Post by Caleb Lockwood on Apr 20, 2013 18:06:09 GMT -6
Mike Laszlo…once again, we meet in the first round of a tournament. Once again, you dismiss me. You might not care, but I do. I remember all too vividly what happened the last time we locked up. I got planted on my face by a man who didn’t even care enough to pay attention to who he was wrestling. You didn’t win that Road to the Gold tournament. Instead, you got opportunity after opportunity, chance after chance at the NCW World Title. And what did you do? You pissed them all away. You lost, you got cheated, you couldn’t get the job done. And now you came so close to that last dance again, only to have it snatched away. So what do you do? You look to this tournament to give you that last moment, your moment that you can point to and say “this is my impact. This is my victory, this is what I can be proud of.” But, Mike…you’re not the only one.
For the last two years, no matter how hard I’ve fought, no matter how hard I’ve tried, I haven’t been able to win the respect that I deserve. It’s become my entire focus, it’s become my drive. The fact that I still can’t get anyone to take me seriously…not in this locker room, anyway. I’m seen as a joke. I’m seen as an afterthought. I’m a doormat. You, Mike? You’re worse. I’ve never gotten the opportunities you have. Time after time, you got called up to the plate. And when that fastball came screaming down the line, ready for you to knock it out of the park and make yourself a star…you choked. And you choked HARD.
Trash talking you is worth it to me. It’s worth it because I’ve been waiting to tell you exactly what you are. Every time you walk out there and give that same boring speech, you trotted out that same catchphrase…Want. Take. Have. You wanted the World Title. You were willing to take that opportunity from someone else. All so you could have that one shining moment of glory. But that’s not going to happen. So now you want to take this from me so you can have it. You want to take my last chance to do what I’ve always dreamed of doing, wrestling on the biggest show of the year, and have it to yourself. I refuse to let you deny my moment. This is mine. And you will NEVER take it from me.
Call it selfish, because it is. I got into wrestling because I wanted the fame, fortune and glory. I wanted to be known as the BEST. Not just good, not just another face in the crowd. I wanted to be that star that people tuned in for every week. And I still do. I know I can be that man, and all it takes is one moment to cement myself in the minds of the people. I need to give them something they’ll never forget, a moment which those who witness it live will have etched into their minds for the rest of their lives. You won’t be able to curse your luck, Mike. Because this isn’t about Seth Evans holding out just long enough to deny you your shot at glory. This isn’t about anyone in that Coliseum. This is about you and me.
I want to win this tournament.
I’ll take whatever steps I need to in order to succeed.
And I will have my Night To Remember.
Caleb walks down the hall towards that familiar office door, pausing as he reaches towards the doorknob. He pulls his hand back, hesitating for a moment, then knocks on the door.
"Come in."
Caleb opens the door and walks inside.
"Hey, boss. Got a few?"
"Ah, Caleb. Please come in, have a seat. And call me Jake."
Ace smiles. Caleb sits down, taken off guard slightly by Ace's openness.
"Uh...okay. I was just thinking about my matches this week...I'm wondering if I'm doing too little, too late."
"What is it with everyone around here feeling the pull of their clock all of a sudden?"
"Company's closing. Guess everyone's getting reflective about what we have and haven't done."
"I wouldn't worry Caleb, you're part of my family and as such your future has been secured if you want it."
Caleb blinks, sitting forward.
"Wow. Uh...thanks. It's good to know. I guess I'm thinking more about...well, what I've been doing the last few months. I've really been tunnel-visioning my way to the finish, and I feel like no matter what I do, it's not going to be enough."
"Well a harsh reality of this business is that it will always leave you with regrets if you let it. It doesn't matter if you're Hexx or Roberto Verona. The best you can do is be happy with what you have and you and I have plenty of reason to be happy because NCW gave us something more precious than titles, we have the hearts of the two most beautiful women in the world. And trust me, that isn't anything you want to lose."
Caleb pauses, mulling over his words in his head. After a few seconds, a grin forms on his face. He looks up at Ace, nodding to him.
"You're right. Maybe what I need after things close out is to take a month or two. Relax, heal up, spend some time with Tiffany."
“You could do that…or…”
“Or?”
Caleb blinks, not sure where Ace is trying to go with this. Jake leans forward and presents a contract to Caleb from his desk drawer. He slides it over. Caleb’s eyes widen as he picks up the contract, reading through its terms.
“Join her on her next adventure.”
Caleb looks back up at Jake, then back down to the contract. He stares at the piece of paper that could very well decide the course of the next few years of his life, and closes his eyes, sighing. He sets it down on the desk, folding his hands and resting his head on them.
“Tiffany's going to need your support on this side of the business. I know the Master of Gravity hasn't even reached the heights he can.”
