Sara and I attend the opening night for

the NGV’s QUEER exhibition.

We were not invited

and we did not buy tickets –

in fact we did not even know it was on

until stumbling upon it

after watching the new Batman movie

at the HOYTS in Melbourne Central

and deciding to walk home

south

along the Yarra.

We stop on Princes Bridge

to admire Naarm

after the day’s rain

and take in the view

of fuck knows what –

we wish we were in

New York.

At the exhibition

there are bubbles

everywhere.

We make out by the fountain

watch a drag performance

and notice a throuple of TikTok gays

canoodling in a corner

under the archway

by the wet wall.

Some people have so much

chest hair.

Khanh from MasterChef is having his photo taken

in front of the sponsor’s wall –

being gay

made possible

by the City of Melbourne

and American Express.

Yaaas.

The red carpet

is pink –

we long to wrap ourselves up in it

and roll

gaily

all the way home

to Frankston South.

Overland’s Friday Features project is supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.