Post by Will Washington on Aug 18, 2012 23:31:28 GMT -6
{Our scene opens up in a mostly darkened room. Only a desktop lamp and the light his laptop screen illuminate Will Washington. As we zoom in, the screen reveals that Will has Youtube opened on his browser, and he’s watching a Joe Everyman versus Lance Ryan match from years ago. He watches intently as Everyman matches the original NCW World Champion move for move, showing more fire than he’s shown since. As the match continues to play out, the main lighting in the room flickers on and Will pauses the video, quickly spinning around. There he spies his future bride standing in the doorway, in a robe, with her arms folded.}
Kristen: “It’s four in the morning. Why in the world are you still up… and watching Youtube? Cute puppy videos couldn’t wait until the morning?”
Will: “I was just doing some final preparations for my match on Sunday.”
{Kristen walks up and looks down at the screen. She shakes her head disappointedly.}
Kristen: “I’d have understood if you were watching ‘Call Me, Maybe’ again, but Joe Everyman videos? Really? You’ve beaten him so many times before, Will.”
Will: “I know. I know. Joe’s never beaten me before, but I mean… it’s not like it’s incredibly far-fetched to think that he has a chance.”
{Will fast forwards to the point of the match where Joe seizes the moment and defeats the Hall-of-Famer.}
Will: “What happened to this Joe Everyman? I’ve never faced this Joe Everyman. This guy would actually have a chance to beat me.”
{She yawns.}
Kristen: “I don’t know. People change.”
Will: “People don’t change. A tiger never changes his stripes. The guy I’m facing on Sunday isn’t the guy in this video, but I know he’s in there somewhere. I don’t want to wrestle the lame Everyman. I want the Lance Ryan defeating Joe Everyman.”
Kristen: “Who cares? Could be an easy win.”
Will: “I don’t want an easy win though. I want a challenge. I want to be able to say I beat the guy who was one of our best National Champions… not this half-assed version.”
Kristen: “Well then I guess it’s up to you to drag that guy out of him. If you want a challenge, make him challenge you.”
Will: “That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last month, but who knows if it will work? I mean good grief… the guy was about to call it quits before I interrupted him.”
Kristen: “Maybe he just doesn’t have it in him anymore?”
Will: “Maybe, but I hope he does.”
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“A New Dawn…”
“I think our fans hit a stroke of genius when they voted for the name of this year’s Viewer’s Choice Pay-Per-View. I honestly don’t believe they could have picked a more fitting name for the show. This Sunday truly is the start of a new era for NCW, and the landscape will be forever altered thanks to the events that will unravel on that night. A dark cloud will be lifted, and the true stars of the show will be allowed to shine once again. What big change will brighten the dark days, you may ask?”
“Sunday, I rid NCW of Joe Everyman.”
“God knows how many times people have probably used the name of the show this weekend to make a point against their opponent, but in our case, I think it’s especially apt. My opponent has been here practically since the beginning of this company, and no matter what direction we’re headed or who’s in charge, Joe Everyman has stuck around New Championship Wrestling. It’s almost respectable in a way. Heck, I’d actually give you props for sticking it out this long, but your personal gain has only really hampered our growth. I’ve seen you show up and half-ass it one too many times, Joe. I’ve seen you take a spot from someone much hungrier just because you’ve got the tenure around here to do so. Far too often a young talent has had to sit on the backburner so we can feed find room to placate you. Why? So you can exploit that last little bit of name value that you have left? To feed your never-dwindling ego?”
“I’d say it’s neither of those things.”
“Look at you, Joe. What do you have left to offer this company anymore? For at least the last two years you’ve been coasting on name recognition and the occasional surprise win to keep yourself as relevant as you can be. It doesn’t even seem like you truly care about this company anymore… It seems to me that Joe Everyman only care about Joe Everyman. You’re still chasing that glory you let slip from your hands years ago, with no regard for how it affects those around you. You’re no different from the former high school quarterback who got fat and now watches Jets games, thinking that he could still do that if given the chance. And just like how he still talks about all of the passing records he set in high school, you still use your one-time status as a can’t-miss prospect to keep your name out there. Now it’s time for you to stop talking about what you USED to do, and either do it again, or go away.”
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{Kristen leans down and hugs Will around the shoulders.}
Kristen: “You’re a complicated man, Will.”
Will: “And nobody understands me but my woman?”
Kristen: “…. Don’t even start.”
Will: “You never do the Shaft theme song with me.”
Kristen: “Seriously. It’s four a.m. and you’re watching Joe Everyman videos online. I’m not doing the Shaft theme song.”