Caleb nods, eyes glancing up at Jake. After a few seconds, he unfolds his hands. He reaches out, plucking a pen off of the desk, and twirls it between his fingers, regarding it with interest. Lockwood grins, deftly uncapping the pen as he twirls it.
"Let's see just how high I can go, then."
Jake grins, and Caleb leans forward over the paper as we fade out.
For the last two years, no matter how hard I’ve fought, no matter how hard I’ve tried, I haven’t been able to win the respect that I deserve. It’s become my entire focus, it’s become my drive. The fact that I still can’t get anyone to take me seriously…not in this locker room, anyway. I’m seen as a joke. I’m seen as an afterthought. I’m a doormat. You, Mike? You’re worse. I’ve never gotten the opportunities you have. Time after time, you got called up to the plate. And when that fastball came screaming down the line, ready for you to knock it out of the park and make yourself a star…you choked. And you choked HARD.
Trash talking you is worth it to me. It’s worth it because I’ve been waiting to tell you exactly what you are. Every time you walk out there and give that same boring speech, you trotted out that same catchphrase…Want. Take. Have. You wanted the World Title. You were willing to take that opportunity from someone else. All so you could have that one shining moment of glory. But that’s not going to happen. So now you want to take this from me so you can have it. You want to take my last chance to do what I’ve always dreamed of doing, wrestling on the biggest show of the year, and have it to yourself. I refuse to let you deny my moment. This is mine. And you will NEVER take it from me.
Call it selfish, because it is. I got into wrestling because I wanted the fame, fortune and glory. I wanted to be known as the BEST. Not just good, not just another face in the crowd. I wanted to be that star that people tuned in for every week. And I still do. I know I can be that man, and all it takes is one moment to cement myself in the minds of the people. I need to give them something they’ll never forget, a moment which those who witness it live will have etched into their minds for the rest of their lives. You won’t be able to curse your luck, Mike. Because this isn’t about Seth Evans holding out just long enough to deny you your shot at glory. This isn’t about anyone in that Coliseum. This is about you and me.
I want to win this tournament.
I’ll take whatever steps I need to in order to succeed.
And I will have my Night To Remember.
Caleb walks down the hall towards that familiar office door, pausing as he reaches towards the doorknob. He pulls his hand back, hesitating for a moment, then knocks on the door.
"Come in."
Caleb opens the door and walks inside.
"Hey, boss. Got a few?"
"Ah, Caleb. Please come in, have a seat. And call me Jake."
Ace smiles. Caleb sits down, taken off guard slightly by Ace's openness.
"Uh...okay. I was just thinking about my matches this week...I'm wondering if I'm doing too little, too late."
"What is it with everyone around here feeling the pull of their clock all of a sudden?"
"Company's closing. Guess everyone's getting reflective about what we have and haven't done."
"I wouldn't worry Caleb, you're part of my family and as such your future has been secured if you want it."
Caleb blinks, sitting forward.
"Wow. Uh...thanks. It's good to know. I guess I'm thinking more about...well, what I've been doing the last few months. I've really been tunnel-visioning my way to the finish, and I feel like no matter what I do, it's not going to be enough."
"Well a harsh reality of this business is that it will always leave you with regrets if you let it. It doesn't matter if you're Hexx or Roberto Verona. The best you can do is be happy with what you have and you and I have plenty of reason to be happy because NCW gave us something more precious than titles, we have the hearts of the two most beautiful women in the world. And trust me, that isn't anything you want to lose."
Caleb pauses, mulling over his words in his head. After a few seconds, a grin forms on his face. He looks up at Ace, nodding to him.
"You're right. Maybe what I need after things close out is to take a month or two. Relax, heal up, spend some time with Tiffany."
“You could do that…or…”
“Or?”
Caleb blinks, not sure where Ace is trying to go with this. Jake leans forward and presents a contract to Caleb from his desk drawer. He slides it over. Caleb’s eyes widen as he picks up the contract, reading through its terms.
“Join her on her next adventure.”
Caleb looks back up at Jake, then back down to the contract. He stares at the piece of paper that could very well decide the course of the next few years of his life, and closes his eyes, sighing. He sets it down on the desk, folding his hands and resting his head on them.
“Tiffany's going to need your support on this side of the business. I know the Master of Gravity hasn't even reached the heights he can.”
Caleb nods, eyes glancing up at Jake. After a few seconds, he unfolds his hands. He reaches out, plucking a pen off of the desk, and twirls it between his fingers, regarding it with interest. Lockwood grins, deftly uncapping the pen as he twirls it.
"Let's see just how high I can go, then."
Jake grins, and Caleb leans forward over the paper as we fade out.