Love Is Strange Page #6

I know what you mean.

Are you waiting

for someone in particular?

Well, it's not that kind

of romantic situation.

So, what are you waiting for?

I'm waiting for the orchestra

to stop playing...

...and for the curtain to fall.

- Are you high?

- No.

No, actually, before I started talking

to you, I was about to fall asleep.

This is not the best place to sleep.

And yet you're sitting on my bed.

You're homeless?

Yes.

It's a long story.

It starts with me marrying

my partner of 39 years...

...and then...

...getting fired from my job,

and now...

...looking for an apartment

that we can afford.

I won't bore you with all the details.

Well, I happen to have in my pocket...

...the key to a rent-controlled apartment

in the West Village...

...soon to be vacated.

It's a long story.

Shall we go eat?

My uncle moved in here in the '70s.

So after he went back to England,

I got the lease from him.

That was about eight years ago.

I've been very happy here.

I love this place.

- So why are you moving?

- Because of work.

I got offered a job...

...at the Anthropology Museum

in Mexico City.

- Oh, that's an amazing place. Yeah.

- You've been there?

So you know it doesn't get much better

than that for an archeologist.

Would you like something to drink?

Some water. Thank you.

Is that the guy?

Yeah. John.

We've been going out for about a year.

I told him about Mexico tonight

and he wasn't happy.

You're a heartbreaker.

On the contrary.

When I first met him...

...I was so in love,

I didn't want to leave his side.

So I think I scared him off a little.

He never wanted to commit, really.

Kept pushing me away.

It's no coincidence that I interviewed

for this job in Mexico.

Now he finds out that I'm leaving and

decides that I'm the man of his dreams.

It's so typical

and so disappointing, frankly.

- Do you know how much I pay here?

- No idea.

I'm even embarrassed to say.

Fourteen hundred.

They can't raise the rent too much.

It's controlled by the city.

Bless this city.

- What did you think of the Wieniawski?

- Not bad.

- I thought she milked it a bit.

- You think so?

Well, when the piece is that romantic,

there's no need to embellish.

I don't know. I loved it.

I kept thinking about him

and his beloved Isabella.

But that's not true.

That whole, "He composed it to convince

her parents to let him marry her."

- It's a myth.

- I'm not like you.

I prefer a little embellishment.

- Finally.

- I'm sorry. Sorry.

You guys look very thirsty.

What can I get you?

Scotch on the rocks for me.

Vodka and tonic, half a lime, no ice,

for the gentleman here.

Busy tonight?

It's Friday night.

- The kids have taken our spot.

- Good for them.

- You guys new in the neighborhood?

- Are you kidding?

There was a famous "sip in"

right here in this bar...

...to challenge

the New York State regulation...

...that prohibited bars

from serving homosexuals.

We have a clipping

from The New York Times.

Me and four other guys, we came in here

accompanied by five reporters.

When denied service,

we denounced the state liquor authority.

Oh, my God. You're that guy?

Yeah, I was one of the guys.

Well, this round's on me, fellas.

- You are such a liar.

- What?

- Anything for a free drink.

- Well, I knew the real guy.

- Who, Frank?

- Yeah. That was his claim to fame.

- I thought it was something different.

- Well, that too.

Yeah, God bless him.

- Here's to Frank's memory.

- Frank.

- And to Ivan.

- Who's Ivan?

The angel from Sussex

who got our apartment.

- Ian.

- Yeah.

Ivan, Ian. Lt doesn't matter.

I drink to him.

A handsome stranger.

Do I detect a note of jealousy

in your voice?

I have wondered what you've been doing

with your free nights without me.

That's not for me, Ben.

You know that.

For all these years?

For all these years.

Amazing.

I'm sorry I can't say

the same to you, George.

But at least

I've always been honest with you.

Sometimes I think ignorance

might be a little better.

I'm sorry, George.

Mind you, come to think of it...

...there are things that you couldn't

have hidden anyway.

- Like what?

- Like when you got crabs.

Thanks for reminding me.

Or that guy in Rio

who gave you the black eye.

That crazy motherf***er

was trying to rob me!

To all the crazy motherfuckers.

All the crazy motherfuckers.

- George.

- What?

Remember we used to go

to Castelli and Mary Boone...

...and you would say...

...one day we'll go there

to see my one-man show?

And we will.

No, we won't, George.

How do you know?

Nowadays there's a new hot painter

discovered every week.

Okay, maybe it'll happen,

but not in my lifetime.

How do you know?

It's all a matter of trends and tastes.

A curator will come along,

look at one of your paintings...

...and think this is the greatest thing.

But if it doesn't happen,

I just would like to know...

- ...is that disappointing to you?

- Not at all.

And I say it because

I think it's a real possibility.

I love your paintings, and frankly,

I don't care what anybody else thinks.

I guess I did make

a couple of good ones, didn't I?

- Oh, that hurts.

- Are you all right?

- Careful of my arm.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

I had a wonderful time.

Me too.

- Good night.

- Good night, Georgie.

George.

- Joey.

- Hi.

- I didn't see you there.

- I was just waiting.

- Do you wanna come up?

- Yeah, sure.

- Here.

- Thank you.

- This place is so nice.

- Yes, thanks.

I got lucky.

Uncle George, I'm...

I'm sorry that I didn't go

to the service.

The service?

Uncle Ben's service.

You know, funerals can be strange.

Especially for people your age.

I wanted to remember Uncle Ben

how I remember him now.

And I'd never been

to a funeral before...

...and I was afraid

that if I went to his...

...that's how I would remember him

whenever I thought about him.

That makes a lot of sense to me, Joey.

But I hope you didn't come all this way

just because you felt guilty about it.

Oh, no, actually, no. I...

...actually came to give you something.

That's nice.

That's very nice.

I picked it up

from the top of the stairs...

...the day that Uncle Ben

had his accident.

Everything came down...

...including Uncle Ben, as you know.

But the painting was okay.

Yeah.

You know, I think he...

I think he saved it mid-fall somehow.

His paintings meant everything to him.

Is this...? Is this the

view from your roof?

Yeah, that's west.

- Is this you in it? I didn't think so.

- No.

That's my friend Vlad.

He used to come over a lot

when Uncle Ben was living with us.

Are you sure you don't want this?

It'd be a great memento.

Oh, no. No, you keep it.

It's his last painting.

And it's unfinished.

If you look over here...

...you can always imagine

what he would have done with the colors.

It's very nice.

I'm... I'm gonna find a hammer...

...and you can help me

hang it up on the wall.

Yeah, sure.

You can go.

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