Artificial Inspiration Name: Tori Email: Miacis2400@aol.com Scene starts with Jan, lying on her bed, a huge mess of canvas and paint litters the ground around her. She has her arm over her eyes and seems to be asleep. Daria pushes the door open and looks around the room. Normally her room is not very tidy, but it has never looked like this. Daria wades through the mess toward the bed. Jane hears her and looks up. Jane: Hi Daria. Daria: What the hell happened here? Did one of your paintings get too close to realism? Jane: Ha ha. No, I think I'll give up art for a while. Daria: Give up art? I think that gallery must have had too much fumes in the air. Besides, you just sold your first piece. For the price that guy paid for it, I’d be up here cranking more out. Jane: Cranking? Daria: What? I can say that. Don't change the subject. Everyone was worried when you ran out of the gallery. What's wrong? Jane: Nothing's wrong, everything is right. I've sold my first painting and it's made me a bundle. What can be wrong? Daria: The fact that you are now showing more sarcasm than I've ever seen you show. Jane: Look Daria, I'm supposed to be an artist. Artists are a fickle group. We can be happy one moment and completely break down the next. It's no big deal. Daria: It was something that guy said, wasn't it? Jane: Daria, PLEASE! I just had a little anxiety attack. Can't you accept that? Daria: I haven't seen you have an anxiety attack since we first met and had to go in front of the school for that stupid self esteem class. Jane: Well, it's about time I had one again. Now please leave me alone. I'm tired. Daria, knowing her friend truly wants to be alone, wades through the mess and out the door, looking back briefly before she closes it. Close up of Jane lying on her side, her back facing the door. She closes her eyes and a single tear falls onto her pillow. Down stairs, Jodie, Mack, Tom, Trent, Max, and a distinguished looking older man are waiting. They all look very worried. Daria: She'll be all right. She's just a little overwhelmed by all of this attention. Older Man: That can be understood. I'll be back tomorrow to write the check. Please have the painting wrapped up. (He leaves) Max: Um, Trent, I uh have to go. You know... Trent: Yeah, see you tonight. Can you pick Jesse up for practice? Max: Yeah, no problem. (He hurries out the door) Jodie: Is it just me or is that guy a little jumpy. Daria: You should see him when he thinks the cops are after him. Trent: Yeah, but he has been a little more worried lately. I think those new lyrics he wrote are giving him nightmares. Mack: I think we should be going too. Jodie: Yeah, I have to finish that pile of college applications before midnight. Daria: Thanks for coming over. Jodie and Mack leave. Tom: Yeah, I think I'll follow the heard and vamoose. I'll call you tonight? Daria: Sure. (He kisses her on the cheek and leaves) Now Daria and Trent are alone. Trent truly looks worried. Trent: Janey has never flipped out like that before. I wonder what's really wrong. Daria: She Just said that she had an anxiety attack. Too much pressure. Trent: And you believed that? Daria: Not for a minute. Trent: She's been acting weird ever since she came up with those new paintings. Daria: I know, I think it was last month, wasn't it? Flashback... Trent and the band are in the basement, tuning their instruments. Jane and Daria come down to see what poor animal they're killing this week. Jane: See, it's a guitar, not a cat. You owe me a buck. Daria: (Handing her a dollar bill) Alright, but I still say there's a cat somewhere down here with bamboo sticks under it's claws. Jane: Hey Trent, what's the new song called? Trent: Bunk the system. Max wrote it. Daria: Isn't that supposed to be Buck the system? Trent: See Max? I told you. Max: Aw Man! Now I'm gonna have to write the lyrics all over again! Jane: At least you got the screaming animal part right. Hey! Cookies! (Looking at the table with a plate of cookies and some punch) These aren't from the fridge upstairs, are they? Trent: No, Max made them. Jane: Is that any better? Trent: Go ahead, have one. They're actually pretty good. Jane: (Biting into a cookie) Ok, but can you keep it down a little bit? We're trying to watch documentary on Van Gogh upstairs. Mm, these are good, Daria you should try one. Daria: No thanks, I'm trying to watch my girlish figure. Jane: Suit yourself. (She grabs a few more cookies and heads up the stairs again) The night goes by with the band playing down in the basement and Daria and Jane in her room watching 2 hours of Van Gogh Afterward, Daria heads home. The next day, Jane is not at school and the phone keeps ringing when Daria calls. Daria gets worried and hurries over to Jane's house right after school. Trent is awake, but barely. Trent: Hey Daria. Daria: Hi Trent, have you seen Jane today? Trent: What? You mean she didn't go to school? Daria: No, I thought that she might be sick or something. Trent: Well, I haven't seen her