The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) Page #2

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What will you do for money?

Well, we sold the apartment,

so we'll split that.

And I'll be staying here for a little,

of course, while I figure it out.

- Thank you again.

- While you're staying here,

could you go through

all the boxes upstairs

and take any posters or papers

that you want from your childhood?

Maureen is taking a fancy trip

to easter island Monday with a group.

When I come back, we're going to start

throwing things away.

- We lived in queens with our mom.

- We don't really have anything.

It's mostly Matt's stuff, but okay.

Matthew's coming out from the coast

in a few weeks.

- He corresponded about meeting for lunch.

- Matt is?

He has some wealthy clients

who are coming over Sunday

to look at the dad's work.

- Matt does?

- Apparently, they're admirers of mine.

We never hear from him,

and then suddenly poof.

That's not true.

Matthew and I correspond quite frequently.

Yeah, he texts with me.

You guys text? About what?

I don't know, things. Life.

Maybe I'll try to see him when he's here.

He's only here for a day to see a client,

he wants to see me during that time.

Eliza, have more shark.

Maureen, give my granddaughter

more shark.

You kids don't eat.

It's amazing how much

Matthew's clients make,

when you think about what a teacher,

or a nurse, or...

I think I would've had greater success

if I had been more fashionable.

Well, you were always out-of-step

with the times.

That's true, I was a vanguard.

L.J. Shapiro said that about me.

You know, l.J.'S having

a retrospective at moma.

Is he?

L.j. was always very political.

He's not untalented,

but he's a very skillful operator.

You didn't play the game.

Do you think I should email Matt

about his visit?

Why not?

I don't want to be presumptuous.

He's your brother, Dan.

Half.

Isn't that when the Whitney

bought a piece of yours?

Yes, they were going to buy

more work, too,

but Bernie, my dealer at the time,

didn't like the deal.

I probably shouldn't have listened

to him.

I don't know, he didn't respond

the last time I reached out.

When I called and wrote the Whitney

about it, they couldn't find it.

- It's there.

- They can't find it.

- Jean! Damn it, they have the work!

- Okay.

[Whispers] it's lost.

[Eliza's grandfather] Hmm.

The work looks stunning

all together like this.

- Danny, you made this?

- Jean and I did, yes.

Harold meyerowitz. A retrospective.

You send in the pictures

and they make it for you.

Oh, dad, Jean and I spoke to a woman

at the museum at bard.

- Was that hilma federman?

- Hilma, yes.

And there's some interest

in doing a show there.

Oh, that's the least they can do for you,

after all those years you've given them.

I think with Eliza going this fall

and your history as a teacher,

we have a good shot.

Danny, make sure hilma sees the book.

A retrospective at this point would be

a real feather in my cap,

and I think bring attention

to the new work.

The thing is, dad,

it would be part of a group show.

Bard faculty.

A group show.

No, that's essentially an insult.

I think hilma's angry because

I voted against her chairmanship.

Tell hilma no.

- Well, hilma hasn't offered it yet.

- When she does, tell her no.

Maureen, where's the gourmet hummus?

It's upstairs, I think.

Why?

[Piano playing]

You'll always be my superstar

You'll always be my number one

I'll always be your genius girl

I'll never be your stupid son

[Danny] no, no

You'll always be good at math

You'll always be good at naming stars

[Eliza]

you'll always be there to catch me

Except when I fall off the monkey bars

Still hate myself for that.

That broken arm made you so sad

There went your shot at the olympiad

But that black-and-white cookie

made it not so bad

And there's always you

And there's always me

And there's always us

Mommy and daddy and genius girl

make three

You got my hands, you got my toes

But luckily I got mommy's nose

You're better than 100 Broadway shows

And there's always you

And there's always me

And there's always us

Mommy and daddy and genius girl

make three

That was a meyerowitz and meyerowitz

composition.

We wrote it when I was nine.

Was the shark bad or was that bad shark?

Dad, it was raw.

The rice was hard

and the shellfish was closed.

Dad, your limp is worse.

It's always... worse

after I've been sitting.

- Just got to stretch it.

- Please see someone about it.

I have an appointment

with an acupuncturist on Tuesday.

Someone real, please?

I'm telling you,

you are going to meet a lot of...

Wonderful, interesting, new people.

Or, I imagine you will.

I didn't make it more than a month

at college because I liked drugs so much.

I'm gonna miss you and mom.

I know. We'll miss you, too.

I still haven't wrapped my mind around it,

you guys not being together.

We don't get along when it's just us.

Sorry I don't get to drive you,

but your mom won that one.

It's okay. She's a good driver.

And I'll be up there

whenever you're ready for me.

Marcus is picking you up.

Does Marcus know to take the tunnel

instead of the bridge?

At this hour,

the bridge is gonna be jammed.

You'll be okay here?

Yeah.

It'll be nice to spend time with dad

while Maureen's away.

You know, I didn't get

a lot of time with him growing up.

It's an opportunity to get closer now.

It's nice you and Jean

are getting him this show.

I know it's just a college show,

but I think it really could

put him back on the map.

The work is good

and deserves more exposure.

You are a truly wonderful girl.

You've been a great dad.

I think I still am.

I didn't mean it that way.

[Horn honking]

Hey, Marcus.

Hey, Danny.

Text when you get...

This one's interesting.

I think it's a masterpiece, Brian.

It's intended as a sort of sequel

to "gilded halfwing."

The squiggly one outside Lincoln center.

Yes, James, "gilded halfwing."

It's probably my most well-known work.

It has a young man's energy.

But I like to think

that my later work is richer,

more interesting.

When Matthew told me that was yours,

I was like,

"I walk by there all the time."

We're on central park west now,

but have been looking for

the right place downtown.

Show James and Brian

the wood structures.

Yes, I've been working in wood recently.

Danny, give me a hand.

How about this one, with the gold?

Always loved this one.

No, not that one.

It's a minor work of mine.

Over here.

How's the noise in this area?

- It gets very loud, all the tourists.

- Only on weekends.

How long has Matthew been your...

- Business manager?

- Hey, dad, let me help.

[James] he's been doing that for,

I guess it's been close to five years.

[Maureen] how did you two meet?

We met at a fundraiser for Chuck schumer.

[Water running]

- Great water pressure.

- The art's over here.

It's largely intuitive, really,

and in its way,

a return to the old masters.

I think I'm doing

the best work of my life right now, but...

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