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Impossible Place
Conversation # B (Boyfriend) G (Girl)
G: When you woke was there someone in your bed?
B: Was there someone in yours?
G: Why won’t you answer me?
B: You’re so impatient.
G: Perhaps patience is a virtue I’ll cultivate later in life.
B: Does being irreverent make you feel strong?
G: No, I feel weak without you.
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G: I dreamed I was plastic and you were locked away.
G: Lost and locked away.
B: Where?
G: A large building with hundreds of rooms and padlocks on the doors.
G: I wanted to unlock you but my little molded fingers wouldn’t bend.
G: I couldn’t turn the key.
B: Was there music there?
G: Yes, but it wasn’t yours.
B: What did it look like?
G: It was beautiful. Or it would have been without the locks.
B: And you were plastic?
G: I wasn’t real. But I wore a dress of exquisite silk.
B: You’ve reduced our lives to metaphor. An impossible place.
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G: Are we breaking up?
B: I will write you a song.
G: Another one?
B: A real one.
G: The others weren’t real?
B: They turned plastic the moment they were sung.
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It isn’t easy to set up
Conversation # AD (Another Designer), G (Girl), C (Colleague)
AD: Who’d you have to suck to get this pile of rags here?
G: Clearly no one as important as you’ve sucked to keep regurgitating your tired old shit.
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It isn’t easy to set up
Conversation # AD (Another Designer), G (Girl), C (Colleague)
AD: Who’d you have to suck to get this pile of rags here?
G: Clearly no one as important as you’ve sucked to keep regurgitating your tired old shit.
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C: Why did you say that?
G: Why did he say it?
C: He was joking.
G: Bullshit. He’s an overrated jealous prat with a nasty streak a mile wide.
C: Are you having some sort of breakdown?
G: I prefer to think of it as a moment of clarity.
C: You never used to be this sensitive.
G: I’m not sensitive, I’m just tired of lies.
C: Everyone’s an asshole sweetheart, it’s not a lie. In this industry they’re just more open about it.
G: That’s the lie I’m talking about, bitterness as an excuse for cruelty poorly disguised as wit.
C: Are you going to be alright for tomorrow?
G: Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behaviour, I’ll even throw in a few verbal blowies if it will make you happy.
C: It will.
G: Do you even like what I do?
C: I do. I’ll like it better if we can make some money. You’re taking yourself too seriously.
G: Maybe you’re right.
C: Of course I’m right. It’s that boyfriend of yours isn’t it? He’s fucking with your mental health.
G: Not him. Love.
C: What?
G: Love. I wasn’t looking and fell into a well. Now when I look down all I see is sludge and when I look up a brightness so unattainable it hurts.
C: I just need you to smile a lot and nod. Can you do that?
G: Sure.
C: Are you happy with the models.
G: They’re fine.
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Rock’n’Roll makes me needy
Conversation # G (Girl), B (Boyfriend)
G: It’s hard to hear you.
B: Let me go outside. Better?
G: Yes. How was the gig?
B: Hyped.
G: Are there many people there now?
B: A few.
G: Rock n Roll?
B: Not very. What did you do?
G: Clawed for the best models, I need to grow my nails a bit but I think it worked out in the end.
B: You’ll be a hit.
G: I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.
B: You’ll be fine.
G: I wish you were here.
B: I can’t always be.
G: I know. But I can wish for it can’t I?
B: If wishing makes it better.
G: I miss the dog.
B: Me too.
G: Are you on something?
B: Don’t.
G: I wish I was there.
B: No you don’t.
G: You don’t want me there.
B: Yes I do, but you’re not. You’re with me in other ways.
G: I’m sorry.
B: I think I need to go.
G: Yes, me too.
B: Baby?
G: Yes
B: Sleep well.
G: Baby?
B: Yes.
G: Sleep.
G: Why did he say it?
C: He was joking.
G: Bullshit. He’s an overrated jealous prat with a nasty streak a mile wide.
C: Are you having some sort of breakdown?
G: I prefer to think of it as a moment of clarity.
C: You never used to be this sensitive.
G: I’m not sensitive, I’m just tired of lies.
C: Everyone’s an asshole sweetheart, it’s not a lie. In this industry they’re just more open about it.
G: That’s the lie I’m talking about, bitterness as an excuse for cruelty poorly disguised as wit.
C: Are you going to be alright for tomorrow?
G: Don’t worry, I’ll be on my best behaviour, I’ll even throw in a few verbal blowies if it will make you happy.
C: It will.
G: Do you even like what I do?
C: I do. I’ll like it better if we can make some money. You’re taking yourself too seriously.
G: Maybe you’re right.
C: Of course I’m right. It’s that boyfriend of yours isn’t it? He’s fucking with your mental health.
G: Not him. Love.
C: What?
G: Love. I wasn’t looking and fell into a well. Now when I look down all I see is sludge and when I look up a brightness so unattainable it hurts.
C: I just need you to smile a lot and nod. Can you do that?
G: Sure.
C: Are you happy with the models.
G: They’re fine.
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Rock’n’Roll makes me needy
Conversation # G (Girl), B (Boyfriend)
G: It’s hard to hear you.
B: Let me go outside. Better?
G: Yes. How was the gig?
B: Hyped.
G: Are there many people there now?
B: A few.
G: Rock n Roll?
B: Not very. What did you do?
G: Clawed for the best models, I need to grow my nails a bit but I think it worked out in the end.
B: You’ll be a hit.
G: I’m not sure I’m cut out for this.
B: You’ll be fine.
G: I wish you were here.
B: I can’t always be.
G: I know. But I can wish for it can’t I?
B: If wishing makes it better.
G: I miss the dog.
B: Me too.
