TBirdSCIL
League Member
All RP for this match goes here...
Nemesis vs. The Cannonball Kidd
- Thread starter TBirdSCIL
- Start date
PhantomZ
League Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- Messages
- 49
- Points
- 0
An Introduction of Sorts...
FADE IN...
(A sunny morning, made all the more bright by the glare off the snow. A wide, open field stretching far into a horizon of forest. The snow goes on an on, sparkling in the warmth of the sun. The crunching of footsteps is heard, step-by-step. Birds of various sort sing their songs, and squirrels and rabbits scatter as the new day and the man approach. The sky is orange with the end of dawn, sun coming into a cloudless sky. Still, except for the birds, and rabbits, and squirrels. And those crunching feet.
The perpetrator of the steps revealed. A man, with a faded brown, woolen cap on. He dons sunglasses, and a cool smirk. Almost a half-smile. His leather jacket left unzipped, his gray-buttoned shirt underneath. He wears blue jeans, and work boots. One, we can see, is coming a bit untied. His hands hang by his side as he walks, every now and then adjusting his cap, or blocking the glare away from his eyes as he looks out towards the trees beyond.
He stops walking, and takes off the sunglasses. He gazes out towards the forest, and looks around behind the camera. The camera remains fixed on him, and zooms so that only from his knees up are shown. His expression stays constant, and he looks into the camera. Oddly, he doesn't blink as he speaks...)
NEMESIS: Television debut. After an untelevised match with Larry Tact, I make my first showing on Riptide, in the great city of Cleveland, Ohio. With Tact, a stellar match would be expected from both ends. I don't know much about this Cannonball Kidd... but let's hope for the best, shall we?
An Introduction of Sorts
My name is Nemesis, Mr. Kidd. I am here now, in the GLCW, to release my desire to compete and give the fans a reason to come to the arena, a reason to tune in. My objective is to put on the best matches the GLCW has ever seen, and give the people who see them a feeling of catharsis. A feeling of being entertained. A feeling that only comes when you know that all that just took place, was all for you. I hope you can help me attain that goal, come Riptide. I hold no ill will towards you, and I won't until you cross me. And I suggest you keep things as they are.
(The man resumes walking, keeping a slow pace as he continues...)
NEMESIS: Now, here's what I know about you. A man to be congratulated for taking care of a difficult past. But I'll save you the trouble right now... I do not seek psychological aid. I don't need any program and I don't want to wrestle a man who tries to preach to the deaf-by-choice. Leave me to my own devices in respect to how I live my life, and I will allot you the same courtesy. Your services are not solicited, nor required. I am not interested in your program.
On to More Important Matters
What I am, however, interested in are your abilities in the ring. I may have to take a look at your match in Hammond to get a better idea of what those are. Certainly against a man the likes of Golem, your skill in the circle will be apparent. That man brings out the best in other men, because usually those other men’s' lives are on the line. I've beaten the man, and so I know what it's like to be on the opposite end of his gaze.
What I ask of you is much the same as what he will have certainly asked. Though I may make my request in a slightly different way, short of piercing your throat with a claw, I'll just come out and state it. Can you hold your own against me? Not to assume you can't, but to ignite in you a desire to put on a match to be remembered. Cannonball Kidd and Nemesis may never get a second chance after this... so why don't we make this one count for something? We're both new to the company and we've both got enough to prove. Why waste a golden opportunity to dispel some of the skepticism, criticism, and pessimism. Certainly someone with your interest in self-actualization wouldn't throw away such a chance. Especially when, should your skills be true, the chance is small when the gain is so high, so certain.
I pray you don't disappoint.
I'm unconcerned though, for your mere presence in the GLCW says enough. Malec has, at no random chance, come to appreciate your abilities in the ring, and while we may not always see quite eye-to-eye, one cannot deny his ability to see potential. To see talent. To see success. So, Mr. Cannonball Kidd, or however you'd like to be referred to... I await your response. The Wrath awaits... as well...
(The man makes a quick gesture with his hand, his middle and ring finger held together, the index and pinky stretched apart, akin to the old paintings by El Greco. He flashes a smile and walks off, as the camera follows his back and the glare off the snow blinds the lens...)
FADE OUT.
FADE IN...
(A sunny morning, made all the more bright by the glare off the snow. A wide, open field stretching far into a horizon of forest. The snow goes on an on, sparkling in the warmth of the sun. The crunching of footsteps is heard, step-by-step. Birds of various sort sing their songs, and squirrels and rabbits scatter as the new day and the man approach. The sky is orange with the end of dawn, sun coming into a cloudless sky. Still, except for the birds, and rabbits, and squirrels. And those crunching feet.
The perpetrator of the steps revealed. A man, with a faded brown, woolen cap on. He dons sunglasses, and a cool smirk. Almost a half-smile. His leather jacket left unzipped, his gray-buttoned shirt underneath. He wears blue jeans, and work boots. One, we can see, is coming a bit untied. His hands hang by his side as he walks, every now and then adjusting his cap, or blocking the glare away from his eyes as he looks out towards the trees beyond.
He stops walking, and takes off the sunglasses. He gazes out towards the forest, and looks around behind the camera. The camera remains fixed on him, and zooms so that only from his knees up are shown. His expression stays constant, and he looks into the camera. Oddly, he doesn't blink as he speaks...)
