The Lady with the Parrot

Zygmunt Latawczyc, a painter with a diploma from Poznań and a strict rule of painting only what he sees "live," finds himself in financial trouble because of it. Models cost money, and imagination offers him no rescue—Zygmunt never dreams, so he has nothing to draw from. When he meets Zuzanna, the perfect model, an image comes to mind: her with a macaw parrot perched on her shoulder. The problem is, the parrot alone costs as much as a small car. So, Zygmunt sets off to visit friends in hopes of borrowing some money. Some are broke, others are stoned, and still others are caught up in their own life disasters; no one wants or can help him. After this wandering, he’s left with a bitter conclusion: “Everyone would like to, but no one knows how.” Although still without the parrot and without a loan, Zygmunt begins to wonder if painting the world as it is sometimes requires more than just looking.