Spotlight on Mutants with Barbara Walters - Episode 3: Hoodwink

Posted on Tue Mar 12th, 2024 @ 4:20pm by Iris Walker

1,162 words; about a 6 minute read

She is the master of hide and seek.

Man: has anybody seen Iris?

Iris: I’m right here!

(General greeting sounds and quiet cheers.)

But you’ll never find her, no matter how hard you look.

Woman: Iris?

Iris: right here!

She is one of the newest members of the famous X-men. Her name is Iris Walker, also known as Hoodwink.

Barbara: how did that nickname come to be?

Iris: well, I guess it’s because I hide in plain sight, you know, I hoodwink people into thinking I’m not there.

No, she is not invisible, as you can see in this video. But for reasons not quite understood, nobody can see her until she calls attention to herself.

Iris: hey! Watch out!

Boy: sorry, Iris, I didn’t see you there.

Iris: (mock exasperation) nobody ever does.

(Laughter)

So who is Iris Walker? I have come to find out! On this Spotlight on Mutants, we interview the unseeable girl to find out more about her.

Barbara: thank you for joining me.

Iris: my pleasure.

Barbara: you are much older than you look, isn’t that correct?

Iris: yes. I’m 19.

Barbara: 19! I’ll bet most people think you’re about 13.

Iris: usually, yeah. I don’t mind too much, though, because most people treat 13-year-olds like adults. You know, when they don’t know them. And all my friends and colleagues know how old I am. So that’s okay.

Barbara: and that just means when you’re 50, people will think you’re 30.

Iris: yeah! So that’s good.

Barbara: so let’s start at the beginning. Where are you from?

Iris: Michigan. A small city called Saginaw.

Barbara: Tell me about it. Is there a lot to do there? Where did you attend high school? That sort of thing.

Iris: It’s a smallish city, so there’s not a ton to do, but there are movie theaters and a mall and things like that. And of course sports and music and everything. I took flute lessons at a music store there. And I played in the school band, of course. Arthur Hill High School, that is.

Barbara: Any sports or anything?

Iris: nah, I’m too little to keep up with kids my age. There was talk of a rowing team for awhile and they kept bugging me to sign up as the Coxswain, cuz I guess they’re usually small, but nothing ever came of it.

Barbara: you mentioned the flute. How long did you play?

Iris: since I was 10. I wasn’t much smaller then than I am today. The teacher was worried I wouldn’t be able to hold the flute, but I proved him wrong.

Barbara: What was your favorite piece to play?

Iris: Bach’s Badinerie. It’s so much fun to play. And it’s not really very difficult to play.

Barbara: I don’t suppose we could get you to play a bit of it, could we?

Iris: sure!

(Flute music commences.)

Barbara: That was lovely. You are very good.

Iris: Thank you!

Barbara: Now, family: do you have siblings?

Iris: yes. Four sisters and two brothers.

Barbara: and do you all get along?

Iris: of course. My sister Yolanda and I used to hang out a lot before I left home. I try to keep in touch, but long distance calls are expensive, so I don’t get to talk to them as much as I’d like.

Barbara: and what about your parents? How did they take you being a mutant?

Iris: … we… had an argument.

Barbara: (sympathetic noises)

Iris: I mean, I don’t blame them, not really. It’s a lot to take in. Ya know, I’m a mutant, I’m learning to fly a jet and am fighting for truth and justice with a band of other mutants… it’s a lot.

Barbara: I’m sure they’ll come around.

Iris: I hope so. I miss them. (Sniffles)

Barbara: (presses tissues into Iris’s hands)

Iris: thank you. (Wipes eyes)

Barbara: let’s talk about happier things. Do you like it here? Do you have friends?

Iris: oh, yeah. Connor and Bobby are my two best friends. We had to convince Connor to come to the mansion, though.

Barbara: and how did you do that?

Iris: (laughs) believe it or not, by climbing a tree!

Barbara: (laughs) I’ll have to ask him more about that! (Slight pause) Now what about Bobby? How did you meet him?

Iris: I was playing my flute and he found me! I was a bit puzzled by that because people can’t usually find me. It turns out that music makes me seeable. We did an experiment. He left the room and waited a few seconds to reactivate my abilities. Then he came in and couldn’t see me. As soon as I started playing, he saw me!

Barbara: performers want to be noticed.

Iris: exactly! We want to be seen and heard. So music makes me seen and heard.

Barbara: now, if you talk, don’t you automatically get seen?

Iris: only if I directly address someone. Or a group. I’ve muttered to myself and nobody hears me. And mutants with heightened senses can’t smell me, either. Telepaths can hear me, though. I hadn’t thought of that when I came here.

Barbara: what brought you here?

Iris: after high school, I had an internship in New York City. After that was over, I wasn’t quite ready to go home, so I decided to take a drive up here and check out Professor Xavier. I sneaked in okay, but then he heard my thoughts. My plan had been to just observe for a few days, but he offered me a place here, so I decided to stay.

Barbara: what do you think about the professor?

Iris: he’s great. He’s like everybody’s dad. Caring and a good listener, but also stern. He pushes us. He wants us to be the best version of us possible and he won’t settle for anything less.

Barbara: wow. Now I want to live here!

(Both laugh)

Barbara: so what lies ahead for you? Do you plan to stay here at the mansion? Will you go on to college? What’s next for Iris Walker?

Iris: I’ll stay here as long as the professor lets me. Maybe I’ll take some classes at a community college so I can become a teacher here. Or maybe I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing- which is anything and everything. I’ve helped cook meals, cleaned the kitchen, taken out the trash- anything. Whatever needs doing. I’m happy to help.

Barbara: it sounds like the Professor is lucky to have you, Iris. Thank you for your time.

Iris: my pleasure.

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