Post by maniac on Jan 21, 2006 20:57:17 GMT -5
****SCENE****
{My watch beeped midnight as I sat in my study but I didn’t notice, I found for the first time since my return several weeks ago that I was doing something that didn’t even involve thinking about wrestling; reading a book. And I probably would have continued reading it as well if it weren’t for those meddling kids – well, kid singular at least. My attention was drawn away from the world of make believe by my daughters sudden appearance in my study as she grabbed a hold of my leg and tried to climb up on to my lap.}
{I put the book down and picked her up, kissing her on the forehead and was about to ask her what she was still doing up when I checked my watch and suddenly grew somewhat concerned. I, being her kind and generous parent, was more than happy to let her play all day and all night if that’s what she wanted to do but Noelle insisted that kids need structure and I guess she was right, but try convincing a kid of that! Didn’t you just hate bed time when you were growing up? Well, some viewers still ARE growing up, aren’t you Cartwright?}
Michael Thomas: What’s up sweetie, where’s mummy?
{She giggled.}
Amber Thomas: Mommy’s sleepy.
Michael Thomas: And you’re not, huh? Why isn’t Amber sleepy?
{She just shook her head and wrapped her little arms around my chest. I scooped her up in to my arms and carried her effortlessly out in to the lounge where Noelle was lying on the sofa, curled up in front of the TV and dead to the world.}
Michael Thomas: Whatta ya say sweetie, time for bed?
{She frowned for a moment but then nodded and, as if on cue, yawned. I took her upstairs and tucked her in, making sure Mr Gordo was close by so she felt safe before flicking on the nightlight and closing the door, slowly walking back downstairs and walking in to the lounge and switching off the TV.}
Noelle Thomas: Hey, I was watching that…
Michael Thomas: {laughs} Sure you were!
Noelle Thomas: What? I was just resting my eyes.
Michael Thomas: Ok, what’s on?
{She smiled as she opened her eyes to see the TV only to find I was standing in front of it.}
Noelle Thomas: …the TV!
{I couldn’t help but laugh.}
Noelle Thomas: What time is it anyway? I got lost with all the TV watching I’ve been doing.
Michael Thomas: A little past midnight, I just put Amber to bed.
Noelle Thomas: {surprised} You let her stay up late?
Michael Thomas: Well you went to sleep at her bedtime so she went to bed at yours.
Noelle Thomas: {pouts} Whatever! I was not sleeping.
Michael Thomas: Riiiiiight…
Noelle Thomas: Seriously, I was watching the TV. {points to herself} How can you not trust this face?
Michael Thomas: Because I’ve been looking at it for ten plus years, I know when it’s lying to me.
Noelle Thomas: {sighs} I was not… I was resting my eyes.
Michael Thomas: Sure you were...
{I sat down beside her as she turned around, resting her upper back on my lap and putting her head on the armrest.}
Noelle Thomas: Hey.
Michael Thomas: {confused} Hi.
Noelle Thomas: What’cha been doin’?
Michael Thomas: Normal stuff! Typing reports, reading a book, listening to music, all the stuff that people who aren’t incredibly rich, stupidly famous and unbelievably good looking do on a normal basis…
Noelle Thomas: {laughs} Unbelievably good looking? Arrogant much?
Michael Thomas: Maybe just a pinch...
Noelle Thomas: {sarcastically} Yeah, maybe!
****END SCENE****
{All week I'd been trying to get myself into the mindset that my match this week was going to be a real test of my character, trying to remember that there are no easy victories in this business, trying to remember that although Evan Cartwright was an absolute joke, he was nonetheless good enough to make it to NAPW and therefore I needed to take him seriously. Maybe that was why this week meant so much to me, why I'd been sitting in the darkness for over an hour now and thinking about the past, thinking about the present and most importantly of all thinking about the future. The darkness felt like a second skin around me and I felt quite at home in it but there was somebody who didn't.}
Noelle Thomas: Did the light go out in here or something?
{My wife opened the door to my study and looked around the darkness, squinting her beautiful little eyes to try and make out where I was in the room. She went to flick on the light and I called out to her.}
Michael Thomas: Leave it off.
Noelle Thomas: Why are you sitting in a dark room? Is this another man thing I won't understand?
Michael Thomas: {laughs} No, I'm preparing.
Noelle Thomas: For what? And how the hell many carrots have you eaten to be able to see in here?
Michael Thomas: Preparing for Cartwright, he lives in the darkness and has made it his realm, I figured if I'm going to beat the man I have to think like him and what better place to learn to do that than in his world?
Noelle Thomas: Sad really, isn't it?
Michael Thomas: {confused} What is?
