The Art of Getting By Page #2

- What happened to the electricity?

- Hi, sweetie.

We got take-out

from the rotisserie chicken place.

Grab a plate and join us.

But the lights. What happened?

It's my fault. I forgot to pay the bill.

And it's no big deal.

They'll be on tomorrow.

George, we're trying to turn

this awkward little mix-up

into a fun experience.

And if you can't get into

the spirit of adventure,

then you can just do your own thing.

You don't have to stick around.

I'm sorry, Jack. I can't use my laptop,

much less get my assignments.

So, go to the library or Starbucks.

Be resourceful.

Does anyone have any ideas about

which elements of the novel pinpoint it

as part of the Romantic movement?

MS. HERMAN:
Anyone?

George?

George?

Yeah?

I was asking what conclusion you came to

in the exercise we're doing.

Sorry. About what, again?

About which elements of the novel

pinpoint it

as part of the Romantic movement?

Which novel?

(STUDENTS CHUCKLING)

The Mayor of Casterbridge, George,

which, obviously, you didn't read.

I loved it.

Clearly. Anyone else?

My favorite part of the book

is how the town's layout is described

from the perspective of a bee traveling

from one side of town to the other.

It's so visual.

So, I guess what Hardy's doing

is aligning his point of view

not with an all-seeing God

but with an insect,

the tiniest, humblest creature in nature.

Which is pretty Romantic.

I think you just found

your term paper, George.

George!

Hi.

- Come join us.

- Cool.

You know Will and Zoe, right?

Yeah, we're in math class together, right?

You never have your homework.

Right. Right, it's my shtick.

- Hi, George.

- Hey, Zoe.

Dude, what are you always drawing?

He's like the mad artist,

just hunched over his books.

He never listens to a word

the teacher says.

- What, like you do?

- Can I see some of the sh*t you draw?

Yeah, sure.

You have issues.

WILL:
No. Dude, you're sensitive.

The sensitive artiste.

Could you draw something like this

for one of my parties?

I'm throwing a huge one

at my brother's club on New Year's Eve.

- You serious?

- WILL:
Yeah.

You know, we can blow it up,

make it a poster, invites, flyers.

Yeah, that'd be great, right?

(ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

(KNOCK AT DOOR)

- Hey, George. How are you?

- Fine.

Well, what are you doing?

Just finishing my trig assignment.

Good man. That's what I like to hear.

WILL:
I've got 72 comps on my list alone.

- Most of them are your friends.

- Yeah.

And they're gonna be

the coolest people there.

- Yeah, you're right.

- So don't question it.

Besides, if I pull my people,

your whole operation goes under.

- Will.

- Brother George!

I love it, man.

Nice celebratory mood. Perfect for a party.

So, what now, Basquiat?

Rule number one about cutting school.

I've cut school before.

To shop.

- Rule number one, cutting school is fun.

- That's a rule?

Rule number two,

cut rarely to preserve the specialness.

Is that even a word?

Rule number three,

do something culturally rewarding

with your time to earn it morally.

Rule number four, you're a dork.

Wrong. Rule number four, noodles.

Noodles?

(COUPLE SPEAKING IN FRENCH)

Is that how you see us? You're the old man

and I'm your 12-year-old niece?

No.

So, what, you take all the girls

to this movie? Is it your secret weapon?

When you're cutting school,

you go to whatever's playing.

I'm kidding.

- Whoa.

- What?

- That's my stepfather.

- So?

Well, A, his office is

on the other side of town.

And B, he looks weird.

Let's follow him.

- What do you think he's doing?

- Probably just going to a meeting.

I bet it's a lovers' rendezvous.

My stepfather cheated all the time.

Maybe.

No offense, but he looks kind of creepy.

Strange place for a meeting.

Lovers' rendezvous amended to

drug buy from skanky hooker.

(CHUCKLING)

Hey, Bill.

You are like a Cold War spy.

You move only in shadow.

Me? I'm always around.

I see you made some new friends.

Not necessarily. Jury's still out.

I'm happy for you, George. I just...

I just want you to be careful.

- What's wrong with them?

- Nothing.

But they have an easier time

of getting by than you do.

You're not exactly hooking up

with a study group.

Hey, I have something for you.

Career Day is coming up in a few weeks,

and we always assign

an exemplary student

to represent Morgan

to the alumni speakers.

You know, to act as a liaison, escort

them to the classroom, whatever...

You have really lost it.

Then there is that matter

that Mrs. Dougherty broached to me.

- The substitute?

- Yeah.

Smoking on campus

is automatic suspension.

This is the last thing I wanna do.

No problem. Suspension it is.

Done. Effective...

Fine. Fine.

- I'll do it.

- Great. Great.

We'll be sending out an e-mail with

your schedule and your responsibilities.

Are you Dustin?

Yeah.

Hi. I'm George. I'm your liaison.

Hey.

My name is Dustin Heath.

I'm a student. I was a student here.

I was in the class

with that terrifying old man over there.

Yeah, I'm an artist.

Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing here.

Was a little hungover when they

called me and asked me to do this

and I said yes

just to get them off the phone.

I got the schedule in the mail

several days later

and I was a little embarrassed.

I'm not really established or anything.

I had my first art show a year ago,

which was good.

Got me this coat.

Well, let me show you

some of my work here.

I don't know,

sometimes people look at your stuff

and, you know,

they think it's really interesting

or they think it's bullshit,

and I don't know the difference.

I honestly don't.

You just, you know, hope not to be

fooling yourself, I guess.

This is the next slide, here.

Anybody have any questions?

I mean, nobody asked me any questions.

Did I just suck?

You were probably the only real,

non-full-of-sh*t person speaking today.

It felt like Nagasaki in there.

You were great.

Thanks, man.

Do you paint?

Yeah, I'd like to.

I just don't know what to paint.

Yeah, well, it's the hardest part, you know?

Does that make me not a painter?

The fact that you struggle with it

is a really good thing.

But how can you call yourself a painter

if you don't paint?

- You like Morgan?

- Not really.

I have no idea what I'm doing here.

(CHUCKLES)

I don't think anybody does, George.

At least you admit it.

If you want, you can come to my studio

in Brooklyn and check some stuff out.

You sticking around for the holidays?

Nah. St. Bart's. Family yacht.

Oh.

Kidding. No plans.

You're a loser.

Well, me, too. We should hang out.

Maybe.

Merry Christmas!

- Hi.

- Hey.

Should we come in?

Please.

Hi.

SALLY:
These are amazing.

How long did they take?

They're all kind of different, you know?

Each one goes through its own little

process of death and rebirth.

That one literally took me two hours.

They're all their own little entities, really.

SALLY:
You live here, too?

DUSTIN:
Mm-hmm.

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