National Gallery of Victoria

‘Please do not touch the Art works.’ a small cardboard plaque reads. Placed next to masterpieces that wouldn’t be out of place at the Hermitage it’s a little cute, he thinks to himself. Here’s this little placard telling everyone that it’s not okay to touch something that’s over 300 years old and priceless. It just seems kind of pointless but he guesses people do need to be told what to do from time to time.

‘Do you think anyone ever touches the art?’ He says to her. A cheeky grin creeps across her face as she lifts her arm. ‘Don’t.’ he mouthes silently. She smiles properly now, turns her head and slinks off.

The two walk a few metres apart throughout the gallery, sometimes stopping, darting into different directions at others, never so far apart that they’d get lost from each other. He catches sights of her as she walks past a gap in the wall, he wonders if she does the same.