Post by Michael Smart on Mar 9, 2014 4:35:27 GMT -6
”Please leave your message after the tone.”
BEEP
With a nervous gulp, Daniel Smart grips his phone tightly as he starts talking.
”Hey, Michael, it's Dan again. I don't know if you're even listening to these, but I don't know how else to contact you, and I... I just need someone to talk to.”
Daniel sighs, looks down at his feet for a moment, then takes a deep breath and keeps talking.
”It's been, what, a year since I saw you? A lot has happened in that time, cousin. I've been training the whole time. Training my body, training my mind... training to wrestle.”
Daniel chuckles.
”Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Yeah, it's been a long time since I did that. Back when I used to wrestle, I never took it very seriously. I didn't have the passion for it, not like you did. It was just a job to me, a way to get money and get some fame. To tell you the truth, I always wanted become just famous enough to become a movie star... or a musician, or something, I was never very clear on that. I just knew that I didn't want to be a wrestler.
Pacing around his apartment, Daniel takes a moment to collect his thoughts.
”I guess I was ashamed of it, you know? Wrestling's not as cool as it used to be. The glory days are over, especially if you're not with the big leagues. Less than one percent gets to become a big deal in wrestling, and I didn't think I had what it took to get there. I grew up in the business, but I was always embarassed by that and tried to hide it. But then...”
Daniel's eyes glance over to a picture of his cousin, Michael Smart, standing in the middle of a wrestling ring, a title belt around his waist.
”Then I saw what happened to you. The guy I was raised with, the man who grew up in the same house I did, went to the same school, got the same training... you become a star. Through hard work and passion, you worked for some of the biggest federations, you beat some of the best competitors, you won some of the most important titles. Being there with you, just as a manager, I felt what it was like to have thousands of rabid fans roar in support of a man during the best moments of his life. You can't get that feeling anywhere else. That's when I knew that I wanted to be just like you.”
Daniel sits down on his couch and props his feet up on the living room table.
”So that's what I've been doing for the past year. Training. Now I'm about to debut. A small company in Missouri, you've probably never heard of it. Still, you gotta start somewhere, and a lot of great talent has signed up. One guy who showed up – and you might wanna take a seat for this – is Robert Garland.”
A wry grin spreads over Daniel's face.
”Bet you never thought you'd hear that name again, huh? Not unless you read it in an obituary. Here's the kicker: I'm facing him in my debut match. I spat out my coffee, I was so shocked to find that out. Spilled some on my iPad, think I could get my company to compensate me for it? Probably not.”
Daniel takes a break from his one-sided conversation to lay down on the couch, his head resting on a pillow while his feet are on the armrest.
”This guy's a psycho, a total lunatic. The guy's an ex-convict for Christ's sake, no idea how he's allowed to wrestle anywhere anymore. You've been in the ring with him, you know what he can do. Badger will bleed, bruise, burn and break bones just so he can do the same to you! Hardcore matches, bathroom stall brawls, inferno matches... Garland loves pain, both giving and receiving. And this sado-masochistic freak is the first guy I have to face.”
Hopping back up to his feet, Daniel has a determined look in his eyes.
”But trust me when I tell you, I...”
BEEP
”Thank you for leaving your message...”
Daniel's eyes go wide.
”What? NO!”
Frantically pressing buttons, Daniel dials his cousin's number again. With heavy, nervous breaths, he eventually hears a familiar voice.
”Please leave your message after the tone.”
BEEP
”It's me again, cousin. Guess I rambled on for too long, my message got cut off. Now, where was I?”
Daniel clears his throat.
”Robert Garland. Badger. He's violent, unhinged, out of control. One of the most dangerous men to ever step into a wrestling ring. One year of hard work to get to where I am, and in my first match I'm facing a man who would gladly cripple me if he could. My career could end after just one match.”
His feet taking him to the window, Daniel stares out into the cold Chicago streets, his voice confident and clear.
”A wise man would be afraid, but I've never been known to be wise. Smart... that I am. A lot of people have made a lot of puns over the years about our family name, but I've always carried that name with pride. To me, the name doesn't just represent intellect. It represents a family that is known for fighting for everything they have. My father was born into a poor Chicago family, and through blood, sweat and tears he became a great wrestler who worked hard to provide a living to his loved ones. I've never had to do that. I've always been well-off. I haven't lived up to that in the past.”
A loud noise bounces around the room as Daniel slams his hand onto the wall.
”But those days are over. I've been a child in the body of a man for long enough. It's time to grow up, and if I have to go through a crazy pyromaniac to do so, then so be it. I'm done being ashamed of the profession I belong in, and I'm done being afraid of the toll it will take on me. I'm proud to call myself a professional wrestler, and I'm proud to stand here without a fear of death. I'm going to put it all on the line against Garland. Maybe I'll get hurt, maybe I can't get the job done, but I can guarantee that I'll walk into Unstoppable as a warrior, ready to fight like my life is on the line. I hope you get to see it, cousin. I hope you get to see me follow in your footsteps. I don't know where you are, but trust me when I tell you that I'm going to fill your boots.”
Daniel shuts off his phone and stares out the window, taking a close look at all the streets, alleys and rooftops. Streets he has walked, alleys he has run through, rooftops he has climbed to. Over twelve months, he has overcome his fear of heights, but more importantly, he has overcome his fear of death. A smile appears on Daniel's face as he steps away from the window, the scene fading to black.