today, so she might still be up in her room. Daria: Thanks. (She walks up to Jane's room and opens the door. Inside, she sees Jane, in the clothes she wore yesterday slumped over her bed and surrounded by new paintings, most o which are still wet. The odor of the drying oils is stifling and Daria goes to open a window, thinking that Jane passed out from the fumes. Jane wakes up all of the sudden with a snort and looks at Daria) Jane: Hey Daria, time for school already? Daria: Jane, it's 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Jane: What! How could I have slept so late! Daria: It looks like you've been up all night painting. Jane: Huh? Where did these come from? Daria: You tell me. I just came in here and found you passed out on your bed surrounded by these. Jane: (Getting up to examine the paintings) these don't look like my work. Actually, these are kind of disturbing. (She holds up a painting that shows a bullfrog wearing a Viking helmet swallowing a 747 while dancing an Irish jig on top of a sticky pile of tie-dye pancakes) Daria: Gee Jane, do you think the bad art fairy snuck into your room last night and left you a present? Jane: Daria, this isn't funny. I really don't remember painting these, but look, here's my name on the inside. (Points to the inside of the frame where the name Jane Lane is still drying on the wood) Trent: (Opening the door) Hey Jane, you ok? Where did these come from? Jane: I'm fine Trent, although I am a bit thirsty, can you get me a glass of water? Trent: Sure. (Walks out of the room) Daria: The mystery is, what did you eat or drink last night to make you forget that you painted these...things? Jane: Daria, even if they are weird, they're still art and it appears that I did paint them. Daria: I'm sorry. It's just that...this seems a bit strange, even for you. Jane: I know. Daria: Have you developed the ability to sleep paint and these are just the inner thoughts that roll around in your mind? Jane: Seriously, Daria. Daria: Ok, did you have anything to drink last night? Jane: Some water. Daria: If this were Highland I'd say that was it. Jane: Well, after watching that documentary last night I felt kind of funny. Daria: What did you do after I went home? Jane: I went downstairs and watched the guys play again. Daria: It could have been the noise that drove you temporarily insane. Jane: Na, I've lived with it this long. If I'm not in the loony bin now, I don't think I have to worry. Daria: Whatever it is, let’s just forget about it for now and get out of this room. I'm getting a little light headed. They leave the room and bump into Trent in the hall. Trent: Here you go, Janey. Jane: Thanks Trent. (She swallows the contents of the whole glass in one gulp) That was good, could you get me another? Daria: You're awfully thirsty. Jane: I feel like my mouth is full of cotton. Daria: Let's get you to a faucet before Trent wears a rut in the floor. The next day at school, Jane shows up wearing dark sunglasses and slouching a little lower than usual and looking a bit pale. Jane: Hey Daria. Daria: Jane, are you all right? You look a little paler than usual. Jane: Long night. Trent had another practice. Really, two nights in a row, they must be cracking down. Max brought some brownies last night. You should taste this boy's cooking, wow! Daria: You'd better watch it or I'll have to start calling you wide load Jane. Jane: Then I'll have to call you four eyes. Daria: Truce then? Jane: You have no choice. Daria: Right, so, do you remember anything else about those paintings? Jane: Um, no. (She gets a nervous look on her face) Actually, I don't want to talk about it. Daria: Are you sure you're ok? Jane: I'M FINE! Daria: Ok, sorry. Um, I'll see you later then, right? Jane: Yeah, right. After school, Daria can't find Jane and decides to go home without her. This happens for the next few weeks, Daria rarely sees Jane after school and on the weekends, Jane tells Daria that she's busy over the phone. One Saturday night, Tom picks her up and they go to the pizza place. Tom: Daria, what's the matter? You look worried. Daria: It's Jane. She's been acting really strange lately. I hardly ever see her after school and when I called her on Friday, she said she was busy. Tom: Is she still mad about us? Daria: No, we worked that out, remember? Tom: Right, well, how about separation anxiety? Daria: From what? Tom: You. Daria: No, if you'll remember, we were apart most of last summer. Tom: Hmm. I'm stumped then, you know, I drove by her house to pick you up and saw a Lexus parked in front. Daria: Who does she know that owns a Lexus? Tom: Don't know, want to drop by and find out? Daria: I don't know. Tom: Come on, we'll take her some pizza and say hi. Daria: Well, ok. Tom pulls up to Jane's house just as a sharply dressed woman in her early thirties is leaving the house. Jane is saying goodbye when she notices Daria. Jane: Daria! Great news! Daria: Who was that? Jane: That was my great news. Her name is Maxine Beaumont and