{Will, looking dejected, goes back to the matter at hand.}
Will: “How could the guy in this video become the resident joke of NCW? Like… what went wrong?”
Kristen: “How should I know?”
Will: “It was rhetorical. I can’t even figure it out myself. Either way, I hope he fixes whatever he needs to fix. Otherwise… I’m going to destroy him.”
Kristen: “Take it easy on him. I feel sorry for him.”
Will: “I don’t. He brought it on himself. Plus… I mean…. I hate Joe Everyman. Sure I want the best Joe Everyman possible to show up, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t want to hurt him… badly.”
Kristen: “Eh. His Joe Everyman Home Gym is a piece of crap anyway. It broke before I could even use it.”
Will: “Of course it would. Typical Everyman quality work.”
{Washington shuts his laptop and stretches as he stands up, yawning.}
Will: “This whole situation puts me in such a weird spot. Even though I hate the guy, I still hope he finds whatever it is he’s looking for. I may hate him and everything he stands for, but everyone deserves happiness. Sure he‘s moved on now with a new love, but come on… I‘m guessing that divorce still weighs heavily on him. First loves never go away.”
Kristen: “Awww. That’s sweet.”
Will: “I mean… If he’s going to be unhappy, I want to be the reason he’s unhappy. He should be unhappy because I broke his neck and beat him on pay-per-view. Not because his life sucks now, no matter how hard he tries to fake it.”
{Will chuckles to himself and Kristen punches him playfully.}
Kristen: “Wow. You’re kind of a jerk, Will Washington.”
Will: “I never said I wasn’t.”
Kristen: “Oh well. At least you’re not an Everyman! Thank god for that!”
{Washington fakes shock and then smiles.}
Will: “You daaaaaammmmmmmnnn right.”
Kristen: “We’re not doing the Shaft theme!”
{Will’s fiancé leaves the room and he stands there, disappointed.}
Will: “I bet Maria used to let Joe do the Shaft theme!”
{Kristen yells back from down the hall.}
Kristen: “And that’s probably why they’re not together anymore!”
Will: “Yeah… Uh… Let’s not do the Shaft theme then.”
{Our hero flicks off the desk lamp before heading over and putting his hand on the light switch and flicks it off as we get total darkness.}
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“You know what the worst part of it all is? Your inability to see how the actual damage your path of redemption continually does to those around you. Maybe if you weren’t so selfish, you wouldn’t have a failed marriage under your belt? Sore subject, I know, but it’s the harsh truth. Whatever your ex-wife did, you drove her to it. You can blame her all you want, but unless you’re completely oblivious, you have to know it in your heart. Sure you may have moved on to a new conquest now, but who knows if that poor woman will ever get over it? And how long will it be before your new gal pal feels alienated by selfish desires, just like Maria did? Do you even care? Your selfish dreams of achieving past glory don’t only affect you, but those around you, and do you know who gets it the worst? The Everymen.”
“Those people that you’re so proud to represent? They live vicariously through you, Joseph. As pitiful as it sounds, those ‘Everymaniacs’ as they’ve dubbed themselves? Your triumphs are their triumphs, and your failures are your failures. So every time you step between those ropes and embarrass yourself? They suffer those same embarrassments. Doesn’t it kill you a little bit to know that? The very people you try so hard to relate to and champion are the same people who are hurt the most by you. Every Monday morning when little eight year old Joe Everyman fan goes into school on Monday, he faces the ridicule and teasing from all his friends just because his favorite wrestler failed him for the umpteenth time.”
“…. Then again…. If they’re stupid enough to fall for your tricks yet again, they deserve all of the heartbreak.”
“I’ll never relate to these fans, Joe. Never. I will never be the average everyday guy they see on the street. I’m just not wired the same as people like you. You and I both know that you’re a talented man inside that ring, and you’re trying to reach your former status, but at the same time you’re perfectly alright with being labeled ‘average’. You’re okay with people thinking that they can approach you and relate to you. Me? I go out there every week to prove to those people that I’m not like them in ANY way. I’m not the ‘Everyman’. I’m not ‘average’. When you set eyes on Will Washington, you will know that I’m better than you in every way imaginable… and that’s exactly what I’m going to prove yet again on at A New Dawn.”
“Our match is being billed as Joe Everyman versus Will Washington, but what it really boils down to is average versus extraordinary. A man trying to reclaim former glories taking on a man whose biggest days are yet to come. You’re trying to recapture the past, Joe, and I’m staking my claim on the future. You had some successes in your day, but those days are long past, never to come again. You may be the peoples’ and A New Dawn may be the viewers’ choice, but for the future of NCW? I’m the ONLY choice.”
