Sidetracked
The Boss’ study. Jerrald sits behind his desk, his leather chair facing the wall behind his desk. He spins a pen in his left hand absentmindedly clearly lost in thought. A soft rap on the door startles him, snapping him out of his thoughts. He stops spinning the pen, swings his chair around, and quickly rummages through the drawer of his desk. Tossing the pen inside, he pulls out a stack of papers and scatters them surreptitiously on the desktop. He surveys the scene briefly. Satisfied with the desk’s now cluttered appearance, he looks toward the door.
Jerrald: Come in.
The door opens. Freddy enters, massaging the scar on his left hand. He crosses the room and stands behind the chair opposite Jerrald’s.
Jerrald: (Jubilantly) Federico! Good to see you. Please, please, sit! (He rummages through one of the drawers quickly and pulls out a box of cigarettes. He shakes the box in Freddy’s direction) Cigarette?
Freddy: (curtly) You know I don’t smoke Boss. (He sits.)
Jerrald: Still?
Freddy: Still.
Jerrald: That’s impressive. I’d think being around Jack as much as you are, you’d be a three pack a day man by now.
Freddy: (Freddy is becoming visibly annoyed with this exchange) Sorry to disappoint. Speaking of Jack, he said you wanted to see me.
Jerrald: I did. I do. I wanted to go over a couple of things. Your last piece, “The Door”—
Freddy: (Snidely) It’s actually titled “Anguish.”
Jerrald: (Suddenly businesslike) Tone Freddy. You can call it what you like, but as I have final say, I think “The Door” has a much nicer ring to it.
Freddy: That’s funny. A rung door is usually opened. Doesn’t seem like that’s how things played out... Boss.
Jerrald: (Exasperated) Ok, I guess we’re doing this now. Kid you—
Freddy: (Angrily) Don’t call me kid.
Jerrald: Come in.
The door opens. Freddy enters, massaging the scar on his left hand. He crosses the room and stands behind the chair opposite Jerrald’s.
Jerrald: (Jubilantly) Federico! Good to see you. Please, please, sit! (He rummages through one of the drawers quickly and pulls out a box of cigarettes. He shakes the box in Freddy’s direction) Cigarette?
Freddy: (curtly) You know I don’t smoke Boss. (He sits.)
Jerrald: Still?
Freddy: Still.
Jerrald: That’s impressive. I’d think being around Jack as much as you are, you’d be a three pack a day man by now.
Freddy: (Freddy is becoming visibly annoyed with this exchange) Sorry to disappoint. Speaking of Jack, he said you wanted to see me.
Jerrald: I did. I do. I wanted to go over a couple of things. Your last piece, “The Door”—
Freddy: (Snidely) It’s actually titled “Anguish.”
Jerrald: (Suddenly businesslike) Tone Freddy. You can call it what you like, but as I have final say, I think “The Door” has a much nicer ring to it.
Freddy: That’s funny. A rung door is usually opened. Doesn’t seem like that’s how things played out... Boss.
Jerrald: (Exasperated) Ok, I guess we’re doing this now. Kid you—
Freddy: (Angrily) Don’t call me kid.
Jerrald: (Continues undeterred) Kid, you clearly have some things on your chest you need to get off.
Freddy: Yeah, no shit.
Jerrald: Well, have at you. But I warn you, get it all out. We’re not having the conversation again past this point.
Freddy: (Inhales deeply) For starters, you guys left me there.
Jerrald: Yeah, dick move. I apologize.
Freddy: No, Jerrald. A dick move is shouting “My germs!” before sticking your finger into a Thanksgiving pie. You. Left. Me. In the middle of a forest... For over a year!
Jerrald: It was necessary.
Freddy: Necessary? Air is necessary! Water is necessary! It was cruel!
Jerrald: Ok, that word is being tossed around a little too loosely these days in regards to me. Cruel is leaving you there thinking you’d die.
Freddy: Thinking? You had no way of knowing I’d come out on the other side of that alive. (Slams his scarred left hand on the desk causing the ashtray to fall towards the floor; the ashtray lands with a soft thud, spilling ash that forms a tiny mushroom cloud before settling on the hardwood) No way!
Jerrald: And yet, here you sit.
Freddy: No thanks to you.
Jerrald: Look, I get it, you’re upset. Jack and I just thought it was for the best.
Freddy: (Scoffs) Right. Should’ve known your watchdog had a hand in this. In all seriousness, you do realize Jack’s plans usually wind up with someone hurt... I mean, you see that right?
Jerrald: Define “hurt.” Because if it’s just feelings, everybody comes out on the other side better for it.
Freddy: Everyone except me you mean. And before you think of saying anything about how it’s worth it, it’s not. Seriously Jerrald, it’s not.
