Post by The Brothers Holland on Jan 1, 2011 20:48:22 GMT -6
I'm not...
Not... me?
Has the nightmare returned?
Have I torn down all that I built up?
Simply by siding with those that would keep nCw safe...
Have I damned my own future?
If I am not Dave Holland...
The Man who became Warrior...
The Warrior who became Gladiator...
The Gladiator who became Legend...
The Legend who became Champion...
...
Then Who Am I?
*We look upon a view of Dave Holland with his family. Something that we've done many times. Something's different this time though. Something subtle, something almost unnoticeable. It seems normal enough though. Dave and Melanie are on the sofa, Alex is playing chess with Milo while Jennifer looks on at Milo with an expression of confusion and a little pity. Soon enough, Milo loses and everyone laughs.*
*The difference in the scene suddenly becomes apparent as we pull away from it. The scene is framed by darkness, as though we're watching it through a two way mirror. Watching, but unseen by the watched. Looking on at the scene is in fact Dave Holland. Don't ask me how, just deal with it.*
Am I not he? Am I no longer the man that sits before mine eyes? Was the change that fell upon me so subtle and so gradual that I didn't even see the difference between the man I was and the man that I am? If I am not he then what is to be done about this dire state of affairs? What's to be done to correct what I've changed so drastically? What are we to do with this heinous man that dares call himself Holland?
Simple. Nothing.
Nothing needs to be done. I'm still that man. I have never, could never be anything different. I'm the head of the family. I'm still the man my son, my wife and my brother look to to see things done. Done well, done right, and done to the best of my ability. The best of anyone's ability.
But to say that I'm the head of just the Holland family, is an understatement. This business, this world in which we all work, live, breath and most importantly dream... we're a family. Like any family you have the big characters and the quiet members. You have the cousins you like, others you hate. Some branches of the family do things very differently to the others. But at the end of the day, we pull together for what we percieve as the betterment of the whole.
Well, most of us. There's always a few rotten eggs, but we're not worrying about them just now.
I am the father in this scenario. When my boys saw a threat to the family, they didn't want to tackle it without my backing. They would have had I declined the invitation... but sometimes it has to be the man in authority that lays the law down. Like many fathers I don't like being the bad guy but for the greater good...
Sometimes I have to be.
*Dave leans against the glass, looking through at his family and himself. Milo and Alex are already part way through a second game but this time Jennifer's taking a much more active part in trying to help Milo.*
So your victory Charlie. The win that has dragged me down from my great white steed and forced me to slum with the rest of you... enjoy it while you can. Sooner or later I'll go back my own way. I'll return to the solitary path from whence I came and who will remember my seemingly perceived fall from grace?
No one.
Because I am Dave Holland. I have always been Dave Holland. I always shall be Dave Holland. Not the man. Not the Wrestler. Not even the Champion. But the icon. The paragon. I'm sorry if what I do, what I want to do makes you sick, Charlie... but I can't help it.
I know not any other way.
*The camera passes through the mirror and goes towards Dave and Melanie.*
*The camera settles between Dave and Mel, looking back across the scene from behind. Milo, Jennifer and Alex can be heard as mumbling in the background as the focus of the scene is just these two. They keep their voices low as they try not to disturb the others.*
Mel: You're not happy.
Dave: Hmm?
Mel: What's wrong?
Dave: Nothing.
Mel: Dave... come on.
Dave: .... Something.
Mel: Go on.
Dave: What if I lose?
Mel: You won't.
Dave: I might. One of my biggest strengths is the fact that I always want them to do well, but I know I'll do better. This time... I dunno... I almost don't want to do better than Charlie.
Mel: What do you mean? You want Charlie to beat you?
Dave: No. But I do want him to realise his dream. As much as he talks about deserving to be champion because he's just plain better than me, as much as he seems like an arrogant asshole... I still can't help thinking that being world champion and actually sitting officially at the top of the tree would do him some good. Would make him a much better man let alone a better wrestler. I think he'd be better sat on top than wallowing in self pity because he couldn't do it.
Mel: So? He'll do it one day, this is your time.
Dave: I dunno.... The fact I'm internally rooting for him to do it.. I'm worried I've lost my big strength.
Mel: Well then.. I guess you'll just have to draw on the rest of them. The right foot, the tenacity, the sheer stubbornness... they'll see you through.
