Prior to one such lecture at the university, a teenager arrives early on his own with a notebook and a printed map in hand. He looks at the map repeatedly as he approaches down the hallway. Spotting the older man seated with a book, Benjiro walks up close enough to speak at a comfortable level while minding personal space. Since he began wearing his mask, he has noticed a subtle expanding of the personal space kept between himself and others. For today, he’s wearing a white mask and a collared shirt with a button-up front and clean slacks, hoping to offset the odd accessory.

Bowing his head and shoulders, he’ll ask, “Excuse me... I’m sorry to bother you. I am here to attend the lecture titled ‘Defining Ourselves’. Do you know if that’s here or someplace else?”