she owns an art gallery! She's going to display some of my work! Daria: Is that why you've been so secretive? Jane: I'm sorry, I would have told you, but I didn't want to jinx it. I met her when I took one of my paintings to have it framed. She said that she loved it and wanted to put it up in her gallery. This is so great! Tom: Congratulations, it sounds like your headed to the top. Jane: I know! This is so cool! Daria: Which ones does she want to display? Jane: Come inside, I'll show you. Inside, the Lane living room walls are lined with paintings, all of the same style Jane painted the night of the Van Gogh documentary. Jane: She called it Ultra Modern, but I call it surrealistic. Tom: I call it creepy. Daria: Ditto. Jane: You guys aren't seeing the point. MY art is going to be displayed in a real gallery. Daria: The most important thing is that your dreams are coming true. Good luck at the opening. Jane: Daria, I want you to come. Daria: You HAVE been completely avoiding me for the past few weeks, but hey, what are friends for. Jane: Great, (To Tom) you'll come too, right? Tom: Sure, I wouldn't miss it. Besides, Maxine is one of my mom's old friends. They're both on the board of the Lawndale Art Museum. Jane: Alright! This calls for a celebration, cookie anybody? Fast forward to a few days later. Daria is waiting on the corner after school when the bell rings. She looks into the crowds of kids leaving the school and after a while, spots Jane heading away from Daria and their houses. Daria gets a puzzled look on her face and follows. They are walking towards a low rent part of town, where the houses are small and worn down and the streets are filled with beat up cars. Daria watches from behind an old, rusted Chevy Cavalier as Jane walks up to one of the houses and knocks on the door. Max answers and Jane goes inside. Daria: (To herself) what would Jane be doing with Max? I didn't think she would even like him. She waits for around 30 minutes and is about to give up and go home when the door opens again and Jane walks out with a paper lunch bag. Max looks a little nervous as he waves to Jane and Daria can here her calling over her shoulder. Jane: See you tomorrow! Max: (Weakly) Yeah, see ya. Daria follows Jane back home and waits until the door is closed before going home herself. The next day, Daria followed Jane again and again, Jane went to Max's house and stayed for half an hour, then left with a paper baggie. Finally, the day of the gallery showing arrived. It was a Saturday, so Daria didn't get to Jane's house until late that morning. Jane was already up and looking very anxious. Daria: Hey Jane. You look like you’re about to be a proud father. Jane: Ha ha. (Rubbing her hands together nervously while pacing back and forth) You'd look like this too if someone were about to publish one of your stories. Daria: I'm sorry. Are you going to be ok? Jane: Yeah, I just need a cookie or something to munch on. Daria: (Looking at Jane and realizing that she has gained some weight) You've been eating a lot of cookies lately. Jane: What can I say, I've developed a sweet tooth. Daria: And a spare tire. Jane: Hey, glasses. Daria: Sorry, so what are you going to be showing? Jane: Well, I was only given enough space for two pieces so the selection is limited. You'll see what I picked when we get there. Trent: (Walking in with a black tie around his neck, knotted like a shoelace. He's wearing a black pair of slacks and matching long sleeved shirt) Janey, how do you tie these things? Jane: How should I know? Daria: Here. (She unties the knot and correctly knots it) Trent: Wow thanks Daria. It's a little tight Jane: That's so you don't lose all of the blood that's trapped up there now. Trent: I'm getting light headed. Daria: Loosen it up then. Well Jane, should we get dressed? Tom should be here soon to pick us up. Jane: (Looking like she may rush to the bathroom any minute now and throw up) Yeah. Half an hour later, Tom rings the doorbell. Trent answers and the both go into the front room to wait for the girls. Shortly afterwards, they come down, Daria dressed in a floor length black skirt and green blouse with her hair pulled back in a French braid. She is also wearing the slightest bit of make up. She looks uncomfortable when both Trent and Tom look at her appreciatively. Jane is dressed in a shorter black dress that slightly clings to her. Her hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she is wearing deep red lipstick. Jane: Tom, close your mouth, she's a girl. Tom: Wow! You both look great. Daria: (Blushing furiously and mumbling) thanks. Jane: Well buckaroos! (Clapping her hands together and taking a deep breath) Let’s go! The gallery parking lot is nearly packed with several expensive looking cars as they pull in. Tom parks between a BMW Z3 and an AUDI Quattro. They get out, not bothering to lock the doors, and head inside. At the entrance, a security guard is checking invitations. He stops them. Guard: May I see your