Dave: Yeah... I hope so. I'm not done yet, not by a long shot. And if Charlie thinks this is the last he's going to see of me if he does win.. well.. he clearly doesn't know me as well as he thinks he does.
Mel: So long as you're healthy and happy... I'm ok with that.
*They kiss briefly. The kind of kiss that shows Dave wants to show he agrees with her, but he knows that's not true. He wants to win. Just like with any wrestler. But he's conflicted. Against an 'at any cost' team he's been forced to play the 'at any cost' way. But still for him, some costs are just too high.*
It's a heavy crown to wear, Charlie. It's a big thing to carry around with you. Before I was world champion I was just a regular person. I was just one of the many wrestlers who worked in an industry that was gritty, competitive and full of people determined to be at their best. What I didn't realise.. was just how many of them are convinced they should be world champion.
Oh yeah, you're not special in that respect Charlie. Everyone from Lex Sense to Adam Knite via Ricky Johnson and of course DDK... they all think they can be world champion. They all want it. And they're all watching. When I said I knew you were watching, wat I really meant was I knew you were watching...
Closest.
Everyone watches you Charlie. Everyone watches the man who holds the crown. Everyone judges, everyone criticizes and it's only when he's gone that they actually take a step away from them and reckon on whether he was actually any good or not. I know this... I know that envy and bitterness casts me in a poor light with easily half the roster without them even knowing my name.
And I'm telling you this now because of one thing.
The authority... lies with them.
With everyone else.
It's weird, I know but there's no denying it. You say that this isn't over until you say so. That until you have beaten me for this belt that you will keep on fighting. I think you have to ask yourself just who do you think is really pulling the strings about you getting all these shots. Is it me?
Or is it them?
Don't kid yourself Charlie. This war between us... If you take it any further and you'll be fighting more than me. More than Me and Angel. More than Me, Angel Falcon, Alex and Milo...
You'll be fighting all those in authority,
You'll be fighting everyone.
Oh and by the way Charlie one last thing before I go... The ancient chinese curses I've been referring to. The third is the most damning but seemingly sounds the most pleasant. But don't be fooled by it. For a man who has everything has nothing left to strive for. A man with nothing to strive for is no longer living... just existing.
May you find.. all that you search for...
Not... me?
Has the nightmare returned?
Have I torn down all that I built up?
Simply by siding with those that would keep nCw safe...
Have I damned my own future?
If I am not Dave Holland...
The Man who became Warrior...
The Warrior who became Gladiator...
The Gladiator who became Legend...
The Legend who became Champion...
...
Then Who Am I?
*We look upon a view of Dave Holland with his family. Something that we've done many times. Something's different this time though. Something subtle, something almost unnoticeable. It seems normal enough though. Dave and Melanie are on the sofa, Alex is playing chess with Milo while Jennifer looks on at Milo with an expression of confusion and a little pity. Soon enough, Milo loses and everyone laughs.*
A Champion's Curse: Part 2
Authority
"May you gain the attention of those in authority"
-Second of the ancient chinese curses.
Authority
"May you gain the attention of those in authority"
-Second of the ancient chinese curses.
*The difference in the scene suddenly becomes apparent as we pull away from it. The scene is framed by darkness, as though we're watching it through a two way mirror. Watching, but unseen by the watched. Looking on at the scene is in fact Dave Holland. Don't ask me how, just deal with it.*
Am I not he? Am I no longer the man that sits before mine eyes? Was the change that fell upon me so subtle and so gradual that I didn't even see the difference between the man I was and the man that I am? If I am not he then what is to be done about this dire state of affairs? What's to be done to correct what I've changed so drastically? What are we to do with this heinous man that dares call himself Holland?
Simple. Nothing.
Nothing needs to be done. I'm still that man. I have never, could never be anything different. I'm the head of the family. I'm still the man my son, my wife and my brother look to to see things done. Done well, done right, and done to the best of my ability. The best of anyone's ability.
But to say that I'm the head of just the Holland family, is an understatement. This business, this world in which we all work, live, breath and most importantly dream... we're a family. Like any family you have the big characters and the quiet members. You have the cousins you like, others you hate. Some branches of the family do things very differently to the others. But at the end of the day, we pull together for what we percieve as the betterment of the whole.
Well, most of us. There's always a few rotten eggs, but we're not worrying about them just now.
I am the father in this scenario. When my boys saw a threat to the family, they didn't want to tackle it without my backing. They would have had I declined the invitation... but sometimes it has to be the man in authority that lays the law down. Like many fathers I don't like being the bad guy but for the greater good...