Noelle Thomas: He spends so much of his life alone in the dark with only the NAPW interview lackies and Rat Pack for company, is it any wonder that he sees the world so differently than everyone else? Seems to me that as much as the darkness might be a source of strength for him, the light is his biggest weakness!
Michael Thomas: {laughs} And that's exactly what he'll see this week, the light!
{Noelle turned and left the room, closing the door behind her as I flicked on the lamp on my desk and leant forward, turning on my mini-cam. I was about to open my mouth, begin speaking and talking smack as I normally would but for once I couldn't quite find the words I wanted so instead I just sat back and clapped.}
MANIAC: Bravo, Evan…bravo. You’ve finally run out of straws to grasp at so you’ve resorted to returning to wrestling 101. Let me get this straight, because I’ve seen this cookie cutter approach a million times before…because your “sensai” is Japanese or Chinese or whatever the hell he is, I’m supposed to be afraid and think that you know some ancient oriental secret on how to conquer a man as world renowned as the Lord of the Ring? You can learn all the tricks you want from that man, kid…I already know them. You can travel down through New Zealand and Australia and talk to a few outbackers if you want as well, learn how to wrestle alligators and such…been there, done that. What’s next? Gonna take a trip up to Scotland and learn how to heave logs?
[He laughs.]
See, here’s what you’re slowly beginning to understand. What you perceive to be arrogance, is really me just stating facts. You talk about how you’ve been through the Japanese circuit, the Mexican circuit, blah blah blah…did I not make myself clear? You’ve never been on a global circuit, wrestling the best athletes from all over the world. Wrestling in Mexico exclusively means you went up against talent equivalent to NAPW. Same with Japan and wherever the hell else you were. You’ve been up against guys who flat out weren’t good enough to make it to the big leagues.
I, on the other hand, have not only been to the big leagues…I’ve dominated them, much the same way I’ve dominated you in the ring lately. I was still dominating them when I decided to come here. There are those who would tell you I couldn’t hack it any more so I came to a small independent regional promotion to live out the end of my career. Those people are fools. But you? You’re coming along quite nicely, Evan, I must admit. You’re catching on quicker than most.
[He pauses for a moment, letting that last point sink in.]
But you’re still not quite all the way there yet. See, you’re still in that defensive mode…you think I’m attacking you, you think I’m acting like some kind of hot shot who thinks he’s better than everyone else. You’re wrong. This is an education. And it’s been working, has it not? You said it yourself, I lit a fire under your ass and now the sky’s the limit for you, kid. You can thank me later. It’s like I said from day one, I’m here to put this place on the map, and part of that is helping people like you develop. For example, at Joker’s Wild this Monday night, I’m not going to hurt you so badly that you’ll wish you were dead because I’m an egotistical jackoff…I’m teaching you a lesson. Case in point, two weeks ago, I took you out to the parking lot and beat the crap out of you, and it was the spark that opened your eyes and made you see what you had to do to get it done. And the next week? You took a short cut, you used Terry Brandon to get the job done, but you got the job done nonetheless.
That’s step one. Step two? Realizing you can damn well do it on your own. That’s why I’ll never understand why you’ve associated yourself with the Rat Pack. You know it’s only a matter of time before you hit the proverbial glass ceiling and Chris Casino refuses to give you a title shot. It’s a dead end, the way you’re heading, kid. But for the past three weeks, I’ve shown you what you’re really capable of. Maybe one day you’ll see the light and realize your true potential.
That’s what I bring to the table. That’s why NAPW came after me so aggressively. I take promotions to the promised land because I bring out the best in people. Who had ever heard of Evan Cartwright before you climbed into the ring with the King of Kings? Nobody. But now you’re creating waves, you’re becoming who you ought to be. Unfortunately for you, I’m still at the top of the mountain and I’m not ready to come down yet, so like I said, I’m not going easy on you any more. This is your final lesson. After this, you’re on your own. And believe me, Evan…it will be the ultimate lesson. I will take you to hell and back, I will take you to your very limits. You will discover more about yourself between those two bells than you will for the rest of your life.
[He lights up a match, illuminating his face in the darkness, and stares directly into the camera.]
But this isn’t just a test, Evan…this is your final exam. This is a match I refuse to lose. You are a stepping stone on my way to becoming the champion. And even though I’d love to pat you on your little head and wish you well in your future endeavors…I’m afraid I can’t take any chances. I have to beat you within an inch of your life to get to where I’m going and to send the message I need to send.
And that message?
[He blows out the match, sending a small billow of smoke floating through the darkness.]
When you’re up against the Lord of the Ring, the King of Kings, the most unpredictable son of a bitch in the game….
…it’s lights out for you.
