((Just wanted to make a notice that I am back on a semi-active basis. I had some issues with my wi-fi connection for a while, but it’s fixed now. I’ll try and catch up on old replies and stuff for the time being and maybe doing new stuff from there. Sorry for being gone so long without an explanation, but there you go.))
“Oh, darn it! ...Chord changes are hard.”
She sighed. Another practice session seemed to hit a wall.
Half the reason why Nick is so good at what he does is ‘cause he tries to find a creative solution for everything. He can see past what other people see as a definite truth ‘cause he believes in his clients and uses his faith in them to figure out other ways to prove them innocent. Might not be the easiest way of winning a trial, but Nick’s hunches pull him through a lot of tough cases. And Ms. Fey sure knew what she was talkin’ about.
Larry smiles fondly at the memory of the beautiful defense attorney.
She and Nick are the reason why I wasn’t thrown in the electric chair. What other people saw as an open and shut guilty verdict, they saw as some asshole burglar’s attempt at framing me. All ‘cause they thought outside the box! Heh, that was pretty inspiring just now.
Grinning, Larry turns toward Rhoda again, hoping that she’ll smile, too.
Oh yeah. It’s a shitty movie all right. It’s kind of hard to describe the plot…uh, it’s a love triangle gone really bad. Doesn’t make any sense.
“It certainly seems like it! If Mr. Wright is half as good as the papers make him out to be, then he’s very good, and if Ms. Fey taught him, then I can only imagine how skilled she must have been.”
She reflects for a moment on that sort of thinking, and how in the past, and still to this day, she was quick to jump to conclusions. She probably would have been among the people calling for Larry’s head had she been there when he had been on trial. Work had been done to try and be more sensible in her judgments, but that thought still makes her frown, though she quickly smiles when he looks at her.
“It is good that you had people who believed in you when you needed it most. I can understand why you’re so close to Mr. Wright.
Goodness! And people like it even though it’s so very bad? I wonder why.”
Think outside the box. That’s a phrase I haven’t really heard in a long time, to tell ya the truth. Nick’s teacher, Mia Fey, used to say that all the time. I think it drove him crazy before he finally figured out what she meant. It’s not a bad idea. Don’t think I’ve ever been one to stick inside a box for very long!
The orange idiot smiles brightly.
Maybe I should go watch some weird artsy movies. Like “The Room.” Probably one of the worst movies ever but everyone loves it for some reason. You ever see it before?
“You don’t say? I wouldn’t know how that would apply to being a lawyer, but I guess it must, if Mr. Wright’s teacher said it a lot. It is important to challenge your common ways of thinking, especially as a lawyer, so maybe that’s what she meant?”
She isn’t sure, but she was just glad to be of some use to him. It sounded like he would take her words into mind. Larry wasn’t the most conventional thinker, anyways, so it shouldn’t be too hard for him to think outside the box.
“ ‘The Room’? Oh no, I can’t say I have. What’s it about? Is it about a room that eats people?”
Rhoda isn’t one to watch bad movies, so she hasn’t even heard of The Room before.
You’re real sweet for havin’ so much faith in what I can do. Thanks.
It’s still somewhat strange for Larry to be praised for his artwork instead of berated for it. His art has gotten him into trouble more often than not and it was always refreshing to hear some positive feedback instead of moaning and groaning about how a handmade statue became a murder weapon.
Lookin’ around for a spark, but nothin’s hit me like lightning yet. Still drawing the same old, same old, like sunsets. Nothing’s speaking to me yet.
“I know how that is... My designs don’t always just come to me, you know. But sometimes I just need to watch something on television or hear a song or something of the sort, and then it strikes. Inspiration can come from the strangest of sources, you know.”
She certainly feels at ease discussing art with him, and not having to deal with the pressure of being his girlfriend also was surprisingly relaxing. And she too knew what it was like to get grief for her own artistic endeavors. Larry was one of the few people she knew personally who appreciated her sense of design.
“Perhaps you should try and think outside of the box? Try something new, if you can, and that could be the motivation you need to let your art really sparkle. Heh heh, it’s probably silly for me to give you advice, isn’t it?”
(Yeah…with a girl.)
How should he go about telling Rhoda that he’s already seeing someone else? It’s not like they were committed exclusively or anything, but Larry gets the feeling that if he tells the truth, their get-together will be totally ruined.
