The Soloist Page #5

in that window where the light is,

and they just hunger and they thirst

like we do.

It's angelic.

I believe these children of God are

gonna be okay tonight.

They're gonna sleep and dream

as humans do.

Our Father,

who 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...

Just keep it coming. There's plenty.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those

who trespass against us.

I knew only part of his story.

I knew him playing the violin

on a dairy crate in the morning sun,

suspended somewhere between

boy genius and lost traveler.

Every night, my friend Nathaniel tucks

his instruments away

and lays his head

among the predators and hustlers,

among fallen drunks

sprawled in the streets,

as rats the size of meatloaves dart

out of the drains to feed off the squalor.

... lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

forever.

Forever and ever.

I tell him 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?

Wouldn't a little arm-twisting be

more humane

than leaving him here on the streets

in this lost colony of broken,

helpless souls?

I hope you sleep well, Mr. Lopez.

I hope the whole world sleeps well.

A-D-A-M C-R-A-N-E.

He wants to meet you.

Who?

The guy from the Los Angeles

Philharmonic, Adam Crane.

Wondering if you wanna come

hear a concert

at Disney Hall some time as his guest.

They're doing Beethoven.

- Ludwig van?

- Beethoven, all season long.

They got one coming up. The Third.

- Well, what's the date today?

- No, the Third Symphony.

I'll cause a scene.

I don't wanna cause a scene.

I don't wanna stick out

or anything like that.

So it's just...

It's impossible. It can't happen.

What if I could get us in for a rehearsal?

Nathaniel, let's go.

What I did with the keys right here...

Come on. Lock up the cart.

- No. You know what, Mr. Lopez?

- Come on, we gotta go.

I can't leave my stuff here

with these rascals.

They can't be trusted.

They'll do anything.

Oh, no. We have an entire orchestra

waiting for us. We are gonna go.

They have drug addicts

and cigarette smokers here,

and they will steal all of what I have.

- No one is going to steal your sh*t.

- I can't leave it.

No, no. We have to get in touch

with the mayor...

- Nathaniel, it's garbage.

...Antonio Villaraigosa...

... or the president.

- No one is gonna steal this garbage.

- In the corner...

- No, no, no, Mr. Lopez,

I'm not gonna be

able to make it up there.

Okay. Oh, boy.

Fantasia. Walt Disney Hall.

Donald Duck.

I have to deal with things here

because I wouldn't leave a dog

with these people here.

Right. Okay. Fine.

A cockroach does not tell a greyhound

what to do.

It's fine! Do you understand? It's fine.

I do not give a smooth fart

if we go or not. Do you understand?

There are a million other things

I could be doing right now.

Obligations,

things that people pay me to do.

I have a job. I'm a professional person.

- Sorry.

- All right.

What?

Still not gonna leave my cart here.

Okay.

Pick a side.

The company is offering you

a very generous exit package.

Yeah.

- I understand how difficult this is.

- Wait!

Right.

Unfortunately, this is the reality

of our business.

Nathaniel, hard left

coming up right here.

Mr. Lopez, are you okay?

How long has it been

since you've been in a concert hall?

This is great.

There's the conductor.

- Just us.

- Yeah, just us.

It's the way it should be.

- He's in the room.

- Who is?

Beethoven.

Sing the hate out!

Stop.

- All right.

- Strong finish!

Get up there.

I'm telling you,

it was such an unbelievable experience,

the whole thing, the whole day.

And if you had seen him,

if you could have felt him...

I mean, it's the same hall.

We're listening to the same

goddamn music, but... But no.

You see him, it's one thing,

but you feel him...

I'm watching him.

He's watching the music.

And while they're playing, I say,

"My God, there is something

higher out there.

"Something higher out there,

and he lives in it, and he's with it."

I've never even experienced it,

but I can tell...

I don't even know

what you f***ing call it.

- Grace.

- What? What is it?

- Grace.

- All right. That's grace?

- Yeah.

- Thank you. Yeah.

To be there with him like that

and see the way that he is transported.

He surrenders.

Damn it, honey.

I mean, I've never loved anything

the way that he loves music.

Hey, come on.

I'm thinking about my day.

I'm thinking about my day.

I wasn't thinking about you.

That I believe, honey.

Call the mayor.

He's been trying to reach you.

- Which mayor?

- The mayor!

Okay.

Call the mayor.

Thank you.

"Points West" by Frank Sinatra.

Every now and then,

in this city of innumerable wrongs,

the powers that be get things right.

Los Angeles has

the ignominious distinction

of being the homeless capital

of the nation,

and skid row is

ground zero of the crisis.

So, I am pleased to announce

that I am increasing the city's

financial commitment to this area

by $50 million.

Every now and then,

the words I write do not leap

straight from this page to the ether.

Instead, every now and then,

they reach the right reader

at the right time.

Every now and then,

the hearts, minds and wallets

of the city's officials

open simultaneously.

And when that happens,

every now and then,

the city is a better place for it.

- Steve.

- Yeah?

Your boyfriend is downstairs.

Thank you.

That's funny.

- Nathaniel? You all right?

- I'm good.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

You need something?

A man only needs

what he can carry, Mr. Lopez,

and I have all I can carry right here.

I have my bedding.

- I have my drums. I have my flower.

- Yeah. Okay.

- I have my water bottle. I have it all.

- Hey, listen, listen. Listen.

You can't hang out here.

- I can't?

- You can't hang out here.

You can't. Sorry.

I don't mind that at all, Mr. Lopez.

Not at all.

You understand, right?

It's a... It's a thing. Policy.

- I'll be over here if you need me.

- Over there?

Okay. You all right?

Yeah, I just... You know, I... Yeah.

Sorry. I gotta...

All right, Mr. Lopez, I completely

understand that you're working.

You're working. You have to work.

People have to work.

All right, get out of the way

when people are working,

because you don't wanna

stand out there

in front of people,

especially not Mr. Lopez.

You stand in front of Mr. Lopez,

he's gonna tell you to get out of here.

So, it's a lot of work.

- I think he's good. You know, I really do.

- I'm sure...

I mean, I just... This is great.

I think... I think it'll really help.

I feel like you are exactly what he needs.

Well, thank you.

- Does that make sense?

- Yes, it does.

- Graham Claydon. Thank you.

- At your service.

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