The Soloist
The dialogue went something like this:
Nathaniel says, “you know mr. lopez, my vision… I hate to admit it, but I’m going to have to be like Beethoven and just do what he did and die. Thank you Mr. Lopez. My vision is on far off stuff, just make it across the street, honor thy father and they mother, and hopefully the music will just take care of itself. That’s really all you can do. I mean, I mean, think about it. There’s not much you can do other than that. Would you care for a drink?”
Mr. Lopez says, “No thanks, I’m fine” (Gets handed a soda) “Oh, thanks.”
Nathaniel says, “Gotta tuck this guy in here. (Referring to a violin) Nice and safe. (Throws out a blanket and pillow) Here you can rest on this. Do you think of writers Mr. Lopez? Do you… think of writers the way that I think of musicians, Mr. Lopez?”
Mr. Lopez says, “I, uh, em, write for a living. Its, not, like it used to be. “
Nathaniel says, “I love thinking about musicians. I imagine Beethoven and Mozart over there in that window where that light is, and they just, hunger and thirst like we do. Is that junk? I believe these children of God are gonna be ok tonight, they are gonna sleep and dream just as humans do. (Druggie walks by, people are fighting, man digs through a trash can, another one just staring off in to space) Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, THY kingdom come, THY will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven… Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us of our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us…”
Mr. Lopez says, “I only knew part of his story, I knew him playing a violin on a dairy crate in the morning sun, suspended somewhere in between boy genius and lost traveler. Every night my friend Nathaniel tucks his instruments in and lays his head among the predators, hustlers, among fallen drunks sprawled in the streets, as rats the size of meatloaves dart out of the drains to feed off of the squalor. “
Nathaniel says, “…Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, Forever… …Forever and ever…”
Mr. Lopez says, “I tell him he this is no place for him, he says he wants to be here. He says this is his choice. Should I take him at his word? Or should I try to force him inside? Would a little arm twisting be more humane than leaving him on the streets among a lost colony of lost broken souls. “
Nathaniel says, “I hope you sleep well Mr. Lopez. I hope the whole world sleeps well.”
Understand that Nathaniel is on the streets. He is homeless. Yet the only thing he can think of is making sure Mister Lopez is fine and comfortable. Now let me ask you, do you really have it that bad? When you complain on facebook/myspace/twitter? When you have a computer or a cell phone. This man gave out of his poverty to help Mr. Lopez. When you complain about the “stresses” of this life? Who do you compare yourself to? You have a roof over your head, freshly clean clothes on your back, food at home, and you complain about what? Why do you see it necessary to buy things you don’t need, with money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like?
Nathaniel says, “you know mr. lopez, my vision… I hate to admit it, but I’m going to have to be like Beethoven and just do what he did and die. Thank you Mr. Lopez. My vision is on far off stuff, just make it across the street, honor thy father and they mother, and hopefully the music will just take care of itself. That’s really all you can do. I mean, I mean, think about it. There’s not much you can do other than that. Would you care for a drink?”
Mr. Lopez says, “No thanks, I’m fine” (Gets handed a soda) “Oh, thanks.”
Nathaniel says, “Gotta tuck this guy in here. (Referring to a violin) Nice and safe. (Throws out a blanket and pillow) Here you can rest on this. Do you think of writers Mr. Lopez? Do you… think of writers the way that I think of musicians, Mr. Lopez?”
Mr. Lopez says, “I, uh, em, write for a living. Its, not, like it used to be. “
Nathaniel says, “I love thinking about musicians. I imagine Beethoven and Mozart over there in that window where that light is, and they just, hunger and thirst like we do. Is that junk? I believe these children of God are gonna be ok tonight, they are gonna sleep and dream just as humans do. (Druggie walks by, people are fighting, man digs through a trash can, another one just staring off in to space) Our Father which art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name, THY kingdom come, THY will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven… Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us of our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us…”
Mr. Lopez says, “I only knew part of his story, I knew him playing a violin on a dairy crate in the morning sun, suspended somewhere in between boy genius and lost traveler. Every night my friend Nathaniel tucks his instruments in and lays his head among the predators, hustlers, among fallen drunks sprawled in the streets, as rats the size of meatloaves dart out of the drains to feed off of the squalor. “
Nathaniel says, “…Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, Forever… …Forever and ever…”
Mr. Lopez says, “I tell him he this is no place for him, he says he wants to be here. He says this is his choice. Should I take him at his word? Or should I try to force him inside? Would a little arm twisting be more humane than leaving him on the streets among a lost colony of lost broken souls. “
Nathaniel says, “I hope you sleep well Mr. Lopez. I hope the whole world sleeps well.”
Understand that Nathaniel is on the streets. He is homeless. Yet the only thing he can think of is making sure Mister Lopez is fine and comfortable. Now let me ask you, do you really have it that bad? When you complain on facebook/myspace/twitter? When you have a computer or a cell phone. This man gave out of his poverty to help Mr. Lopez. When you complain about the “stresses” of this life? Who do you compare yourself to? You have a roof over your head, freshly clean clothes on your back, food at home, and you complain about what? Why do you see it necessary to buy things you don’t need, with money you don’t have, to impress people you don’t like?