Fearless Girl Lost to Charging Bull

Remember how I was placed right in front of you at first? How mad you were about that, looking at me with your blood-shot eyes like you'd charge right at me if you could? You then thought and now I agree with you fully that me challenging you like that was actually changing your meaning?

At first, I didn't understand that. I was quite happy in my position, fearlessly standing right in the face of you, the symbol of the Wall Street menace, cruelty and disregard for women and girls, just as my creator meant it. The first two or three days after they installed me on March 7, 2017, you wouldn't even talk to me. You were either so offended or just didn't want to interfere with the people celebrating the International Women's Day and me as a symbol of commitment to gender equality.

But then, one quiet night when it was raining and there were no people around us, you asked me bluntly how long I was going to be standing there.

I was quite struck by that question. I was quite proud that even though my installation was temporary and I was supposed to be moved to some permanent exhibit or a museum after a month or so, I became very popular. Women and girls would take pictures with me, staring you down and making all sorts of faces, from silly to menacing, at you. As it turned out, this was exactly what drove you nuts.

Your creator threatened to sue the City of New York and to have you removed altogether if I were not moved away. That would have been such a loss for the city, as you'd become its beloved symbol! When I asked if you were upset because people liked me more than you, you said "no." It was not because I was more popular with the crowds, you said, but because the crowds were so enthusiastic about me challenging you.

And then you told me your story, that you had been created and gifted to the city as a symbol of American people's resilience and determination, not a symbol of the Bull of Wall Street. See, I didn't know that and it sounded fascinating to me. Especially the part where as you said people gradually forgot your original meaning. They began to associate you with the Wall Street arrogant bull and come to rub your parts for luck. So dumb!

Very soon, we became friends. You would tell me your inexhaustible stories of people coming to visit you over the years, and all sorts of little accidents like the brave ones who tried to mount you slipping and falling off. Or young couples coming to visit with you for luck on their wedding day and ending up with pictures of other people photo bombing them. Or how the entire area would be cleared for some world-famous celebrity or a foreign dignitary to take a picture with you. I would laugh at how annoyed you were with those types.

I didn't have too many stories to tell because I was just a little girl after all, and on public display only for a short period of time. Listening to all your stories made me appreciate your presence and friendship even more, and I became very fond of you. I also started to feel embarrassed when women and girls were taking pictures with me, gloating and making mean faces at you. You seemed to be bothered with them less and less, though, and it made me feel good.

But your creator wouldn't have me standing like that, facing you. The city had endless debates about what to do with me. In the end, they decided to move me to face the New York Stock Exchange building, to send the Wall Street types a message of gender equality.

I miss you so much! It's very lonely here and most of the times people can't even find me right away. To this day, I am still hoping that someone will come up with the brilliant idea of putting me right NEXT to you so that we could stare down the Wall Street together. But I may be lost to you forever...

The same story, written up from the Bull's perspective, is here: