The Gus Diaries

Part 163

The Sculptor I

“Wow, Mom, I still can’t believe this is actually happening!  It’s amazing!  How did you get such a world famous artist to come to Pittsburgh?  What a coup!” 

“I’m curious about the same thing, Lindsay.”  Pop smiled at Mom as the three of us stood beside the latest pieces sent to the gallery for a special exhibit.  “Have you been making new contacts behind my back?”  He grinned, making Mom laugh.

“I wish I did have contacts that good.  To be honest, guys, he contacted me.  I still can’t believe it, but he wants to show at the Taylor-Bloom Gallery.  I know we’re an up and coming gallery in the art world, but he has several pieces in the MoMA and can show anywhere in the world.”

Pop grinned.  “I’m just glad he chose to show here.  I won’t go looking for ulterior motives, or consider the possibility of temporary insanity on the artist’s part.”

He and Mom laughed louder as they gazed at the new stone pieces being carefully brought into the primary exhibition hall.

Dad lifted his head from the newspaper he was pretending to be reading while drinking the latte he picked up on the way into Pittsburgh.  “Who the fuck is Andrew Carson, and why does he have you three art aficionados in a tizzy?”

I wasn’t sure if Dad was really that clueless or if he was just baiting us.  For me this was a very big deal.  Not only was Andrew Carson, one of the greatest modern sculptors of the twenty-first century, coming to Pittsburgh, but he wanted to be featured at a special exhibit in Pop’s gallery.  To add icing on the cake, my first reporting assignment for my summer internship with the Pittsburgh Gazette was to follow the progress of the development of the exhibit and ultimately interview the artist himself. 

Mom and Pop both assured me they would make sure the interview happened and had received confirmation from Mr. Carson’s agent, along with confirmation of the particulars agreed upon for the exhibit.

“Brian, this is the biggest name we’ve ever featured at the gallery.”  Mom glared at Dad.

Dad smirked.  “I believe the biggest name is the one on the gallery itself.”  He pointed toward the front entrance.  “You do remember the reason it’s now called the Taylor - Bloom Gallery is because the name Justin Taylor has all the clout.  After all he is big, in so many ways, including the art world.”

“Brian!”  Pop’s cheeks reddened.  “Thank you for the accolades, but Andrew Carson has several pieces displayed at the MoMA and is in demand all over the world.  The fact that he actually sought us out is incredible.”

“Incredible maybe,” Dad looked back at his newspaper, “suspicious definitely.”

“God, Dad.  You can be such a cynic.  Even Jeff is excited and looking forward to seeing this exhibit and he’s far less enthusiastic about art than any of us.  This guy is a major player in the art world and will bring world attention back to the Pittsburgh art community in the same way Andy Warhol did.”

“I still think Justin already did that, but if you would all like to ogle, bow down, and throw roses at the feet of this walking mythological giant of stone and clay figures, have at it.”  Dad stood up and folded his paper.  “I’m going to head over to the diner and have a cup of coffee with Michael.”

Pop briefly stopped what he was doing and called out to Dad.  “Tell him I’ll have the next panels for the upcoming issue of Rage ready for him tonight.  With the opening Friday, I want to make sure they’re done and out of the way.”

Dad turned toward Pop and nodded.

“You know what, Brian?”

“What?” 

“Michael and Ben haven’t been to the house without some big celebration as an excuse for a while.  Why don’t you invite them for dinner tonight?  They’re already invited to the opening so they’ll understand if I’m a little tense, but they’ll also be a welcome distraction.”

“Whatever you say, Sunshine.”  Dad rolled his eyes.  “Michael will be over the moon to be invited to a private soiree at chez Taylor and Kinney.”

Pop snorted, but at least the two of them weren’t getting so uptight that they fought.  That was how Mom and Mem used to handle things.  I should have known something was up ages ago.  It’s good to see how a really committed couple handles tough situations.  Jeff likes to think that between my dads, and Grandma Jen and Tucker, we’ve got two great examples of successful marriages, even though they’re both as different as two couples can be... and I don’t mean just the gay / straight thing.

“Pop, you know Jeff will be at the house all this week.  I hope dinner tonight will include us.”

“Gus, you and Jeff are always included.  Since the last big event was Jeff’s graduation, I figured he was going to spend more time with you at Britin than at my mom and Tucker’s place anyway.”

I grinned at Pop.  “Well, you know how I feel about having him around all the time, but it is also convenient since Dad and Uncle Ted offered him the position of Assistant to the CFO at Kinnetik.”  Dad and Jeff frequently drive into Pittsburgh together in the morning.  If Dad’s working very late, I bring Jeff home after my day at the Gazette.

Mom smiled as she walked over to join us.  “That was a nice surprise.  Jeff’s eyes lit up and the smile on his face was almost as big as the one he had the night you two became engaged.”  She wiped the beginning of a tear from the edge of her eye.

“Mom, don’t get all emotional again.  You cry at everything lately.”  I held her hand and gave it a squeeze. 

“It’s the age honey.  Just deal with it.”  She laughed.  “I guess I’d better get back to organizing this space.  We want to make sure everything is displayed in the most eye-appealing way.”