G: Are you on something?
B: Don’t.
G: I wish I was there.
B: No you don’t.
G: You don’t want me there.
B: Yes I do, but you’re not. You’re with me in other ways.
G: I’m sorry.
B: I think I need to go.
G: Yes, me too.
B: Baby?
G: Yes
B: Sleep well.
G: Baby?
B: Yes.
G: Sleep.
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The X is staying in my lovely hotel
Conversation # M (Mark or The X), G (Girl)
M: It’s worth it isn’t it?
G: Yes, better then in pictures.
M: I’ve stayed in beautiful hotels before but this one makes me feel…
G: Spiritually as well as hedonistically unhampered?
M: Something like that.
G: I read that the architect fell in love with its shell, with what it was.
M: You’re reading design books now?
G: Magazines.
M: I’m impressed.
Conversation # M (Mark or The X), G (Girl)
M: It’s worth it isn’t it?
G: Yes, better then in pictures.
M: I’ve stayed in beautiful hotels before but this one makes me feel…
G: Spiritually as well as hedonistically unhampered?
M: Something like that.
G: I read that the architect fell in love with its shell, with what it was.
M: You’re reading design books now?
G: Magazines.
M: I’m impressed.
G: You’re an asshole.
M: I like what you’ve become. I like your collection.
G: My arcane costumic regalia?
M: Costume?
G: A fashion editor said it.
M: You want to get nude and be yourself?
G: You’re a funny guy Mark. I do like that about you.
M: I was being serious.
G: Don’t be. You threw me away.
M: You needed to grow up.
G: We both did. It’s not an excuse.
M: I thought you weren’t angry anymore?
G: I’m not.
M: I was young too, I made a mistake.
G: You were older than I am now.
M: I didn’t realise what I had.
G: You still don’t, you’re just feeling old and afraid of being alone.
M: I’m also feeling horny.
G: There are plenty of models here.
M: I could give you so much more than he could ever give you.
G: More what? More nights in beautiful hotels that someone else has loved into existence?
M: So this is about revenge?
G: No.
M: Stay with me.
G: It’s impossible.
M: Then go.
G: OK
M: I like what you’ve become. I like your collection.
G: My arcane costumic regalia?
M: Costume?
G: A fashion editor said it.
M: You want to get nude and be yourself?
G: You’re a funny guy Mark. I do like that about you.
M: I was being serious.
G: Don’t be. You threw me away.
M: You needed to grow up.
G: We both did. It’s not an excuse.
M: I thought you weren’t angry anymore?
G: I’m not.
M: I was young too, I made a mistake.
G: You were older than I am now.
M: I didn’t realise what I had.
G: You still don’t, you’re just feeling old and afraid of being alone.
M: I’m also feeling horny.
G: There are plenty of models here.
M: I could give you so much more than he could ever give you.
G: More what? More nights in beautiful hotels that someone else has loved into existence?
M: So this is about revenge?
G: No.
M: Stay with me.
G: It’s impossible.
M: Then go.
G: OK
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Its like soap, but not as easy to wash off
Conversation # B (Boyfriend) G (Girl)
B: How was the show?
G: There were lots of people there.
G: They smiled and looked and walked in a way that made their clothing whisper.
B: Was Mark there?
G: I believe he was.
B: When you say that it’s as if everything disintegrates into a million little lies, even the truth.
G: What do you want me to say?
B: That you’re done with it, that you don’t need to punish me anymore.
G: Like you punish me?
B: It’s not the same, we talked about it.
G: Okay, I’m done with it, I don’t need it anymore. Why did you ask?
B: Because I wanted you to say it.
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Its like soap, but not as easy to wash off
Conversation # B (Boyfriend) G (Girl)
B: How was the show?
G: There were lots of people there.
G: They smiled and looked and walked in a way that made their clothing whisper.
B: Was Mark there?
G: I believe he was.
B: When you say that it’s as if everything disintegrates into a million little lies, even the truth.
G: What do you want me to say?
B: That you’re done with it, that you don’t need to punish me anymore.
G: Like you punish me?
B: It’s not the same, we talked about it.
G: Okay, I’m done with it, I don’t need it anymore. Why did you ask?
B: Because I wanted you to say it.
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G: How’s the album going?
B: Close.
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B: Close.
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G: Do you think we can ever be the same?
B: Afterward.
G: Yes.
B: Obviously I do but we’ve talked about that.
G: I can’t help it. The distance is buffeting me.
B: It’s only physical.
G: I love what you believe.
B: It’s true.
G: I’m not good at being alone.
B: You felt alone when you were here.
G: I was alone. You were with your album.
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B: Afterward.
G: Yes.
B: Obviously I do but we’ve talked about that.
G: I can’t help it. The distance is buffeting me.
B: It’s only physical.
G: I love what you believe.
B: It’s true.
G: I’m not good at being alone.
B: You felt alone when you were here.
G: I was alone. You were with your album.
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B: I’m proud of you.
G: Thank you.
B: Remember when you created poetry from the remnants of those old books?
G: Yes, I ran out.
B: You could always get more.
G: They wouldn’t be what you were throwing away.
B: I was proud of you then.
G: Remember when you scribbled those lyrics on the back of my cookbook?
B: Yes.
G: Thank you.
B: Remember when you created poetry from the remnants of those old books?
G: Yes, I ran out.
B: You could always get more.
G: They wouldn’t be what you were throwing away.
B: I was proud of you then.
G: Remember when you scribbled those lyrics on the back of my cookbook?
B: Yes.
G: I loved that song.
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B: Do you feel successful now.
G: Yes, successful.
G: Yes, successful.
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Writing by N K Curtis
Artwork by Chris Worfold
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