“Times, they are a changing, Everyman. Soon you’ll find that being average… that being ‘Joe Everyman’… just isn’t good enough.”
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Kristen: “It’s four in the morning. Why in the world are you still up… and watching Youtube? Cute puppy videos couldn’t wait until the morning?”
Will: “I was just doing some final preparations for my match on Sunday.”
{Kristen walks up and looks down at the screen. She shakes her head disappointedly.}
Kristen: “I’d have understood if you were watching ‘Call Me, Maybe’ again, but Joe Everyman videos? Really? You’ve beaten him so many times before, Will.”
Will: “I know. I know. Joe’s never beaten me before, but I mean… it’s not like it’s incredibly far-fetched to think that he has a chance.”
{Will fast forwards to the point of the match where Joe seizes the moment and defeats the Hall-of-Famer.}
Will: “What happened to this Joe Everyman? I’ve never faced this Joe Everyman. This guy would actually have a chance to beat me.”
{She yawns.}
Kristen: “I don’t know. People change.”
Will: “People don’t change. A tiger never changes his stripes. The guy I’m facing on Sunday isn’t the guy in this video, but I know he’s in there somewhere. I don’t want to wrestle the lame Everyman. I want the Lance Ryan defeating Joe Everyman.”
Kristen: “Who cares? Could be an easy win.”
Will: “I don’t want an easy win though. I want a challenge. I want to be able to say I beat the guy who was one of our best National Champions… not this half-assed version.”
Kristen: “Well then I guess it’s up to you to drag that guy out of him. If you want a challenge, make him challenge you.”
Will: “That’s what I’ve been trying to do for the last month, but who knows if it will work? I mean good grief… the guy was about to call it quits before I interrupted him.”
Kristen: “Maybe he just doesn’t have it in him anymore?”
Will: “Maybe, but I hope he does.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“A New Dawn…”
“I think our fans hit a stroke of genius when they voted for the name of this year’s Viewer’s Choice Pay-Per-View. I honestly don’t believe they could have picked a more fitting name for the show. This Sunday truly is the start of a new era for NCW, and the landscape will be forever altered thanks to the events that will unravel on that night. A dark cloud will be lifted, and the true stars of the show will be allowed to shine once again. What big change will brighten the dark days, you may ask?”
“Sunday, I rid NCW of Joe Everyman.”
“God knows how many times people have probably used the name of the show this weekend to make a point against their opponent, but in our case, I think it’s especially apt. My opponent has been here practically since the beginning of this company, and no matter what direction we’re headed or who’s in charge, Joe Everyman has stuck around New Championship Wrestling. It’s almost respectable in a way. Heck, I’d actually give you props for sticking it out this long, but your personal gain has only really hampered our growth. I’ve seen you show up and half-ass it one too many times, Joe. I’ve seen you take a spot from someone much hungrier just because you’ve got the tenure around here to do so. Far too often a young talent has had to sit on the backburner so we can feed find room to placate you. Why? So you can exploit that last little bit of name value that you have left? To feed your never-dwindling ego?”
“I’d say it’s neither of those things.”
“Look at you, Joe. What do you have left to offer this company anymore? For at least the last two years you’ve been coasting on name recognition and the occasional surprise win to keep yourself as relevant as you can be. It doesn’t even seem like you truly care about this company anymore… It seems to me that Joe Everyman only care about Joe Everyman. You’re still chasing that glory you let slip from your hands years ago, with no regard for how it affects those around you. You’re no different from the former high school quarterback who got fat and now watches Jets games, thinking that he could still do that if given the chance. And just like how he still talks about all of the passing records he set in high school, you still use your one-time status as a can’t-miss prospect to keep your name out there. Now it’s time for you to stop talking about what you USED to do, and either do it again, or go away.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
{Kristen leans down and hugs Will around the shoulders.}
Kristen: “You’re a complicated man, Will.”
Will: “And nobody understands me but my woman?”
Kristen: “…. Don’t even start.”
Will: “You never do the Shaft theme song with me.”
Kristen: “Seriously. It’s four a.m. and you’re watching Joe Everyman videos online. I’m not doing the Shaft theme song.”
{Will, looking dejected, goes back to the matter at hand.}
Will: “How could the guy in this video become the resident joke of NCW? Like… what went wrong?”
Kristen: “How should I know?”
Will: “It was rhetorical. I can’t even figure it out myself. Either way, I hope he fixes whatever he needs to fix. Otherwise… I’m going to destroy him.”