Nah, not much. Tryin’ to get back into sketching and painting again, but I haven’t had much inspiration. I guess just taking things in stride and looking for ways to change it up a bit.
He smiles gently.
“Well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out to give you that source of inspiration soon. You’re a very talented artist, Larry.”
She nods along, sure of what she was saying. She had always believed in Larry’s skill and potential as an artist, much like he had believed in her art, so she sincerely hopes he’ll find some inspiration for his art.
“Maybe you just need to find that new... spark, for lack of a better word?”
Good for you! It sounds like a beautiful instrument. And your cats probably appreciate it, too. Maybe this is something you’ll really get into? Who knows–music kinda has that effect on people.
Larry grins at her. Hearing that she’s going outside her little box and trying new things makes him happy. If sexual intimacy was too much in the way of exploration for her, maybe self-discovery through music would help Rhoda out instead.
That’s real exciting. You’re doing a lot of cool stuff!
“Well, who can say? I don’t know if I’ll become a professional musician, but if nothing else, it might make me more fun at parties, heh heh.”
That is, if she ever went to parties. All the same, it was something that she had come to enjoy doing, and it is something to practice on her days off, so she couldn’t complain too much.
“Thank you! I didn’t think you’d be so interested, but thank you. What about you? Have you been keeping yourself busy as of late?”
Whoa, awesome!! What kind of guitar is it? Does it have a cool color? Rhoda, that’s amazing!!
Larry loves that she’s taken up music since they split up. It just seemed like an unexpected, but wonderful, choice for Rhoda. She was so expressive when it came to the arts that it was a bit of a shock to learn that she was so introverted in person; maybe music would help her open up a bit more and get her talking to people.
“It’s a Fender acoustic guitar, with a nice maple color to it. I don’t recall the exact model number, but it was relatively inexpensive, and it has a bright sound to it.”
She hadn’t expected him to be so interested in hearing her talk about her music studies, but she was happy to talk about it.
“I would have gotten an electric guitar, but you have to get an amp to go with it, and other things, and I didn’t want to spend too much money in case I didn’t take to it. And I didn’t want something too loud, in case it disturbed my cats. But they seem to like the sound of my acoustic guitar. It’s been very fun.“
As Larry locks up, he reflects on the situation so far. Things were going well, if not a little on the “politely awkward” side. Maybe going to the fair and seeing the different vendors and wares would make things a little more comfortable between them.
So…what else’ve you been up to?
The orange idiot asks shyly as they walk down the block. Larry plays with his sleeves a bit, rolling them up at the elbows, for something to do while they walk.
“Oh, well...”
She clams up a bit, not sure if she had been up to much else. Sadly, things had been pretty quiet since the two of them had broken up. But there was one thing she had tried to do. Getting a hobby was a good way to fill the time, or so she had read.
“Oh! I did buy a guitar a few weeks ago. I’ve never been the most musical person, but I thought it would be neat to try. I’ve been watching lessons online, and learning how to read music. I’m no Guitar Hero, per se, but I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
Yeah, we should head out. See ya later, Hero! Be good and man the fort for me!
Larry gives his faithful friend a kiss on the head before digging out his keys to lock up the place.
After you, Rhoda!
She gets up, leaving the flyer on the coffee table and taking another sip from the glass of water, before heading for the door.
“Bye, Hero! Be good for Larry, now.”
She opens the door, and steps out waiting for Larry to lock everything up. She has a smile on her face, a genuine one. It seemed like they could still talk and enjoy each other’s company easily enough. Going to the park and admiring art, something they mutually enjoyed, looked to be a enjoyable way to spend the day, as two friends.
Well! Glad you’re excited about this! It’s a nice day, so do you wanna walk there? This park isn’t far from here. But Hero…I don’t think it’s such a good idea for you to come, buddy.
He leans down and gives the pup a fond pat on the head.
You might get a little too excited and knock somethin’ over! I’m sorry, pup. I’ll get you some nice treats later, though.
“Oh yes, let’s do that. That should be nice.”
And it seemed fitting for a trip to the park. A nice, relaxing walk to the park, followed by a nice, relaxing walk in the park. She can’t help but frown slightly that Hero couldn’t come with them. It was probably for the best, but still.
“Poor Hero... It would be bad if he ended up knocking over someone’s hard work and passion, though. ...Should we get going, then?”
