Post by Static on Dec 30, 2005 13:57:37 GMT -5
Saturday, December 23, 2005
1:11pm
the outskirts of Red Deer, AB, Canada
On the road again... going places that I've never been...
VOICE: Remember, that's the difference between Aunt Millie and her daughter, Christine: Millie has eczema, the other's obnoxious. Don't mix the two up, or it'll be pretty embarassing. Her husband, Ray, he used to be in the RCAF, where he was shot in the head during a recon mission for no good reason, can you believe that!...
(Static and the Mayor, together again. Bill Fleming's driving his own car this time, a beat-up, blue Cutlass. He's jabbering on like a monkey in a tree to Static, sitting shotty, bored and looking out the window like there's going to be something interesting going on out there. Instead, it's just snow-covered hills and trees for the former Provincial Champ to stare at. Anything's better than listening to the Mayor, who's in good spirits as evidenced by his Santa hat, and appears to be giving Static some kind of crash course on his family. Static decides he's had enough.)
THE MAYOR: Now, my mother, you'll know her when you see her. Everyone says that she's not a She-Bear, but most of us figure, hey, if you're a lady standing six-seven, three hundred pounds, and forage, you're probably a She-Bear. Now, my dad...
STATIC: Fleming. Shut the hell up.
THE MAYOR: (after an uncomfortable silence) But, Static, if this Christmas dinner at my family's is going to go over well, I think you should know what to exp--
STATIC: That's your problem, Fleming. What, has Caliber been influencing you too much? NAPW gave us this Christmas break for a reason, so that we come back strong for the New Year. You, you thought that this was some time for nonsense. I can't count how many times I've watched It's a Wonderful Life with you, and it's not even Christmas Eve yet. To top that off, while you were bawling over George Bailey having friends, D-X snuck in and got their re-match with the Dudes for the first show after break. That's for the tag titles, Fleming, that was our match. Me and Rex. And you blew it. That's your job, and you blew it.
(The Mayor's ignoring Static's on-again revisionist history, forgetting that D-X had the match before break. Instead, he's more distressed that Static keeps referring to him as "Fleming" and not "the Mayor." The Mayor always dug that little pet name, it's almost a bond. He keeps silent.)
STATIC: And now I've got Ravager. Like this is going to do anything to further my career. I beat him down again and again, and I thought I was through with him. I'm going on to bigger and better things, the tag titles and my partnership with Caliber. He's off losing that strap of his to drama club dropouts. You know, if he goes and attacks you, maybe for some sick "old times sake" deal, I don't know... I almost want to say that you'd deserve that. I mean, you got me the match. You had to know what you getting into, then. If he wants a break from Josh Reynolds... well, Mayor, you had a match with him. I needn't say more.
(The Mayor stays silent. He's trying to think of some kind of retort, but can't match Static's venom at him, at the world, at life. Static takes a second to decide weather he wants to flame Fleming any more, and decides against it. They're finally riding into town. Gas station, gas station, Burger King. Fleming pulls in, they get out, inside, and in line. There's a wait. Truckers. Static finally turns to Fleming.)
STATIC: Hey. Thanks for stopping. I'm starving.
FLEMING: Yeah. And you don't know bad cooking into you've seen a She-Bear try to cook for humans.
STATIC: (after they both chuckle) I'll give you this, Mayor: this tag team's going places. You're a part of that. Don't forget.
FLEMING: (appears touched, but too modest to say anything about it. after a pause:) I ought to wash up first. Be back in a minute.
(Before Static can respond, Fleming disappears into sole unisex bathroom. He's still hurt, but understands the idea of Static being "THE DOMINANT ONE!!" as Milhouse van Houten once mentioned. Fleming walks over to the sinks, and while washing his hands, takes a good, long look at himself in the mirror. He's thinking about how he came to this point, in this restaurant, with this guy. Thinking about the holiday, Rex Caliber, Ravager, journalism and integrity. Thinking about Static. William Fleming Jr. And the future.)
(He's done washing now, and goes over to the paper towel dispenser to dry off. The Mayor inexplicably drops to a crouch to dry off his hands, and as he does, notices something written on the wall below the machine. Permanent marker, black. The stereotypical pretty, open print of a teenage girl, just sloppy enough to be thought of as rushed:)
I don't feel at all how I thought
(And as the Mayor's thoughts shift from himself to that girl, and why her printing was rushed, and how she thought she'd feel here in Red Deer, he's repeating two words to himself while running his fingers along the wall: "not me.")