Jerrald: Right. (Swings his chair around so he’s now facing the wall) Do you remember what you were doing when I found you? Doodling sketches on paper napkins. All that skill rattling around in your head being wasted.
Freddy: Says you.
Jerrald: Said you too. I gave you direction, purpose, the easels, a stage to--
Freddy: --What you’ve given me is a permanent tormentor, (holds up his left hand) scars that won’t heal, and paranoia.
Jerrald: And that’s all? (Waits for Freddy to respond. When he doesn’t, Jerrald continues) You’ve come a long way from paper napkins and I’m not the only person who thinks so.
Freddy: I don’t care what people think! I don’t paint for them. Half of them don’t get it. The other half don’t care.
Freddy: Yeah, no shit.
Jerrald: Well, have at you. But I warn you, get it all out. We’re not having the conversation again past this point.
Freddy: (Inhales deeply) For starters, you guys left me there.
Jerrald: Yeah, dick move. I apologize.
Freddy: No, Jerrald. A dick move is shouting “My germs!” before sticking your finger into a Thanksgiving pie. You. Left. Me. In the middle of a forest... For over a year!
Jerrald: It was necessary.
Freddy: Necessary? Air is necessary! Water is necessary! It was cruel!
Jerrald: Ok, that word is being tossed around a little too loosely these days in regards to me. Cruel is leaving you there thinking you’d die.
Freddy: Thinking? You had no way of knowing I’d come out on the other side of that alive. (Slams his scarred left hand on the desk causing the ashtray to fall towards the floor; the ashtray lands with a soft thud, spilling ash that forms a tiny mushroom cloud before settling on the hardwood) No way!
Jerrald: And yet, here you sit.
Freddy: No thanks to you.
Jerrald: Look, I get it, you’re upset. Jack and I just thought it was for the best.
Freddy: (Scoffs) Right. Should’ve known your watchdog had a hand in this. In all seriousness, you do realize Jack’s plans usually wind up with someone hurt... I mean, you see that right?
Jerrald: Define “hurt.” Because if it’s just feelings, everybody comes out on the other side better for it.
Freddy: Everyone except me you mean. And before you think of saying anything about how it’s worth it, it’s not. Seriously Jerrald, it’s not.
Jerrald: Right. (Swings his chair around so he’s now facing the wall) Do you remember what you were doing when I found you? Doodling sketches on paper napkins. All that skill rattling around in your head being wasted.
Freddy: Says you.
Jerrald: Said you too. I gave you direction, purpose, the easels, a stage to--
Freddy: --What you’ve given me is a permanent tormentor, (holds up his left hand) scars that won’t heal, and paranoia.
Jerrald: And that’s all? (Waits for Freddy to respond. When he doesn’t, Jerrald continues) You’ve come a long way from paper napkins and I’m not the only person who thinks so.
Freddy: I don’t care what people think! I don’t paint for them. Half of them don’t get it. The other half don’t care.
Jerrald: So why are you doing it?
Freddy: Because someone has to stick around and make sure you don’t implode. Someone has to show you that beauty sits right next to all that anger in your head. And somebody has to show you that beauty can be made real.You think Jack really cares about your happiness?
Jerrald: Jack protects that happiness.
Freddy: Please. Jack protects your pride. You notice he’s only happy when you’re a wounded bird? Think about it. Every time you’ve said you want to try something new, do something new, be something new, what’s been his response?
Jerrald: He does what I say.
Freddy: Yeah, kicking and screaming the whole way. He’s misery incarnate and you? I’m starting to think you enjoy being his company. He’s flawed--
Freddy: Because someone has to stick around and make sure you don’t implode. Someone has to show you that beauty sits right next to all that anger in your head. And somebody has to show you that beauty can be made real.You think Jack really cares about your happiness?
Jerrald: Jack protects that happiness.
Freddy: Please. Jack protects your pride. You notice he’s only happy when you’re a wounded bird? Think about it. Every time you’ve said you want to try something new, do something new, be something new, what’s been his response?
Jerrald: He does what I say.
Freddy: Yeah, kicking and screaming the whole way. He’s misery incarnate and you? I’m starting to think you enjoy being his company. He’s flawed--
Jerrald: -- And I see them. Every one. But so are you. You don’t understand the world we’re living in isn’t always like the one you paint. You don’t get it. Sure, Jack’s a cannon, but he isn’t a loose one. And for all this talk of his misery rubbing off, You’re the one I worry about.
Freddy: Me? (Rises from his seat angrily) Me? I’ve done everything you ask and you don’t ask for small favors! The sacrifices I’ve made--
Jerrald: --Don’t matter.
Freddy: (Breathing heavily) They do!
