The Shape of Things Page #7

I was given an engagement ring...

two days ago,

and I haven't really

answered the guy yet.

So I wanted to do it today.

Here goes.

This is a beautiful stone...

and an amazing gesture

on your part...

for many reasons.

By the time I'm through here,

I promise that you'll

have your answer.

My graduate advisor gave me

this advice five months ago.

"Strive to make art,

but change the world."

And so,

being a good little student,

that's what I set out to do.

With that in mind,

I present you with my newest work.

It is a human sculpture...

on which I've worked

these past 18 weeks...

and of whom I am very proud.

The piece itself is untitled,

since I think... I-I hope...

it will mean something different

to each of you...

and, frankly,

anyone who sees it.

Can I get a spot...

I did the MTV thing

here on the face.

This is a "before" picture that

I had a classmate take of us...

near the Pizza Hut

out by the highway.

That was our first

official encounter...

after he asked me out

at his place of work...

a big no-no,

or so I was told.

And it was here that I coaxed hi m

Into eating his first vegetarian meal.

Well, as vegetarian...

as a spinach-and-mushroom

calzone can be.

He also had a salad.

Anyway, he told me that,

for him, it was a huge deal...

and it does mark the beginning

of my systematic makeover...

or sculpting, if you will...

of my two very pliable

materials of choice...

the human flesh...

and the human will.

But this, I'm afraid, was not done

out of love or caring...

or concern.

This was a simple matter of,

"can I instill 'X' amount of change

in this creature...

using only manipulation

as my palette knife?"

I made sure that nothing

was ever forced...

during our sessions

or sittings together...

I-I can't really say they were

dates, not on my part,

although the illusion of dating

was imperative...

and that his free will was at

the forefront of each decision.

I made suggestions,

presented the illusion

of interest and...

desire,

but never said,

"You must do this."

Not once.

Any questions yet?

I found that with the right coaxing...

yes, coaxing,

often of a sexual nature and often

in very public arenas, I'll admit...

I could hone the inside

of my sculpture...

as well as the surface.

Now, I found myself...

suddenly creating

strong moral ambiguity...

where I could detect only

the slightest traces before,

often in direct proportion

to the amount of external change.

This means, as my subject

became handsomer...

and firmer

and more confident,

his actions became

more and more...

um...

questionable.

Against medical advice,

he had work done to his face...

and insisted to those

around him that he had... What?

Merely fallen down.

He also started to deceive

his friends... and myself...

with greater abandon

during this period...

while showing increased interest

in other women.

Indeed, he had relations

with his best friends fiance...

and continues to withhold details

about the incident from us...

to this day.

Moreover,

he was willing to give those friends up

when asked...

walk away without

any further contact...

after said encounter...

leading me to an assumption

of further wrongdoing...

with the young woman in question.

This is f***ed!

I call this act

morally questionable...

because it seems to be motivated,

in my mind at least,

as much out of guilt

as genuine feelings for me.

He has then, as I see it,

been completely...

and totally refashioned

as a person.

And yet,

open any fashion magazine,

turn on any television program,

and the world will tell you

he's only gotten...

more interesting,

more desirable, more normal.

In a word,

better.

He is a living,

breathing example...

of our obsession

with the surface of things,

the shape of them.

Not bad, huh?

This was a completely...

startling and...

unexpected turn of events, but...

obviously, I can't accept.

You can examine the stone

and setting further...

when it's placed

in the exhibit.

As for me,

I have no regrets,

no feelings of remorse

for my actions,

the manufactured emotions...

none of it.

I have always stood by

the single and simple conceit...

that I am an artist, only that.

There is... only art.

Now, you may hold

a different opinion,

feel differently.

I welcome that.

Difference is good,

great, vital even.

Only indifference is suspect.

Only to indifference do I say...

f*** you.

With that in mind,

I offer you my untitled sculpture...

and supporting materials today.

Thank you.

Not a big modern art crowd,

I guess, huh?

Hey.

Glad you stopped by.

I can't really show my face

in the streets,

so it seemed logical.

Look, Adam, I know that...

Please...

just refer to me as "it"..

Or, uh, "untitled."

It'll help me keep

some perspective here.

I know that this a lot for you

to take in and everything, but I...

Uh-huh, yeah.

I got a little Gregor Samsa thing

goin' right now, so, uh...

I know my work relied on not

telling you what was going on.

Sorry.

You're sorry.

That's great. I figured I was really gonna

have to work to get that one out of you.

Oh, I'm not sorry,

not for what I've done.

I just feel bad

that you're so upset.

Screw you!

You have screwed me, a lot.

You wanna watch it?

Just pull up a chair.

Sh*t. You are seriously

f***ed up.

I mean it. Listen to your mouth, Adam.

You never used to talk like that.

Oh, you're gonna take credit

for that too, huh? No.

You picked that up all on your own.

Cute guys always have potty mouths.

They think it makes them cuter.

Oh, yeah?

Tell me how cute

this one is then.

F*** you!

You heartless c*nt.

So tell me then.

Go ahead.

You feel that way about me.

You can tell me what I did wrong.

if I did something wrong.

You don't see this as wrong?

You honestly have

no concept here.

if you hadn't

been here today,

hadn't heard all this stuff,

wouldnt you still be happy...

waiting at home for me, hoping this

went well, wanting to make love?

- That's not the point.

- Yes, it is. It's the total point.

All that stuff we did was real for you.

Therefore, it was real.

It wasn't for me.

Therefore, it wasn't.

It's all subjective, Adam...

everything.

I'll tell you something real.

I should sue your ass.

You could try.

I did take that risk.

Yeah.

That's right, you did.

What's this doin' here?

It was only four bucks

at the Goodwill.

Why would you buy that?

Just so I'd have it...

all of you.

Fine.

What the hell?

It can't get any worse.

if you get off on showing people

my old socks...

and scuzzy sheets, go for it.

I don't "get off" on it.

This is my work, Adam.

I'll give you back whatever you want

as soon as I get my grade.

The ring would be nice.

It was my grandma's.

I'll take care of it.

Good.

Hard feelings?

Me?

No. We had some fun, right?

- Yeah.

- Oh, but, hey, that's subjective.

Exactly.

But do me a favor?

Don't fool yourself

and think that this is art. Okay?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes