The following is a true story.
On the side of our house there is an ugly pile of rocks, old bricks, stepping stones, pavers and chunks of old concrete which I had gathered from around our yard. The thought was that I would use these to make an attractive border or path, but of course they were simply gathering weeds.
And then suddenly, a couple of weeks ago, Jimmy took an interest in them...
FADE IN:
Gretchen and Jude are in the kitchen of their home. Gretchen is making dinner and Jude is "helping". Jimmy bursts in the back door.
JIMMY
(excited)
Hey! You guys need to come out and see what I've done!
Gretchen and Jude exchange a doubtful look.
JIMMY
Really. Come on! I've been working really hard. You gotta see!
Hesitantly, Gretchen and Jude start to follow him into the backyard.
JUDE
(snotty)
It's not "the stones" again, is it?
GRETCHEN
Shhhh Jude, that's not nice. Daddy's very excited about his stones.
Let's go see what he's done.
She rolls her eyes when nobody's looking. Jimmy leads them into the backyard to a pile of rocks.
JIMMY
(excited)
See?! What do you think?!
Gretchen and Jude stare at the rocks.
GRETCHEN
(trying to be enthusiastic)
Wow...you sure have been...busy.
JIMMY
So what do you think?!
GRETCHEN
Uh...well...it's very...creative.
JUDE
(bluntly)
What is it supposed to be?
JIMMY
(mystical)
Well son, it's whatever you see in it. What do you see?
JUDE
I don't get it. It's a pile of rocks.
GRETCHEN
(helping the kid)
No Jude, it's more than a pile of rocks. It's...um...it's art.
JUDE
Art?!
GRETCHEN
Yes, it's...artistic.
JIMMY
(starting to get worked up)
No, it's not just artistic.
GRETCHEN
(confused)
It's not supposed to be artistic?
JIMMY
No! I mean yes. It is artistic, but it's not JUST artistic.
You two just don't get it. You're too literal.
GRETCHEN
No, NO! Let us look at it a minute.
They look.
GRETCHEN
(vamping)
I see that...all the stones were placed very...deliberately.
In a way that is...deliberate.
JIMMY
Uh huh.
GRETCHEN
And it's not just artistic...it's deeper than that...it's...
(guessing)
...spiritual.
JIMMY
(sighing)
Yes. Yes. It's spiritual.
They stare at the stones.
JUDE
All I see is a bunch of rocks.
Gretchen and Jude start to giggle.
JIMMY
(pissed)
Okay, okay, that's it! It's clearly too deep for either of you.
Just go on inside. Neither of you understand. Forget it!
Gretchen and Jude, chastised but still giggling, head back into the house. Jude pauses and turns back to his dad.
JUDE
They're really nice rocks, Dad.
Jimmy shakes his head sadly. No one appreciates him.
JIMMY
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
FADE OUT.
____________________________________
Don't forget to visit the other "Art" spinners...
SuziCate at The Water Witch's Daughter
Nain at The View From Down Here
Vandy J at The Testosterone Three and Me
Michele at It's a Dog's Life - NEW on FRIDAY!
CaJoh at Ca-Joh - NEW on FRIDAY!!
____________________________________
Next week on The Spin Cycle...
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Was he going for a rock McDonald's "M" with a seat on top? No? Then I've got nothing but then art really doesn't have to mean something to everyone, just to the artist.
Posted by: Michele | 07/13/2012 at 04:07 AM
well, golly, it's your very own Stonehedge!
Posted by: kate | 07/13/2012 at 05:55 AM
Don't worry; I don't understand abstract art, either. Poor Jimmy.
Posted by: Jan's Sushi Bar | 07/13/2012 at 06:28 AM
I love Jimmy's enthusiasm but I don't get it either.
Posted by: Erica@PLRH | 07/13/2012 at 06:39 AM
I have a similar pile of rocks on the side of my house...only it's a home for some chipmunks. I should do something with them, I suppose...
BTW, the links are missing!
Posted by: Ginny Marie | 07/13/2012 at 07:04 AM
I see a chair for a teeny tiny person. Leprechaun? Imp? Grumpy old troll? Sorry, Jimmy, that I am laughing with your family. Not at you, but, wait, well, yes, at you. Clearly your vision is beyond our literal eyes, that's all. You're better than us.
Posted by: Arnebya | 07/13/2012 at 07:05 AM
I know! You should "Paint it Black"!!!!
Sorry...that was unnecessary, wasn't it?!
Posted by: Leigh | 07/13/2012 at 08:01 AM
Hey, the geologist in me is very interested in some of those rocks--there's some very interesting looking rocks there, but I'll bet that's not what Jimmy was going for either.
Posted by: VandyJ | 07/13/2012 at 10:56 AM
Believe it or not but I actually wrote a Spin. I know you are shocked as was I. But, here it is http://michele-dogslife.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-all-in-how-you-see-it.html
Posted by: Michele | 07/13/2012 at 11:11 AM
Sorry this is late. I posted it this morning, but did not get round to telling you till now. Here it is:
http://cajoh.blogspot.com/2012/07/master-t.html
Posted by: CaJoh | 07/13/2012 at 01:26 PM
At first I thought that this was a tribute to the 50 year anniversary of the Rolling Stones. But that was yesterday
Posted by: CaJoh | 07/13/2012 at 01:45 PM
Poor Jimmy - but I don't get it either. ;) p.s. Boo Boo's was a plastic gem.
Posted by: mommylisa | 07/16/2012 at 11:11 AM
Here's my "favorites" post for the week! http://viewfromdownhere-viewfromdownhere.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-my-favorite.html
And I'm with CaJoh, I saw your title and thought immediately of the Rolling Stones :-)
Posted by: Alaina | 07/19/2012 at 03:04 AM