Part 38 (1/2)

'We don't talk to the locals, and they don't talk to us.'

'Why not?'

'We're gay, and they're not.'

'Have you ever talked to a local?'

'About what?'

'Anything.'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'Why? What would they have to say that would interest me? They're a bunch of h.o.m.ophobic, anti-Semitic, unintellectual racists. They have no appreciation of art. They know nothing about wine. My G.o.d, they'd rather eat barbecue than crepes. They get their news from Fox. They have zero sophistication. They should be thanking us for bringing culture to this awful place, but instead they call us ”Chin.a.z.is” and act disgusted because of our s.e.xual orientation. I hate everything about Texas.'

'What about the weather?'

'Especially the weather.'

'Anything you like?'

'All the interesting people in town.'

'I take it you don't mean the locals?'

Kenni snorted. 'I mean other artists from New York.'

'Why do you want to live in Marfa?'

'I don't.'

'Then why are you living here?'

'Fame and fortune.'

'You're working at a pizza joint.'

'This is a temp gig.'

'Pizza?'

'Marfa. See, we're not Marfans or Texans, we're temps. We're all just temping here. We come down here, get discovered, then move back to New York rich and famous artists.'

'Like a reality show.'

'Exactly.'

'That ever work?'

'Not yet. But the buzz here is incredible. I've got a better chance of being discovered in Marfa than in New York. There's maybe a million artists on the make in New York. Here, maybe a hundred. And with the national media all over Marfa, this place is great for networking-it's like Facebook with French food.'

'So what kind of art do you do?'

'What else? Installation.'

'What are you going to install?'

'A plane. Half buried in the ground, as if it flew right into the prairie but stayed intact.'

'What kind of plane?'

'Triple-seven.'

'A jumbo jet? Won't that be expensive?'

'I'm taking donations.'

'How far along are you?'

'Three hundred and sixty-seven dollars.'

'Only forty million to go.'

'I'm not buying a new one.'

'Did Nathan use drugs?'

'No. Never. Just weed at Big Rick's studio. Part of the creative process.'

'Getting stoned and eating Cheetos?'

'I love Cheetos.'

'Who's Big Rick?'

'Rick Fusini. He's rich and famous.'

'I've never heard of him.'

'Because you live in Texas.'

'Marfa's in Texas.'

'No, it's not. It's a suburb of New York City now.'

'Tell me about Big Rick.'

'Oh, he's outrageous. At a gallery opening week before last, he painted ”The Real Axis of Evil is the US, UK, and Israel” on the outside wall of the building next door, so everyone would see it.'