invitations? Jane: I'm one of the artists. Guard: And your name would be? Jane: Jane Lane. Guard: I'm not seeing your name on the list of featured artists. Are you under another name? Jane: Not unless I got married in the last 30 minutes. Guard: I'm sorry, this is by invitation only. Tom: Excuse me, I'm Tom Sloan. I believe you'll find that we are on the list. Guard: Oh! Mr. Sloan! Your mother said you would be coming with one of the artists. Daria: Gee, I guess that would be you Jane. Guard: Let me check under the list again...Ah, here we are! Jane Lane and guest. It appears you were on the bottom of the list. Jane: Gotta start some where. Inside, the air is ripe with chatter and the sound of hushed criticism. Jane really looks nervous now. Daria: So where are you set up Jane? Daria: Right over here. She leads them to the back of the gallery in a corner. There seems to be a small crowd gathering around Jane's paintings. Daria has to wait to see what paintings Jane has decided to display. The first one she sees is one of the eerie pictures that Jane has taken to painting lately. The other one, after a while is one of Jane's earlier pieces that Daria actually likes. Daria: Why one new one and one old one? Jane: Well...I thought it would make a nice contrast... Tom: I like the other one, but that one with the midget, I don't know... Jane: Thanks Tom, I knew I could count on you. Daria: Come on, let’s go see what the other artists have displayed and leave Jane to her public. (To Jane while dragging Tom off) We'll be over by the sculpture of melted Barbie dolls. Jane: You kids have fun now. After an hour, Daria thinks to herself, time passes much slower in art galleries. This must be why most of the people looking at the paintings and sculptures look to be between the ages of old and "I knew Jesus." She walks over to Jane again, who is having a conversation with an older man. He seems to be talking about price. Daria can see that Jane is very upset over something. As she gets closer, she hears the man talking. Man: Honestly, I think it’s's rather childish. My Brother's son can paint better than that with finger paints. So, my final offer is five thousand dollars. Who should I make the check out to? At that moment, however, Jane's lower lip starts to quiver and she runs out of the gallery... Back to the present, Daria and Trent are sitting on the sofa in the front room... Daria: I wish I knew why she started painting those damned things in the first place. Trent: Artists, you know. Gotta try something new. Daria: When was the last time you saw a new art style completely altering an artist’s personality. Trent: Maybe she's just trying to adjust to all of the attention. Daria: Right, and I'm taking my sister's place in the fashion club. Hey, I have to go. I'll talk to you later. Trent: See ya, Daria. On Daria's way home she keeps thinking about the past month and the events that led up to the scene in the gallery this afternoon. A funny thought hits her as she reaches her front door and a plan is forming in her head as she closes her bedroom door. Later that night, Jane is still lying in her bedroom, wide-awake and staring out her window from her bed. She hears the tank pull up in front of the house and three doors open and close. The door opens and she can here Trent telling the guys to go downstairs and set up. Shortly afterward, she hears Trent coming up the stairs and heading to her room. He knocks on her door. Trent: (Opening her door) Janey? You ok? Jane: Yeah. Trent: Why don't you come down stairs. The guys brought some Chinese. Jane: I'm not hungry. Trent: (Walking across her room and sitting on her bed) Wow, this place is messier than my room. Jane: Can't be, my clothes haven't started sticking to the wall yet. Trent: (Laughing a little, then breaking down into a cough) come on Janey. Let's go down stairs and have something to eat. I think there are still some cookies. Jane: (Thinking on it a little then with a sigh, she gets up) Fine, but if you try to cheer me up, I'll have to stick a paintbrush in your ear. Trent: Um...fair enough. They head downstairs and into the front room. There is a small group of people sitting around and drinking punch. Jodie, Mack, Tom, the band, an elderly looking woman and Daria look up when she comes down the stairs. Daria walks up to her. Daria: Surprise. Jane: Oh look Trent, we have company. Let me go get some paintbrushes. (Starts walking back up the stairs) Daria: Come on Jane, it's only a few people. Trent: I thought it might um...help you adjust to all of this attention. Daria: Yeah. Here, have some good old-fashioned party punch. (Hands her a plastic glass. The red liquid inside sloshes around a little and fizzes) Jane: (Taking the punch) Alright, but only until midnight. After that I turn back into a pumpkin. Trent (Walks over to the table and comes back with a plate of cookies) Here you go Janey. They're fresh. Jane: (Grabbing a couple of cookies and biting into them) Hey, these aren't Max's