Elizabeth Strout

I don't know.

But Artie really came to me.

By the time he coalesced, he was just Artie, and I just had to be in him and his head.

So that was not an issue for me.

Precisely.

Precisely.

And I think, can I be a little specific about that?

You can be completely specific.

Because Artie catches him writing an obscenity on the wall.

And Danny, of course, is scared to death that he'll be caught, expelled, or whatever happens when you do that.

But what really happens is I think it's one of Artie's most generous moments.

Because not only does he not expel him, he sits him down and says, you know, next time you think that, just think it up here.

And then he actually says to Danny, I don't blame you.

And Danny's like, you don't blame me for what?

And he said, well, I feel like saying that to people sometimes myself.

And that opens up a whole world for this young, angry man.

who thinks of Artie as old, because he, you know, is so much older.

And that just ushers him into a whole new vision of life that, oh my word, older people, Artie Dam, Dam Dam, actually wants to say this to people at times.

That's amazing for somebody like Danny.

And it was so generous of Artie to give him that opening.