Kristen: “Take it easy on him. I feel sorry for him.”
Will: “I don’t. He brought it on himself. Plus… I mean…. I hate Joe Everyman. Sure I want the best Joe Everyman possible to show up, but that doesn’t mean I still don’t want to hurt him… badly.”
Kristen: “Eh. His Joe Everyman Home Gym is a piece of crap anyway. It broke before I could even use it.”
Will: “Of course it would. Typical Everyman quality work.”
{Washington shuts his laptop and stretches as he stands up, yawning.}
Will: “This whole situation puts me in such a weird spot. Even though I hate the guy, I still hope he finds whatever it is he’s looking for. I may hate him and everything he stands for, but everyone deserves happiness. Sure he‘s moved on now with a new love, but come on… I‘m guessing that divorce still weighs heavily on him. First loves never go away.”
Kristen: “Awww. That’s sweet.”
Will: “I mean… If he’s going to be unhappy, I want to be the reason he’s unhappy. He should be unhappy because I broke his neck and beat him on pay-per-view. Not because his life sucks now, no matter how hard he tries to fake it.”
{Will chuckles to himself and Kristen punches him playfully.}
Kristen: “Wow. You’re kind of a jerk, Will Washington.”
Will: “I never said I wasn’t.”
Kristen: “Oh well. At least you’re not an Everyman! Thank god for that!”
{Washington fakes shock and then smiles.}
Will: “You daaaaaammmmmmmnnn right.”
Kristen: “We’re not doing the Shaft theme!”
{Will’s fiancé leaves the room and he stands there, disappointed.}
Will: “I bet Maria used to let Joe do the Shaft theme!”
{Kristen yells back from down the hall.}
Kristen: “And that’s probably why they’re not together anymore!”
Will: “Yeah… Uh… Let’s not do the Shaft theme then.”
{Our hero flicks off the desk lamp before heading over and putting his hand on the light switch and flicks it off as we get total darkness.}
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“You know what the worst part of it all is? Your inability to see how the actual damage your path of redemption continually does to those around you. Maybe if you weren’t so selfish, you wouldn’t have a failed marriage under your belt? Sore subject, I know, but it’s the harsh truth. Whatever your ex-wife did, you drove her to it. You can blame her all you want, but unless you’re completely oblivious, you have to know it in your heart. Sure you may have moved on to a new conquest now, but who knows if that poor woman will ever get over it? And how long will it be before your new gal pal feels alienated by selfish desires, just like Maria did? Do you even care? Your selfish dreams of achieving past glory don’t only affect you, but those around you, and do you know who gets it the worst? The Everymen.”
“Those people that you’re so proud to represent? They live vicariously through you, Joseph. As pitiful as it sounds, those ‘Everymaniacs’ as they’ve dubbed themselves? Your triumphs are their triumphs, and your failures are your failures. So every time you step between those ropes and embarrass yourself? They suffer those same embarrassments. Doesn’t it kill you a little bit to know that? The very people you try so hard to relate to and champion are the same people who are hurt the most by you. Every Monday morning when little eight year old Joe Everyman fan goes into school on Monday, he faces the ridicule and teasing from all his friends just because his favorite wrestler failed him for the umpteenth time.”
“…. Then again…. If they’re stupid enough to fall for your tricks yet again, they deserve all of the heartbreak.”
“I’ll never relate to these fans, Joe. Never. I will never be the average everyday guy they see on the street. I’m just not wired the same as people like you. You and I both know that you’re a talented man inside that ring, and you’re trying to reach your former status, but at the same time you’re perfectly alright with being labeled ‘average’. You’re okay with people thinking that they can approach you and relate to you. Me? I go out there every week to prove to those people that I’m not like them in ANY way. I’m not the ‘Everyman’. I’m not ‘average’. When you set eyes on Will Washington, you will know that I’m better than you in every way imaginable… and that’s exactly what I’m going to prove yet again on at A New Dawn.”
“Our match is being billed as Joe Everyman versus Will Washington, but what it really boils down to is average versus extraordinary. A man trying to reclaim former glories taking on a man whose biggest days are yet to come. You’re trying to recapture the past, Joe, and I’m staking my claim on the future. You had some successes in your day, but those days are long past, never to come again. You may be the peoples’ and A New Dawn may be the viewers’ choice, but for the future of NCW? I’m the ONLY choice.”
“Times, they are a changing, Everyman. Soon you’ll find that being average… that being ‘Joe Everyman’… just isn’t good enough.”
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