After Mom stepped away to return to working with the team setting up the exhibit, Pop faced me.  “Your mom really has come a long way.”

“Yeah, she has.”  I was cautiously optimistic, hoping she would continue to find happiness in her life.

Before we had time to admire Mom’s progress any further, the door to the gallery opened once again.  In walked a man about Pop’s age, or maybe a little older, and very hot!  He wore skin tight black jeans and an equally skin tight black pullover sweater with a crew neck.  To be honest, I was surprised he wasn’t sweating, but I guess the sweater was pretty lightweight. 

It took Pop less than a split second to leave my side and walk up to the guy.  Suddenly the pictures I’d seen of him during my research in anticipation of the upcoming interview alerted me to the fact that I was staring at Andrew Carson.

“Mr. Carson, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person.  I’ve enjoyed our phone conversations.”  Pop shook his hand.  “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow; the exhibit isn’t completely set up yet.”

“Don’t worry.  I’m not here to judge.  I just wanted to confirm that everything arrived intact.  No matter how many times I’ve sent my work around the world, I still get nervous about some butterfingered handler destroying something I’ve worked on for over a year.”

“I know what you mean, on a much smaller scale of course.”  Pop blushed.  He rarely makes comments about his own work’s recognition, although he deserves plenty of accolades too.

“You have every right to feel the same way.  After all, one of the reasons I was happy to bring my pieces to Pittsburgh was because I understood the great Justin Taylor would be supervising their care.”  Mr. Carson had an amazing, and seemingly genuine, smile.  Not quite as broad as Pop’s, but pretty damn close.  He also happened to be on the fair side, but his hair was more of a strawberry blond, like Aunt Molly’s.

“Thank you for the compliment.  Please call me Justin.”

“And I’m Andrew.”

No sooner had the two nodded to one another, Mom returned.  “Oh my, I didn’t realize you were here.  It’s truly a pleasure to have you with us.”  She turned toward Pop.  “I’m sorry, Justin.  I had no idea Mr. Carson was coming today.”

“It’s Andrew, and I dropped by unexpectedly.  You must be the lovely, and very accommodating, Lindsay, who I’ve spoken with several times on the phone.”

Mom’s cheeks were as red as Pop’s were moments earlier.  It made me glad I had Dad’s complexion.

Pop gestured in my direction.  “Andrew, I’d like you to meet our son, Gus.  He’ll be writing an article about you for our local newspaper, the Pittsburgh Gazette, where he’s interning this summer.”

“Your son?”

Mom laughed softly.  “Biologically he’s my son, with Justin’s husband, Brian, but my ex-wife and Justin are just as much Gus’s parents in every way that’s important.”

“Sounds like you have one helluva great family behind you, Gus.  It’s a pleasure to meet you.”  Andrew turned toward Pop.  “Is Brian Kinney your husband?  I thought I’d read in one of the Art journals that you were married to a major mover and shaker in the advertising world.”

Pop chuckled.  “That’s Brian.  My very own mover and shaker.”

Everyone laughed at the obvious double entendre. 

“Excuse me, Mr. Carson?”

“It’s Andrew to you too, young man.”  Andrew smiled at me.

“Thank you, Andrew.”  I took a deep breath.  “I hope I’ll get an opportunity to interview you before the show opens.  It would be great for the paper, and wouldn’t hurt my chances of moving from intern to cub reporter.”

“I like your honesty, Gus.  I’d be happy to help but I’m pretty tied up with all sorts of meet and greets in the area from the looks of the schedule Lindsay sent to my agent.  My only free night is tonight and I promised my partner I’d have dinner with him.”

“How about having dinner at our home tonight?”  Pop jumped in and smiled at me.  “Our place is only about a half an hour away and we can have a relaxing meal, get to know each other and our partners, and then you can speak with Gus.”

“That sounds perfect.”  Andrew seemed pleased, his smile once again extending from ear to ear.  “My partner is a big fan of your art work.  He has several pieces hanging in his apartment in Manhattan and has taken me to see your piece hanging in the MoMa.  It turns out we might actually be moving to this neck of the woods for a period of time each year as he’s pursuing some opportunities in the area himself, so it would be nice to get to know some people before we arrive for a long term stay.”

“Brian and I would be delighted to have you join us, I’ll write down the address for you.”

“You know, this’ll be a first for us,” Andrew added.  “My partner was married to a woman, but finally dealt with his demons and broke out of his closet.  Shortly after they divorced we found each other.  We haven’t been invited to dinner in a private home with another gay couple since we’ve gone public as a couple. ”

“Lucky for him I’m sure.  I look forward to seeing both of you tonight.  I’ll let Brian know you’re coming.”

Andrew took Britin’s address from Pop.  “Oh damn!  I’m already late for a lunch engagement.  How does seven tonight sound?”

“Great!”  Pop barely had the chance to answer before Andrew flew out the door.

“I can’t believe he’s coming to our house.  Thank you, Pop.  This’ll be amazing!”

“I hope so.  Now I just have to call your Dad and tell him we’re entertaining and he needs to behave.”

 [TBC]

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