Silent, Darryl and I sat in front of Justin. At any cigar Lounge I have visited, we often sit in silence. Wherever individuals congregate, silence is crucial. Any mind needs silence. But congregating, as well as the presence of minds, is never truly about silence. As enjoyable and as needed as it is, it will be broken.
Sol came to us and threw some words about Lotto. Justin introduced himself and made his first comment, which followed mine. The silence was broken. A couple of hours later, Darryl and I sat in silence. In our minds reflecting upon what the conversation had produced, we suddenly realised, and expressed the joy of having participated in a multi-level conversation with Justin – a young body, but a versatile and mature mind.
Does it really matter that I call my handlings those of a technician, or of an artist? That the mind handles responsibly, and, especially that the handling is backed by creativity, that seems to be the true matter.
We are professors, lawyers, musicians, writers, painters… we respond to being technicians or to being artists. Either in silence, or in conversation, for these minds that gather here to smoke, the principal common denominator seems to be intellectual activity and creativity.
Justin had initially expressed that, while he might welcome being called an artist in the cinema world, he sees himself as a technician. I commented my believe that a Tarantino will certainly see himself as an artist. Justin disagreed. I was a bit surprised, but moved on with the two sides of the thought. Either technician or artist, the humble, complex and most honest motor is creativity. And which better source is there – for silence or for conversation – than creativity?
Smoke and Minds 