The Soloist Page #6

All we need is a place for them to meet

and rehearse, like an apartment.

You're asking for an apartment

for Nathaniel?

- Yeah.

- Does he want an apartment? Thanks.

- Yes.

- And he told you this?

- Yes.

- You're so full of sh*t, Lopez.

- I don't want an apartment.

- Good, 'cause it's not.

It's actually a music studio

for Mr. Claydon to give you

the cello lessons.

Well, why don't we have Mr. Claydon

come down here?

This is a perfect place to play in,

the tunnel.

No, Mr. Claydon doesn't like tunnels.

We'll just have Mr. Claydon come here

to do the lesson.

- He says it has to be quiet.

- Well...

It has to be quiet for the cello lessons,

so your apartment...

It's not my apartment.

I know. I know. The apartment

that belongs to no one.

I don't have an apartment.

I don't wanna be in an apartment.

I don't need an apartment.

Beethoven lives out

in the freshness of the air.

Nathaniel, the apartment

is not the point.

He's the leader of Los Angeles.

- It's an opportunity.

- "Angeles" means "angels." You can't...

- You can't hold down angels.

- Do you want the opportunity?

- You can't clip angels.

- Stop.

- Do you want an opportunity or not?

- Do you have an apartment?

No. I have a house.

So angry. Yelling.

It doesn't make sense.

- Do you have a family?

- What?

Are you a married man?

- Is there a Mrs. Steve Lopez?

- No.

I did. Mary. But we split up.

We have a son, Thomas.

He's in college now.

Mr. Steve Lopez, Mr. Thomas

Steve Lopez, Mrs. Mary Steve Lopez.

Not Mrs. Lopez. Mary Weston.

- Mrs. Mary Weston Steve Lopez.

- No. Just Mary Weston. Period.

We were married. We're not anymore,

so now she's just Mary.

You were married to Mary,

but you're not married to Mary anymore.

Correct. Don't ask me how.

Mrs. Floria Ayers, Miss Jennifer Ayers.

And then there was

Mr. Nathaniel Anthony Ayers Sr.

He was a big man. He had big hands.

I have very small hands.

Fit around a violin, a cello.

Mr. Ayers was a big man,

but he wasn't a god.

I have my god.

Mr. Steve Lopez.

Oh, boy.

Yeah, you're my god.

Flying around high.

- You're my god.

- I'm not comfortable being your god.

Mr. Steve Lopez, staff writer,

you are my god.

- That it? I'm your god?

- Yes, you are. You're my god.

All right. I am your god.

And as your god,

I command you to be at Lamp,

for a cello lesson. Done deal.

And it's a really sweet deal, too.

'Cause if you show up,

I will grant you eternal life.

Hell, I might even make you a disciple.

If you don't, you're on your own.

This is my apartment.

This is my apartment.

This is my apartment.

This is my apartment.

This is my apartment.

This is my apartment.

Always number one.

Always number two.

Nathaniel.

We've always been here,

Nathaniel Ayers.

I've always been with you, Nathaniel.

I'll never leave you, Nathaniel.

I love you, Nathaniel.

- I love you.

- No one else loves you, Nathaniel.

But I love you, Nathaniel.

I'll protect you, Nathaniel.

When you fell from Heaven,

they laughed at you, Nathaniel.

You're my heart, Nathaniel.

I do love you, Nathaniel.

We'll be together forever, Nathaniel.

I'll protect you.

Look, I'll be here

to protect you from the pain.

- I'll be here to protect you from the pain.

- Fibber. You fibber. You fib.

I'll protect you from the noise.

Fear for you. Fear for you.

I'll protect you from their beady eyes.

- I'll be here to obey.

- I'll protect you from their eyes.

- Step right, Nathaniel.

- No one else loves you, Nathaniel.

You're my boy, Nathaniel.

- Take off the shoes.

- I'll protect you. I'll protect you.

No one can kill the child.

That's what the child is about.

Forget you. Jump off!

Come on.

Hey. Look at that.

Don't see those on the street.

Quick right.

And then, and then...

And then right again, right here.

Nathaniel. Come on down.

What are you... Come on. We go down

here and then to the end and left.

I think we should do the lesson out here.

No, no, no. It's just this way. Come on.

Mr. Lopez... Mr. Lopez.

Mr. Lopez, I really think

we should do it out here.

No, come on. Let's have a look.

It's right down here.

Mr. Lopez.

Nathaniel, come on.

It's really clean.

Come check it out.

We should do it out here. It's better.

I'm more comfortable out here.

Looks nice.

Looks nice.

It's nice.

Come on. You can do it.

Hey.

I can't live here.

I'll give you a hand with that.

Got it.

Oh, boy. Let's get this in nice.

Good.

It's great, right?

I mean, I like it. What do you think?

It's nice. It's clean.

The bathroom's better than...

Except for him.

I don't wanna die in here.

Don't...

Somebody could just come in here

and kill me...

- You'll be fine. Nathaniel?

... and take all of my belongings.

- Nathaniel, the door locks.

- A fly only lives 12 days.

What if in 12 days, someone walks

through that door and murders me?

And I don't care

about this Claydon thing, either.

Walt Disney Hall. Disney Duck.

Doesn't make a difference.

I don't need any of that.

If I'm gonna take a lesson,

I should take the lesson in the tunnel

where I can hear the city sounds

and not be locked off from life,

locked off from the world.

In the tunnel I can hear the music

the way it's supposed to be played.

Not in this place, there's no city sounds,

there's no Beethoven,

there's no Los Angeles, California.

I don't belong here.

I'm never coming here again.

Nathaniel, that's Graham Claydon.

Pleased to meet you, Nathaniel.

I always love meeting a fellow musician.

I brought you something.

I know you're partial to Beethoven,

so I thought you'd enjoy this,

because, you know,

without Johann Sebastian

there would be no Ludwig van.

The A, the D, the A, the D, the A, the D.

Steady. Don't rush it. Don't rush it.

And...

Well, for someone who hasn't had

a lesson in three decades,

you play quite beautifully.

Thank you.

- So...

- Thank you.

Work on a smoother rhythm

with the right hand.

And don't stop-start.

Carry a phrase all the way through.

- Great.

- Give you a ride uptown?

- Thank you.

- Mr. Claydon?

- Yes.

- Sir?

Do you think I could be good again?

Yes, I do.

I like your apartment, by the way.

- It's not my apartment.

- It's not. It's just a...

I don't live here.

Well, you should.

God has blessed you

with a gift, Nathaniel.

Nothing pains God more

than when we squander his blessings.

- You owe it to him to care for this...

- I don't owe God.

Mr. Steve Lopez is my god.

- What?

- Star writer for Los Angeles.

Higher power flying around

with wings like an angel.

Mr. Steve Lopez is my...

He doesn't know what he's saying.

Mr. Graham Claydon is going to tell me

who my god is?

Down by the car?

Do you know who my god is,

Mr. Claydon?

I know who my god is!

- He's a good teacher.

- I know who my god is.

You should accept his help gracefully.

Graceful is the ballerinas at Juilliard.

Those girls were graceful.

- Tiny ballerinas just twirling round.

- There's other people in this...

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