Alex is more than a little sceptical when Nick enters his sculpture ""Spirit of Columbus"", priced at $200, in an art show at the mall. but when Nick returns with the money and the news that he had several buyers vying for the piece, Alex decides that Nick is completely unaware of the marketability of his work. Appalled that Nick let potential buyers go away empty-handed, he insists that Nick increase the supply to meet the demand and steps in as Nick's manager for a hefty commission.

At first, both Nick and Mallory are opposed to the commercialization of Nick's artistic work, but they become seduced by the idea of building a substantial ""nest egg"" for their future, and give in to Alex's pressure.

However, Nick quickly becomes disenchanted as he fights to keep pace with Alex's intense production demands. When he tries to explain that the work has ""lost its beauty"" and become impersonal, Alex is too preoccupied with filling orders to listen. But when customers begin asking for his sculptu