Sometimes I have to be.
*Dave leans against the glass, looking through at his family and himself. Milo and Alex are already part way through a second game but this time Jennifer's taking a much more active part in trying to help Milo.*
So your victory Charlie. The win that has dragged me down from my great white steed and forced me to slum with the rest of you... enjoy it while you can. Sooner or later I'll go back my own way. I'll return to the solitary path from whence I came and who will remember my seemingly perceived fall from grace?
No one.
Because I am Dave Holland. I have always been Dave Holland. I always shall be Dave Holland. Not the man. Not the Wrestler. Not even the Champion. But the icon. The paragon. I'm sorry if what I do, what I want to do makes you sick, Charlie... but I can't help it.
I know not any other way.
*The camera passes through the mirror and goes towards Dave and Melanie.*
*The camera settles between Dave and Mel, looking back across the scene from behind. Milo, Jennifer and Alex can be heard as mumbling in the background as the focus of the scene is just these two. They keep their voices low as they try not to disturb the others.*
Mel: You're not happy.
Dave: Hmm?
Mel: What's wrong?
Dave: Nothing.
Mel: Dave... come on.
Dave: .... Something.
Mel: Go on.
Dave: What if I lose?
Mel: You won't.
Dave: I might. One of my biggest strengths is the fact that I always want them to do well, but I know I'll do better. This time... I dunno... I almost don't want to do better than Charlie.
Mel: What do you mean? You want Charlie to beat you?
Dave: No. But I do want him to realise his dream. As much as he talks about deserving to be champion because he's just plain better than me, as much as he seems like an arrogant asshole... I still can't help thinking that being world champion and actually sitting officially at the top of the tree would do him some good. Would make him a much better man let alone a better wrestler. I think he'd be better sat on top than wallowing in self pity because he couldn't do it.
Mel: So? He'll do it one day, this is your time.
Dave: I dunno.... The fact I'm internally rooting for him to do it.. I'm worried I've lost my big strength.
Mel: Well then.. I guess you'll just have to draw on the rest of them. The right foot, the tenacity, the sheer stubbornness... they'll see you through.
Dave: Yeah... I hope so. I'm not done yet, not by a long shot. And if Charlie thinks this is the last he's going to see of me if he does win.. well.. he clearly doesn't know me as well as he thinks he does.
Mel: So long as you're healthy and happy... I'm ok with that.
*They kiss briefly. The kind of kiss that shows Dave wants to show he agrees with her, but he knows that's not true. He wants to win. Just like with any wrestler. But he's conflicted. Against an 'at any cost' team he's been forced to play the 'at any cost' way. But still for him, some costs are just too high.*
It's a heavy crown to wear, Charlie. It's a big thing to carry around with you. Before I was world champion I was just a regular person. I was just one of the many wrestlers who worked in an industry that was gritty, competitive and full of people determined to be at their best. What I didn't realise.. was just how many of them are convinced they should be world champion.
Oh yeah, you're not special in that respect Charlie. Everyone from Lex Sense to Adam Knite via Ricky Johnson and of course DDK... they all think they can be world champion. They all want it. And they're all watching. When I said I knew you were watching, wat I really meant was I knew you were watching...
Closest.
Everyone watches you Charlie. Everyone watches the man who holds the crown. Everyone judges, everyone criticizes and it's only when he's gone that they actually take a step away from them and reckon on whether he was actually any good or not. I know this... I know that envy and bitterness casts me in a poor light with easily half the roster without them even knowing my name.
And I'm telling you this now because of one thing.
The authority... lies with them.
With everyone else.
It's weird, I know but there's no denying it. You say that this isn't over until you say so. That until you have beaten me for this belt that you will keep on fighting. I think you have to ask yourself just who do you think is really pulling the strings about you getting all these shots. Is it me?
Or is it them?
Don't kid yourself Charlie. This war between us... If you take it any further and you'll be fighting more than me. More than Me and Angel. More than Me, Angel Falcon, Alex and Milo...
You'll be fighting all those in authority,
You'll be fighting everyone.
Oh and by the way Charlie one last thing before I go... The ancient chinese curses I've been referring to. The third is the most damning but seemingly sounds the most pleasant. But don't be fooled by it. For a man who has everything has nothing left to strive for. A man with nothing to strive for is no longer living... just existing.
May you find.. all that you search for...