers on the side walk and think of pollination and how they depend on insects,’ she turned her head to the left and studied the titles of the books on the shelf.

‘What is your passion?’
‘Books and the science of biology.’

She seems to be a smart student I thought, calming down myself.

‘Who or what inspires you?’
‘Other people’s accomplishments.’

‘What is your first memory?’
‘I was laying on the floor, and I was coughing, and my parents didn’t know what to do,’ she slightly smiled, or maybe I just imagined it.

‘What do you need to feel happy?’
‘A book and a friend.’

‘Is there something that you hate?’
‘Impatience.’

‘What do you like most about yourself?’
‘That I’m a calm person and I can calm down people when they are angry.’

‘And what is it you don’t like about yourself?’
‘That I’m not sensitive enough.’ Her eyes were dark grey.

I was silent, thinking of my woman friend who can sing and jump for joy, who takes care about everything with all of her heart and becomes mad so fast, like pushing a button. Is this sensitivity I thought.

‘How do you define sensitivity?’
‘Hm, I try to say that I’d generally like to show more consideration to the feelings and emotions of others. I don’t want to hurt anybody mentally or with the things I say or do. Sometimes I have the feeling that people become uncomfortable with me talking about certain things. I don’t want them to feel like that. I think sensitivity is when you don’t hurt anybody’s feelings.’

‘Tell me about those certain uncomfortable things about which you speak?’
‘I can’t say there is a certain topic, it is something entirely different in every case. Sometimes, without meaning to, I touch upon their traumas just in a casual conversation. For example, it can be something about eating disorders or their childhood. In these situations I feel like they become nervous or don’t know what to say, so I never probe further.’

‘Where do you see yourself in ten years?’
‘Working in a laboratory and taking care of my parents, they will be 70.’

‘What words do you find beautiful?’
‘Happy, books, nature.’

‘What is the most extraordinary thing you have done?’
‘Swimming with crocodiles.’

I was astonished. ‘How did this happen and why?’
‘It was a jungle tour on my second or third day in Equador. We were boating down river towards some little island and we saw many crocodiles observing us from a safe distance. When we came to the island our tour guide shared some snacks and said, ‘If we dare, we can swim with these crocodiles.’ My friend and I were very excited to do so and we did it, just the two of us! I mean we tried to swim closer to one of the crocodiles, but at some point he or she swam away.’

‘What did you do in Ecuador?’
‘I volunteered for seven moths, looking after native children.’

‘What did you learn?’
‘When I first meet children they seemed intimidated by me. They didn’t know how to greet us or how to act. And I decided to do something that would spark their interest and see what happens. I played the Ukulele and it didn’t take long before one girl bravely asked me, ‘What are you doing?’ I let her come to me and soon enough she began exploring me with her childish curiosity.’

I looked at her, she looked like a beautiful alien who stepped off the pages of a Cosmos novel in which she goes swimming with crocodiles, working in a laboratory and taking care about her aged alien parents.