[I flicked out the light, and disappeared into the darkness.}
{Scene fades to black.}
{My watch beeped midnight as I sat in my study but I didn’t notice, I found for the first time since my return several weeks ago that I was doing something that didn’t even involve thinking about wrestling; reading a book. And I probably would have continued reading it as well if it weren’t for those meddling kids – well, kid singular at least. My attention was drawn away from the world of make believe by my daughters sudden appearance in my study as she grabbed a hold of my leg and tried to climb up on to my lap.}
{I put the book down and picked her up, kissing her on the forehead and was about to ask her what she was still doing up when I checked my watch and suddenly grew somewhat concerned. I, being her kind and generous parent, was more than happy to let her play all day and all night if that’s what she wanted to do but Noelle insisted that kids need structure and I guess she was right, but try convincing a kid of that! Didn’t you just hate bed time when you were growing up? Well, some viewers still ARE growing up, aren’t you Cartwright?}
Michael Thomas: What’s up sweetie, where’s mummy?
{She giggled.}
Amber Thomas: Mommy’s sleepy.
Michael Thomas: And you’re not, huh? Why isn’t Amber sleepy?
{She just shook her head and wrapped her little arms around my chest. I scooped her up in to my arms and carried her effortlessly out in to the lounge where Noelle was lying on the sofa, curled up in front of the TV and dead to the world.}
Michael Thomas: Whatta ya say sweetie, time for bed?
{She frowned for a moment but then nodded and, as if on cue, yawned. I took her upstairs and tucked her in, making sure Mr Gordo was close by so she felt safe before flicking on the nightlight and closing the door, slowly walking back downstairs and walking in to the lounge and switching off the TV.}
Noelle Thomas: Hey, I was watching that…
Michael Thomas: {laughs} Sure you were!
Noelle Thomas: What? I was just resting my eyes.
Michael Thomas: Ok, what’s on?
{She smiled as she opened her eyes to see the TV only to find I was standing in front of it.}
Noelle Thomas: …the TV!
{I couldn’t help but laugh.}
Noelle Thomas: What time is it anyway? I got lost with all the TV watching I’ve been doing.
Michael Thomas: A little past midnight, I just put Amber to bed.
Noelle Thomas: {surprised} You let her stay up late?
Michael Thomas: Well you went to sleep at her bedtime so she went to bed at yours.
Noelle Thomas: {pouts} Whatever! I was not sleeping.
Michael Thomas: Riiiiiight…
Noelle Thomas: Seriously, I was watching the TV. {points to herself} How can you not trust this face?
Michael Thomas: Because I’ve been looking at it for ten plus years, I know when it’s lying to me.
Noelle Thomas: {sighs} I was not… I was resting my eyes.
Michael Thomas: Sure you were...
{I sat down beside her as she turned around, resting her upper back on my lap and putting her head on the armrest.}
Noelle Thomas: Hey.
Michael Thomas: {confused} Hi.
Noelle Thomas: What’cha been doin’?
Michael Thomas: Normal stuff! Typing reports, reading a book, listening to music, all the stuff that people who aren’t incredibly rich, stupidly famous and unbelievably good looking do on a normal basis…
Noelle Thomas: {laughs} Unbelievably good looking? Arrogant much?
Michael Thomas: Maybe just a pinch...
Noelle Thomas: {sarcastically} Yeah, maybe!
****END SCENE****
{All week I'd been trying to get myself into the mindset that my match this week was going to be a real test of my character, trying to remember that there are no easy victories in this business, trying to remember that although Evan Cartwright was an absolute joke, he was nonetheless good enough to make it to NAPW and therefore I needed to take him seriously. Maybe that was why this week meant so much to me, why I'd been sitting in the darkness for over an hour now and thinking about the past, thinking about the present and most importantly of all thinking about the future. The darkness felt like a second skin around me and I felt quite at home in it but there was somebody who didn't.}
Noelle Thomas: Did the light go out in here or something?
{My wife opened the door to my study and looked around the darkness, squinting her beautiful little eyes to try and make out where I was in the room. She went to flick on the light and I called out to her.}
Michael Thomas: Leave it off.
Noelle Thomas: Why are you sitting in a dark room? Is this another man thing I won't understand?
Michael Thomas: {laughs} No, I'm preparing.
Noelle Thomas: For what? And how the hell many carrots have you eaten to be able to see in here?
Michael Thomas: Preparing for Cartwright, he lives in the darkness and has made it his realm, I figured if I'm going to beat the man I have to think like him and what better place to learn to do that than in his world?
Noelle Thomas: Sad really, isn't it?
Michael Thomas: {confused} What is?