cookies. Daria: I know. I made them. Jane: What, Max decided to stop baking? Max is over in the corner looking like he wants to curl up and die. Daria: Oh, did I introduce you to Nancy? The older woman walks up to Jane and shakes her hand. She has a kind expression and is looking at Jane concernedly. Nancy: Hello Jane. Jane: Hi. What the hell is going on? Nancy: Jane, this is an intervention. Jane: An intervention for what? Daria: You know. We all know. Trent: Jane, you’re addicted to drugs. Jane: WHAT! DRUGS!?! ARE YOU ALL MAD? Daria: Jane, Nancy is a counselor at a local drug rehabilitation center. She wants to take you in and help. Jane: What makes you thing I need help?!? Tom: Come on Jane. The painting, the sudden mood swings, the craving for those cookies, you need help. Jodie: Jane, we all have problems that we need help with. Mack: I've seen what drugs can do to people. I like you Jane, I don't want to see you end up like some of the guys I've seen. Jane: SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU! I DON'T NEED ANY HELP! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE! (She turns around and bounds up the stairs. They can here the door being slammed and locked. Inside Jane's room, she looks around and spots the window. She wades through the garbage on her floor and opens the window as quietly as she can. Outside, she shimmies down a drainpipe and turns around) Daria: Jane, please talk to me. Jane: How the hell? Daria: Plan B. I figured if you wouldn't listen to all of us, you'd try to get out of the house. This was just the most likely way. Jane: I'm not addicted to anything! Daria: Then why are you climbing out of your window? Jane: I needed a jog. Daria: Yeah, right. Jane: Daria, I know you mean well, but I'm not addicted to anything. I just liked those cookies. Daria: Which were laced with marijuana. Jane: What? Daria: I know. After I left your house today, I called Tom and Trent. We went over to Max's house and asked him about it. At first, he didn't know about the stuff he was putting into the cookies. It was his roommate's recipe and ingredients. Trent almost got angry. Tom wanted to beat his face in. Instead, we called the cops and had the guy arrested. It was easy since the house was full of drugs. The guy confessed to everything and the cops let Max go. Jane: So? The only time I ever ate those cookies was when he brought them over. Daria: Don't try to lie Jane, I followed you over there after school for a week. You always left with a bag of something and you've been gaining weight. Jane: Look, I didn't- Daria: Max also told us that he found out what he was putting in those cookies and told you when you came over one day. He said you threatened to beat him up if he didn't keep making them the way he had. Jane: Daria, I- Daria: DAMMIT JANE! STOP TRYING TO LIE TO ME! Jane: Daria- Daria: I spent all of this summer worrying that we would never be friends again and then, when I thought we were finally going to be fine, you start doing this. Jane, this is not you. I know why you put those two paintings up; I also know why you ran out of the gallery today. You were doubting yourself and your art. You thought if you put one of those drug induced things next to a painting that actually meant something to you and people liked the older one, then the drugs wouldn't matter. But it backfired on you, didn't it? Jane: (Tears starting to form in her eyes) Daria, no- Daria: Jane, I lost you once for something that I did. I will not lose you again. Ever since I met you, life has been a little more bearable. I don't mind going to that asylum they call a school because I know that you'll be there. These drugs are going to kill you, whether they're in a cookie or being shot up your arm and I will not stand around and watch you die! Jane: (Tears now pouring down her face. She throws her arms around Daria) Daria, I'm sorry. Daria: (Hugging Jane Back) don’t be sorry Jane, get help. Jane: (Sniffing) Yeah. Camera pans over to one of the windows looking out from the living room. We see Trent looking out with a smile on his face, then he steps back and lets the curtain fall back into place. One month later, Daria is in her room, talking on the phone... Daria: So when do you get out? Jane: Tomorrow, I can't wait. The whole family is waiting for me at home. I bet mom's already tearing her hair out. Daria: If you want, Tom and I can come pick you up. Jane: Sure. I'll have to tell Trent not to bother. I don't think his car could make it up here anyway. Daria: By the way, that guy that wanted to buy your painting keeps calling your house. Ever since he heard that you were a drug addict he's doubled his price. That's what Trent tells me anyway. Jane: Yeah, I know. I told Mom to tell him all of the paintings were destroyed in a freak paintbrush accident, but he still wants me to paint a new one. Daria: Well? Jane: Are you crazy? Give one of my good paintings to someone with no taste whatsoever? Daria smiles... Roll end credits.