This time it’s a metals and pottery sale! There might be some jewelry and stuff, like the wire-wrapped things that’re so popular right now, but the flyer said it was mostly handmade kitchenware.
Larry fetches the flyer from underneath a pile of magazines on his coffee table and hands it to Rhoda for her to look over, if she so chooses.
Working with clay is hard stuff. These people are masters at what they do.
“Ooh!”
Her eyes light up at the mention of metals and pottery, and she takes the flyer gladly, skimming it over. Rhoda was an appreciator of art of all kinds, even handmade things like pottery. She had built a nice collection of Borginian potterry, the times she had been there, so she was happy to see what these local vendors had to offer. She remembered last time they had went being very impressed with their selections.
“Oh, this looks wonderful! But yes, I agree with you on that. Craftspeople like that really do deserve to be treated with the same respect as sculptors or painters. It takes a lot of skill to be able to make these pieces of arts.”
I’m sure they’ll do fine. You’re not the type of gal to just give up on her passions if stuff doesn’t go your way.
The orange idiot grins at her. Ex-girlfriend or no, that’s still an accomplishment to be proud of and he’s very, very happy that Rhoda is getting this opportunity.
Yeah, that’s true! Hopefully, the air in the park won’t be too thick or heavy. I mean, it’s only the beginning of June and it’s been so hot.
“Yes, of course. I didn’t give up when my suitcases weren’t selling, and I won’t be giving up now.”
If there’s one thing that could be said about Rhoda, it was that she was hard-working and determined, as evidenced by the determined expression on her face. She takes a quick sip from her glass, before continuing.
“Yes, hopefully. It’s a good thing I tried to dress comfortably for the occasion. Maybe there will be a nice breeze, at the park. By the way, you said there were some vendors there? What sort of things will they be selling?”
It’s really amazing! And you get more chances to show the world what you’re capable of. You have a great eye for color, Rhoda.
Larry quickly dashes into the kitchen and pours them both a tall glass of water with ice cubes, for the way was warm. He sighs quietly, wondering how in the world he’s going to manage with small talk later.
Here go you! Somethin’ to freshen us up before we head outside.
“Well, I don’t like to brag, but I will do my best. I just hope they won’t start off selling poorly like my suitcases did...”
While she was confident in her abilities overall, there were times if she wondered if her past successes were just a fluke, and the other shoe would eventually drop. She thinks to herself for a few moments, before looking up to accept the glass with a nod and a smile.
“Thank you! I noticed it was a bit humid outside. But that’s Los Angeles for you, I suppose.”
Hero greets Rhoda happily, running around her legs with his little puppy gait. When he’d met Renate a few days ago, he was confused and almost mixed the two up.
Rrrruff!!
Larry smiles at the odd pair, feeling a rush of familiarity as the puppy and his ex–how weird was that, calling her that–interact.
You look great, Rhoda. And hey, congrats again on the design job! That’s awesome. Uh, can I get you somethin’ to drink?
She even leans down to give Hero a few scratches, before getting back up and sitting down on his couch. She, too, was hit with a sudden sense of familiarity at being here in his apartment, sitting down and seeing Hero. It’s nice, if a bit strange at the same time.
“Thank you. I can still hardly believe I got an opportunity like this. I’m going to make the most of it, you can be sure. But yes, a drink would be nice.”
The orange idiot states at himself in the mirror, awkwardly adjusting his button-down for the sixth or seventh time. “Nervous” is an understatement of how he feels; to put it quite honestly, he’s terrified. Larry doesn’t want to hurt Rhoda again and he doesn’t want to get her hopes up…and he doesn’t want to get his own hopes up, either. Dating Renate and going out with her was a lot of fun, although Larry can’t be sure if it’s a case of love or just limerence.
The doorbell rings, causing him to yelp quietly. Taking a breath, Larry braces himself and heads out to the front of his apartment, where Hero is waiting by the door.
Hey, Rhoda!! Nice to see you. You wanna come in?
“Hello!”
She smiles widely, happy to see him again. He certainly looked better than he had in the past, which was a good thing.
“Yes, please. It’s very nice to see you too.”
She walks, saying hello to Hero as she does, also happy to see that cute little guy again for the first time in a while.
“Hey there, little guy! You’re just as adorable as always.”