Noelle Thomas: He spends so much of his life alone in the dark with only the NAPW interview lackies and Rat Pack for company, is it any wonder that he sees the world so differently than everyone else? Seems to me that as much as the darkness might be a source of strength for him, the light is his biggest weakness!
Michael Thomas: {laughs} And that's exactly what he'll see this week, the light!
{Noelle turned and left the room, closing the door behind her as I flicked on the lamp on my desk and leant forward, turning on my mini-cam. I was about to open my mouth, begin speaking and talking smack as I normally would but for once I couldn't quite find the words I wanted so instead I just sat back and clapped.}
MANIAC: Bravo, Evan…bravo. You’ve finally run out of straws to grasp at so you’ve resorted to returning to wrestling 101. Let me get this straight, because I’ve seen this cookie cutter approach a million times before…because your “sensai” is Japanese or Chinese or whatever the hell he is, I’m supposed to be afraid and think that you know some ancient oriental secret on how to conquer a man as world renowned as the Lord of the Ring? You can learn all the tricks you want from that man, kid…I already know them. You can travel down through New Zealand and Australia and talk to a few outbackers if you want as well, learn how to wrestle alligators and such…been there, done that. What’s next? Gonna take a trip up to Scotland and learn how to heave logs?
[He laughs.]
See, here’s what you’re slowly beginning to understand. What you perceive to be arrogance, is really me just stating facts. You talk about how you’ve been through the Japanese circuit, the Mexican circuit, blah blah blah…did I not make myself clear? You’ve never been on a global circuit, wrestling the best athletes from all over the world. Wrestling in Mexico exclusively means you went up against talent equivalent to NAPW. Same with Japan and wherever the hell else you were. You’ve been up against guys who flat out weren’t good enough to make it to the big leagues.
I, on the other hand, have not only been to the big leagues…I’ve dominated them, much the same way I’ve dominated you in the ring lately. I was still dominating them when I decided to come here. There are those who would tell you I couldn’t hack it any more so I came to a small independent regional promotion to live out the end of my career. Those people are fools. But you? You’re coming along quite nicely, Evan, I must admit. You’re catching on quicker than most.
[He pauses for a moment, letting that last point sink in.]
But you’re still not quite all the way there yet. See, you’re still in that defensive mode…you think I’m attacking you, you think I’m acting like some kind of hot shot who thinks he’s better than everyone else. You’re wrong. This is an education. And it’s been working, has it not? You said it yourself, I lit a fire under your ass and now the sky’s the limit for you, kid. You can thank me later. It’s like I said from day one, I’m here to put this place on the map, and part of that is helping people like you develop. For example, at Joker’s Wild this Monday night, I’m not going to hurt you so badly that you’ll wish you were dead because I’m an egotistical jackoff…I’m teaching you a lesson. Case in point, two weeks ago, I took you out to the parking lot and beat the crap out of you, and it was the spark that opened your eyes and made you see what you had to do to get it done. And the next week? You took a short cut, you used Terry Brandon to get the job done, but you got the job done nonetheless.
That’s step one. Step two? Realizing you can damn well do it on your own. That’s why I’ll never understand why you’ve associated yourself with the Rat Pack. You know it’s only a matter of time before you hit the proverbial glass ceiling and Chris Casino refuses to give you a title shot. It’s a dead end, the way you’re heading, kid. But for the past three weeks, I’ve shown you what you’re really capable of. Maybe one day you’ll see the light and realize your true potential.
That’s what I bring to the table. That’s why NAPW came after me so aggressively. I take promotions to the promised land because I bring out the best in people. Who had ever heard of Evan Cartwright before you climbed into the ring with the King of Kings? Nobody. But now you’re creating waves, you’re becoming who you ought to be. Unfortunately for you, I’m still at the top of the mountain and I’m not ready to come down yet, so like I said, I’m not going easy on you any more. This is your final lesson. After this, you’re on your own. And believe me, Evan…it will be the ultimate lesson. I will take you to hell and back, I will take you to your very limits. You will discover more about yourself between those two bells than you will for the rest of your life.
[He lights up a match, illuminating his face in the darkness, and stares directly into the camera.]
But this isn’t just a test, Evan…this is your final exam. This is a match I refuse to lose. You are a stepping stone on my way to becoming the champion. And even though I’d love to pat you on your little head and wish you well in your future endeavors…I’m afraid I can’t take any chances. I have to beat you within an inch of your life to get to where I’m going and to send the message I need to send.
And that message?
[He blows out the match, sending a small billow of smoke floating through the darkness.]
When you’re up against the Lord of the Ring, the King of Kings, the most unpredictable son of a bitch in the game….
…it’s lights out for you.
[I flicked out the light, and disappeared into the darkness.}
{Scene fades to black.}