BEEP
With a nervous gulp, Daniel Smart grips his phone tightly as he starts talking.
”Hey, Michael, it's Dan again. I don't know if you're even listening to these, but I don't know how else to contact you, and I... I just need someone to talk to.”
Daniel sighs, looks down at his feet for a moment, then takes a deep breath and keeps talking.
”It's been, what, a year since I saw you? A lot has happened in that time, cousin. I've been training the whole time. Training my body, training my mind... training to wrestle.”
Daniel chuckles.
”Bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Yeah, it's been a long time since I did that. Back when I used to wrestle, I never took it very seriously. I didn't have the passion for it, not like you did. It was just a job to me, a way to get money and get some fame. To tell you the truth, I always wanted become just famous enough to become a movie star... or a musician, or something, I was never very clear on that. I just knew that I didn't want to be a wrestler.
Pacing around his apartment, Daniel takes a moment to collect his thoughts.
”I guess I was ashamed of it, you know? Wrestling's not as cool as it used to be. The glory days are over, especially if you're not with the big leagues. Less than one percent gets to become a big deal in wrestling, and I didn't think I had what it took to get there. I grew up in the business, but I was always embarassed by that and tried to hide it. But then...”
Daniel's eyes glance over to a picture of his cousin, Michael Smart, standing in the middle of a wrestling ring, a title belt around his waist.
”Then I saw what happened to you. The guy I was raised with, the man who grew up in the same house I did, went to the same school, got the same training... you become a star. Through hard work and passion, you worked for some of the biggest federations, you beat some of the best competitors, you won some of the most important titles. Being there with you, just as a manager, I felt what it was like to have thousands of rabid fans roar in support of a man during the best moments of his life. You can't get that feeling anywhere else. That's when I knew that I wanted to be just like you.”
Daniel sits down on his couch and props his feet up on the living room table.
”So that's what I've been doing for the past year. Training. Now I'm about to debut. A small company in Missouri, you've probably never heard of it. Still, you gotta start somewhere, and a lot of great talent has signed up. One guy who showed up – and you might wanna take a seat for this – is Robert Garland.”
A wry grin spreads over Daniel's face.
”Bet you never thought you'd hear that name again, huh? Not unless you read it in an obituary. Here's the kicker: I'm facing him in my debut match. I spat out my coffee, I was so shocked to find that out. Spilled some on my iPad, think I could get my company to compensate me for it? Probably not.”
Daniel takes a break from his one-sided conversation to lay down on the couch, his head resting on a pillow while his feet are on the armrest.
”This guy's a psycho, a total lunatic. The guy's an ex-convict for Christ's sake, no idea how he's allowed to wrestle anywhere anymore. You've been in the ring with him, you know what he can do. Badger will bleed, bruise, burn and break bones just so he can do the same to you! Hardcore matches, bathroom stall brawls, inferno matches... Garland loves pain, both giving and receiving. And this sado-masochistic freak is the first guy I have to face.”
Hopping back up to his feet, Daniel has a determined look in his eyes.
”But trust me when I tell you, I...”
BEEP
”Thank you for leaving your message...”
Daniel's eyes go wide.
”What? NO!”
Frantically pressing buttons, Daniel dials his cousin's number again. With heavy, nervous breaths, he eventually hears a familiar voice.
”Please leave your message after the tone.”
BEEP
”It's me again, cousin. Guess I rambled on for too long, my message got cut off. Now, where was I?”
Daniel clears his throat.
”Robert Garland. Badger. He's violent, unhinged, out of control. One of the most dangerous men to ever step into a wrestling ring. One year of hard work to get to where I am, and in my first match I'm facing a man who would gladly cripple me if he could. My career could end after just one match.”
His feet taking him to the window, Daniel stares out into the cold Chicago streets, his voice confident and clear.
”A wise man would be afraid, but I've never been known to be wise. Smart... that I am. A lot of people have made a lot of puns over the years about our family name, but I've always carried that name with pride. To me, the name doesn't just represent intellect. It represents a family that is known for fighting for everything they have. My father was born into a poor Chicago family, and through blood, sweat and tears he became a great wrestler who worked hard to provide a living to his loved ones. I've never had to do that. I've always been well-off. I haven't lived up to that in the past.”
A loud noise bounces around the room as Daniel slams his hand onto the wall.
”But those days are over. I've been a child in the body of a man for long enough. It's time to grow up, and if I have to go through a crazy pyromaniac to do so, then so be it. I'm done being ashamed of the profession I belong in, and I'm done being afraid of the toll it will take on me. I'm proud to call myself a professional wrestler, and I'm proud to stand here without a fear of death. I'm going to put it all on the line against Garland. Maybe I'll get hurt, maybe I can't get the job done, but I can guarantee that I'll walk into Unstoppable as a warrior, ready to fight like my life is on the line. I hope you get to see it, cousin. I hope you get to see me follow in your footsteps. I don't know where you are, but trust me when I tell you that I'm going to fill your boots.”
Daniel shuts off his phone and stares out the window, taking a close look at all the streets, alleys and rooftops. Streets he has walked, alleys he has run through, rooftops he has climbed to. Over twelve months, he has overcome his fear of heights, but more importantly, he has overcome his fear of death. A smile appears on Daniel's face as he steps away from the window, the scene fading to black.
