In the film, once the main character (Beet) finds herself alone, no longer surrounded by her potato family, her body starts to fall apart. The damage done by the knife and peeler, represent both pain inflicted by people around her as well as illness. While she is able to hold herself together with toothpicks, this represents the “band-aid for a bullet wound” that medication and surgery can feel like. When she realizes the toothpicks aren’t helping her progress, she does the unthinkable and transforms herself.
The story is fully inspired by my APPLE patient who lives alone in Durham, grappling with physical and mental handicaps as well as financial and nutritional insecurity. Nevertheless, she is working towards completing her bachelor’s degree, a lifelong goal, and is an active singer in a gospel choir. When her mental health and knee pain limited her mobility, she did not let it stop her from reaching her goals. Her ability to make the most of her resources was an inspiration.
Since our relationship grew out of Project FEED, a fresh produce program, I knew I wanted to use produce in my project. I landed on root vegetables because I often saw a line of potatoes on her counter, washed and ready to be eaten. I saw her as the beet because its unassuming exterior hides such a stunning inner beauty.
The music choice was inspired by her love of gospel music and as a Jew myself, Norman Greenbaum’s “Spirit in the Sky” seemed like the perfect marriage of our spiritual backgrounds and a summation of our relationship.
About the Artist: Lindsay Olson
My undergraduate education was in Theater Arts with a focus on acting, directing, and arts & entertainment management. While my program focused mostly on live performance, I was able to take courses in film & TV, where further curiosity was sparked. I didn’t discover medicine until years after college when I was drawn to the skills with which great physicians are able to connect with people and help change their lives. I was fascinated by the biology and anatomy of medicine, but even more by the intersection of arts and sciences. The chance to integrate these worlds is a lifelong interest, so SCOPES was an exciting challenge. I hope to continue creating throughout my medical career and I am grateful to Duke for giving me built-in opportunities along the way.