Jerrald: Take a breath, Kid. Calm down, sit down, and listen. You can tell me you’re angry. You can rage against the machine. You can do these things because I allow it and to a certain degree, you’re right. But don’t talk to me about sacrifice. Don’t talk to me about pain or loss or sadness. You painted it. But we’ve lived it. Jack and me.
Freddy: You think if--
Jerrald: --I think I told you to sit down. I know I told you to listen. (Freddy sits reluctantly. Jerrald does another 180 degree spin in the chair. He is facing Freddy once more.) Like it or not, if I had to choose, Jack gets the nod every time. That’s just the way it’s going to be. Until Arthur gets settled, I’m going to trust his judgement, good or bad. Do you want to know why?
Freddy: (Glares at Jerrald, but says nothing.)
Jerrald: Because no matter the outcome, I know he’ll still be there when the dust settles. You can buy a lot of things, Kid. Loyalty ain’t one of ‘em.
Freddy: Yeah, I get that. I’m just--
Jerrald: (Holds up his hand) --You do? Good. Do you remember the last painting? The very last one? (Freddy nods) That’s what I need from you. That honesty, that realness, that emotion captured in that moment. Minus the bells and whistles.
Freddy: But, (Pauses) that’s what I always do.
Jerrald: (Sternly) No. You’ve done that exactly one time. Once. Which leads me to believe you still think there are happy endings in some situations. Sometimes there just aren’t.
Freddy: In my def--
Jerrald: --And the sneaky little silver linings you paint detract from those pieces and also slow down my healing. You know what’s beautiful? Dreamless sleep. You know how I get there? Putting moments to bed. Not by--
Freddy: If you’d just let me--
Jerrald: --Not by looking at said pieces and fixating on a detail that has no business being there in the first place. Understood?
Freddy: Can I--
Jerrald: (Icily) Un. Der. Stood?
Freddy: (Stares at Jerrald with dislike.) Understood.
Jerrald: (Claps hands together cheerily) Great! Good talk.
Freddy: (Rises to leave) That’s it? Jack said something about discussing a dream you had. What was that about?
Jerrald: (waves his hand dismissively) Don’t worry about it. I think I’m going to have to handle this one myself.
Freddy: But--
Jerrald: (Swivels his chair back towards the wall) Goodbye Federico.
Freddy rises and exits
*Fade to black*
Freddy: Me? (Rises from his seat angrily) Me? I’ve done everything you ask and you don’t ask for small favors! The sacrifices I’ve made--
Jerrald: --Don’t matter.
Freddy: (Breathing heavily) They do!
Jerrald: Take a breath, Kid. Calm down, sit down, and listen. You can tell me you’re angry. You can rage against the machine. You can do these things because I allow it and to a certain degree, you’re right. But don’t talk to me about sacrifice. Don’t talk to me about pain or loss or sadness. You painted it. But we’ve lived it. Jack and me.
Freddy: You think if--
Jerrald: --I think I told you to sit down. I know I told you to listen. (Freddy sits reluctantly. Jerrald does another 180 degree spin in the chair. He is facing Freddy once more.) Like it or not, if I had to choose, Jack gets the nod every time. That’s just the way it’s going to be. Until Arthur gets settled, I’m going to trust his judgement, good or bad. Do you want to know why?
Freddy: (Glares at Jerrald, but says nothing.)
Jerrald: Because no matter the outcome, I know he’ll still be there when the dust settles. You can buy a lot of things, Kid. Loyalty ain’t one of ‘em.
Freddy: Yeah, I get that. I’m just--
Jerrald: (Holds up his hand) --You do? Good. Do you remember the last painting? The very last one? (Freddy nods) That’s what I need from you. That honesty, that realness, that emotion captured in that moment. Minus the bells and whistles.
Freddy: But, (Pauses) that’s what I always do.
Jerrald: (Sternly) No. You’ve done that exactly one time. Once. Which leads me to believe you still think there are happy endings in some situations. Sometimes there just aren’t.
Freddy: In my def--
Jerrald: --And the sneaky little silver linings you paint detract from those pieces and also slow down my healing. You know what’s beautiful? Dreamless sleep. You know how I get there? Putting moments to bed. Not by--
Freddy: If you’d just let me--
Jerrald: --Not by looking at said pieces and fixating on a detail that has no business being there in the first place. Understood?
Freddy: Can I--
Jerrald: (Icily) Un. Der. Stood?
Freddy: (Stares at Jerrald with dislike.) Understood.
Jerrald: (Claps hands together cheerily) Great! Good talk.
Freddy: (Rises to leave) That’s it? Jack said something about discussing a dream you had. What was that about?
Jerrald: (waves his hand dismissively) Don’t worry about it. I think I’m going to have to handle this one myself.
Freddy: But--
Jerrald: (Swivels his chair back towards the wall) Goodbye Federico.
Freddy rises and exits
*Fade to black*
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