January 27, 1999
Lucky and Lizzie:
Art School
scene



{At Kelly's}

Lucky:  {To Lizzie whose walking by} “Excuse me.” {He pushes his coffee cup towards her}

Lizzie:  {Smiling} “What, are you in a decaf-drinking contest?”

Lucky:  “The quicker I drink, the quicker you come over here.”

Lizzie:  “You know, you're the flaw in our free-refills policy.”

Lucky:  “Aren't you on break yet?”

Lizzie:  “Lucky, you just walked me here from school 20 minutes ago.”

Lucky:  “It seems longer. You want me to leave? Am I driving you crazy?”

Lizzie:  “When it comes to driving me crazy, you're a zero. My sister does it, my Gram does it, every third person at school can do it, but you -- you don't even register on the scale.”

Lucky:  “I wasn't really going to leave. I'm too busy making my list.”

Lizzie:  “Oh.  {She sits down} A list of what?”

Lucky:  “Things you could paint to make their eyes bug out of their heads at the Art Academy in New York. Not that it matters because anything you paint they're going to love.”


 
 

Lucky:  “So, I looked through some catalogs from the art schools in the guidance office. From what I can tell, there are six kinds of arts they go for. You ready for this?”

Lizzie:  “Mm-hmm.”

Lucky:  “Ok. You got pictures of old buildings, sometimes falling down. You know, like ruins and stuff like that. Number two -- bowls of fruit with or without, a, guitars or, b, vases of flowers. No, there weren't any just guitars with no fruit. Fruit was the common denominator. Three -- landscapes involving either mountains or beaches. Ok. Four -- you got psycho-looking rooms where the curtains are one big pattern and the rug is another big pattern and there's a lady lounging on the sofa in another big pattern. It's a mess. Five -- you got paintings of old people with a lot of character in their faces. Six -- paintings of naked people with no faces.”

Lizzie:  “Lucky, I’ve never painted any of those.”

Lucky:  “That's good. I mean, why be like everyone else, you know? But maybe you want to show the Academy something that they'll understand. I mean, just for the entrance submission, right? You know what I’m thinking?”

Lizzie:  “What?”

Lucky:  “I’m making out pretty good on that trip I made for Sonny. I mean, he paid me half already. I'm supposed to get the other half today. I could hire you a model.”

Lizzie:  “Wouldn't a bowl of fruit be cheaper? Or an old person with lots of character in their face? I mean, they're a dime a dozen.”

Lucky:  “All depends on what you want to paint.”

Lizzie:  “Oh, do I want to paint somebody naked?”

Lucky:  “Somebody female.”

Lizzie:  “Oh, ok, and I guess you'd do the interviewing?”

Lucky:  “Of course. {They laugh} Just kidding. It's just a suggestion.”

Lizzie:  “There's nothing wrong with the suggestion. There's just -- there's something wrong with me. I don't know if I can do this, Lucky. I've never painted for other people before. I mean, for you, yeah, but that's because I didn't worry about the six approved subjects or whether you'd like it. I knew you only cared that I did it for you. And the painting's for no reason except to be judged by a bunch of people I don't even know? It just seems like it's too much pressure, that, you know, it's taking things too seriously.”

Lucky:  “Elizabeth, you take your art very seriously. I know you do.”

Lizzie:  “Well, maybe I do, but -- ok, for instance, that song you wrote for me -- would you want to get up on stage and sing it in the school auditorium?”


 

Lizzie:  “You think I’m a coward. You think I’m afraid to just go for it.”

Lucky:  “No, I don't. Look, I understand everything you're saying. Sometimes, you know, I do daydream about singing for an audience. But that song I wrote for you -- I can't imagine singing that for anybody but you.”

Lizzie:  “Exactly. So –“

Lucky:  “Here's the thing -- I only have the voice I have. I mean, I could take voice lessons till I’m 40. Nobody's ever going to pay me to sing opera or even old Captain and Tennille songs at weddings. You're different. You have this talent. And you don't even know what you can do, Elizabeth. I mean, don't you want to -- don't you want to see how far you can go? I mean, never mind pleasing anybody else. Just forget that, ok? I mean, don't you want to learn more things, new things, please yourself more?”

Lizzie:  “Well, when you put it like that, it makes sense. Sure, there's lots of things I don't know that I’d like to learn.”

Lucky:  “All right. I think you should come with me to the guidance counselor's office, take a look at some of those catalogs. You'd be very inspired.”

Lizzie:  “The students' work is really that good?”

Lucky:  “No, it stinks. That'll inspire you.” {Lizzie laughs and goes back to her job}


 
 
 

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