1:11pm
the outskirts of Red Deer, AB, Canada
On the road again... going places that I've never been...
VOICE: Remember, that's the difference between Aunt Millie and her daughter, Christine: Millie has eczema, the other's obnoxious. Don't mix the two up, or it'll be pretty embarassing. Her husband, Ray, he used to be in the RCAF, where he was shot in the head during a recon mission for no good reason, can you believe that!...
(Static and the Mayor, together again. Bill Fleming's driving his own car this time, a beat-up, blue Cutlass. He's jabbering on like a monkey in a tree to Static, sitting shotty, bored and looking out the window like there's going to be something interesting going on out there. Instead, it's just snow-covered hills and trees for the former Provincial Champ to stare at. Anything's better than listening to the Mayor, who's in good spirits as evidenced by his Santa hat, and appears to be giving Static some kind of crash course on his family. Static decides he's had enough.)
THE MAYOR: Now, my mother, you'll know her when you see her. Everyone says that she's not a She-Bear, but most of us figure, hey, if you're a lady standing six-seven, three hundred pounds, and forage, you're probably a She-Bear. Now, my dad...
STATIC: Fleming. Shut the hell up.
THE MAYOR: (after an uncomfortable silence) But, Static, if this Christmas dinner at my family's is going to go over well, I think you should know what to exp--
STATIC: That's your problem, Fleming. What, has Caliber been influencing you too much? NAPW gave us this Christmas break for a reason, so that we come back strong for the New Year. You, you thought that this was some time for nonsense. I can't count how many times I've watched It's a Wonderful Life with you, and it's not even Christmas Eve yet. To top that off, while you were bawling over George Bailey having friends, D-X snuck in and got their re-match with the Dudes for the first show after break. That's for the tag titles, Fleming, that was our match. Me and Rex. And you blew it. That's your job, and you blew it.
(The Mayor's ignoring Static's on-again revisionist history, forgetting that D-X had the match before break. Instead, he's more distressed that Static keeps referring to him as "Fleming" and not "the Mayor." The Mayor always dug that little pet name, it's almost a bond. He keeps silent.)
STATIC: And now I've got Ravager. Like this is going to do anything to further my career. I beat him down again and again, and I thought I was through with him. I'm going on to bigger and better things, the tag titles and my partnership with Caliber. He's off losing that strap of his to drama club dropouts. You know, if he goes and attacks you, maybe for some sick "old times sake" deal, I don't know... I almost want to say that you'd deserve that. I mean, you got me the match. You had to know what you getting into, then. If he wants a break from Josh Reynolds... well, Mayor, you had a match with him. I needn't say more.
(The Mayor stays silent. He's trying to think of some kind of retort, but can't match Static's venom at him, at the world, at life. Static takes a second to decide weather he wants to flame Fleming any more, and decides against it. They're finally riding into town. Gas station, gas station, Burger King. Fleming pulls in, they get out, inside, and in line. There's a wait. Truckers. Static finally turns to Fleming.)
STATIC: Hey. Thanks for stopping. I'm starving.
FLEMING: Yeah. And you don't know bad cooking into you've seen a She-Bear try to cook for humans.
STATIC: (after they both chuckle) I'll give you this, Mayor: this tag team's going places. You're a part of that. Don't forget.
FLEMING: (appears touched, but too modest to say anything about it. after a pause:) I ought to wash up first. Be back in a minute.
(Before Static can respond, Fleming disappears into sole unisex bathroom. He's still hurt, but understands the idea of Static being "THE DOMINANT ONE!!" as Milhouse van Houten once mentioned. Fleming walks over to the sinks, and while washing his hands, takes a good, long look at himself in the mirror. He's thinking about how he came to this point, in this restaurant, with this guy. Thinking about the holiday, Rex Caliber, Ravager, journalism and integrity. Thinking about Static. William Fleming Jr. And the future.)
(He's done washing now, and goes over to the paper towel dispenser to dry off. The Mayor inexplicably drops to a crouch to dry off his hands, and as he does, notices something written on the wall below the machine. Permanent marker, black. The stereotypical pretty, open print of a teenage girl, just sloppy enough to be thought of as rushed:)
I don't feel at all how I thought
I'd
[/center] (And as the Mayor's thoughts shift from himself to that girl, and why her printing was rushed, and how she thought she'd feel here in Red Deer, he's repeating two words to himself while running his fingers along the wall: "not me.")