SONNY

SCENE 19

EXT. NATIONAL GALLERY - THE NEXT DAY

ZAK and DAN come off-shift, walking down the steps together and blinking in bright morning sunshine. Their overalls are filthy. Suddenly, a huge flock of pigeons fly up into the sky in a swirling, dizzy formation. HELEN is there waiting for them.
 

HELEN

(handing them each a coffee cup)
What do you earn in there? Must
be rock bottom, right?

EXT. TRAFALGAR SQUARE - DAY
ZAK, DAN and HELEN are walking past tourists and children playing on the brass lions. It's a gorgeous morning. 

HELEN

Don't you think you're overdoing
the penniless artist cliché a
bit? We both know you could earn
more in telesales.

ZAK swigs his coffee. It's too hot and he winces, spilling a little. HELEN offers him a tissue.

ZAK

We wanted to get as close as we
could.

HELEN

To the paintings?

DAN

To the painters. If you spend long enough looking at a work, thinking about it and feeling it, then reality just drops away. Then you're in the company of the painter.

HELEN

What if I could get you even closer?

ZAK

What?

HELEN

One of my subsidiary companies is
a restoration outfit. 

 

ZAK

Sonny Restorations. I've heard of
it.

HELEN

Why don't you come and work there

instead? Instead of looking at Old Masters, you could be actually working on them.

DAN

Really?

 

ZAK and DAN look at each other. A beat. DAN turns to HELEN.

DAN

We don't know what to say Helen.
We really don't. 

HELEN

Oh, I think you probably do.

They have come to a halt outside the grand Art Deco facade of the SAVOY HOTEL.

ZAK

Well, yes!

 

HELEN

(hands her coat to a
bell-hop) 

Wonderful. Why don't we have tea at

my place to celebrate.

 

ZAK

Don't tell me you live here

 HELEN

Always hated doing my own laundry. Come on up.