52 : Littered Art

52/365
2/1/2010

Characters:
Artist
Officer

Setting:
Public Setting

- – - – -

An Artist sits alone, drinking from a paper coffee cup.  The Artist finishes their drink with a deep sip and exhale of delicious accomplishment.

The Artist places the cup down next to them, sits back, then sits back up abruptly and acknowledges the cup and takes in the picture it creates.

Artist:                        Oh my god; it’s beautiful.

As the Artist stand to their feet, still reveling in the sight, an Officer walks in behind them and looks on at the Artist mystified by the cup.  The Artist proceeds to take a cell phone picture from down on a knee and gathers their bag and walks away.

Officer:            Excuse me?  Hello?

The Artist jumps slightly and turns around.

Artist:                        Yes!?  Oh, hello.

Officer:            Were you planning on doing anything with that cup there?

Artist:                        Uh-huh.

Officer:            And, what would that be?

Artist:                        I’ve chosen to leave it there.

Officer:            Oh yeah?

Artist:                        Yeah.  It’s art.

Officer:            Oh, is that so?  I was unaware.  Because it looks like trash to boring old me, and that would mean… you’re littering.

Artist:            Littering… if that were trash.  But it’s so much more!  Just take a moment out of your boring, busy day and look at it.  Look at it!

Officer walks around the cup, checks it out.

Officer:            Still looks like trash to me.

Artist:                        Then do with it as you will.

Artist walks away, out of scene.

Officer:            Wait.  Hold on.  I can arrest you!  (Artist exits)  Damnit.  Fucking artists.

The Officer picks up the cup and tosses it away in the trashcan.