NEMESIS: Television debut. After an untelevised match with Larry Tact, I make my first showing on Riptide, in the great city of Cleveland, Ohio. With Tact, a stellar match would be expected from both ends. I don't know much about this Cannonball Kidd... but let's hope for the best, shall we?
An Introduction of Sorts
My name is Nemesis, Mr. Kidd. I am here now, in the GLCW, to release my desire to compete and give the fans a reason to come to the arena, a reason to tune in. My objective is to put on the best matches the GLCW has ever seen, and give the people who see them a feeling of catharsis. A feeling of being entertained. A feeling that only comes when you know that all that just took place, was all for you. I hope you can help me attain that goal, come Riptide. I hold no ill will towards you, and I won't until you cross me. And I suggest you keep things as they are.
(The man resumes walking, keeping a slow pace as he continues...)
NEMESIS: Now, here's what I know about you. A man to be congratulated for taking care of a difficult past. But I'll save you the trouble right now... I do not seek psychological aid. I don't need any program and I don't want to wrestle a man who tries to preach to the deaf-by-choice. Leave me to my own devices in respect to how I live my life, and I will allot you the same courtesy. Your services are not solicited, nor required. I am not interested in your program.
On to More Important Matters
What I am, however, interested in are your abilities in the ring. I may have to take a look at your match in Hammond to get a better idea of what those are. Certainly against a man the likes of Golem, your skill in the circle will be apparent. That man brings out the best in other men, because usually those other men’s' lives are on the line. I've beaten the man, and so I know what it's like to be on the opposite end of his gaze.
What I ask of you is much the same as what he will have certainly asked. Though I may make my request in a slightly different way, short of piercing your throat with a claw, I'll just come out and state it. Can you hold your own against me? Not to assume you can't, but to ignite in you a desire to put on a match to be remembered. Cannonball Kidd and Nemesis may never get a second chance after this... so why don't we make this one count for something? We're both new to the company and we've both got enough to prove. Why waste a golden opportunity to dispel some of the skepticism, criticism, and pessimism. Certainly someone with your interest in self-actualization wouldn't throw away such a chance. Especially when, should your skills be true, the chance is small when the gain is so high, so certain.
I pray you don't disappoint.
I'm unconcerned though, for your mere presence in the GLCW says enough. Malec has, at no random chance, come to appreciate your abilities in the ring, and while we may not always see quite eye-to-eye, one cannot deny his ability to see potential. To see talent. To see success. So, Mr. Cannonball Kidd, or however you'd like to be referred to... I await your response. The Wrath awaits... as well...
(The man makes a quick gesture with his hand, his middle and ring finger held together, the index and pinky stretched apart, akin to the old paintings by El Greco. He flashes a smile and walks off, as the camera follows his back and the glare off the snow blinds the lens...)
FADE OUT.
GARTHIsTheLaw
League Member
All apologies
(Cueup: "My Own Prison" by Creed. What? Yes, of course I know Creed sucks. My songs can't ALWAYS be good. Just try to bask in the heroic tone of it)
(Things start out with a black screen. After a few seconds, the words "CANNONBALL KIDD" appear, grow seemingly closer to the camera, and then fade out. They are followed by "A MAN" and "WITH A MESSAGE". "WITH A" and "MESSAGE" then separate and begin swirling around in circles. Slowly, a close-up shot on Cannonball Kidd's eyes - covered as always by his signature flight goggles - fades in, with the goggles taking the place of the swirling words as those fade out. Once the fade is complete Cannonball begins speaking)
Cannonball Kidd: Once again, I must marvel at the confidence GLCW has placed in me. If I weren't such a humble man, I might get a big head because of this. I mean, after just one match - ONE MATCH - I'm already going up against some of the best GLCW has to offer. First Golem, and now Nemesis. Now, I thought Golem MIGHT have the sense to accept his faults and allow me to introduce him to my program for self-actualization. Unfortunately, things are not looking good on that front. But now, I'm facing a man who might be even smarter than Golem.
(The camera zooms out to show Cannonball's full face)
Cannonball Kidd: Yes sir, in his VERY FIRST TELEVISED MATCH IN GLCW, Nemesis will be facing me. And I really think that he will be a much better opponent than "Lost Cause" Chris O'Neill was or Golem will be. The difference? Security. Chris O’Neill had no idea what he was doing. And Golem was clearly too intimidated by the self-actualized vibe I exude to say almost anything. But Nemesis came right out and laid everything on the line. He stated, right off the bat, everything he had in mind. That’s confidence right there, something I’ve seen all too little of in my brief time here in GLCW. Clearly, the man I am facing does not have the bitter defeatist attitude of the Lost Cause or the blatant, whimpering fear of Golem. Nemesis’s attitude is one of satisfaction with his lot in life and unwillingness to settle for anything less than the best. Yes, that’s right, Nemesis…the attitude you give off is the attitude of a self-actualized man.
(The camera zooms out again, showing Cannonball from the torso up)
Cannonball Kidd: You made only one request of me outside of a good match, Nemesis – that I not try to get you to follow my program. Obviously, I would also prefer to have a good match…I can’t continue proving my psychological superiority to the employees of this fine league without some physical superiority to back it up. But, just as you made one other request of me, Nemesis, I must make one of you. I fear you won’t like it too much...but my conscience won’t allow me to do otherwise.
(Cannonball extends an arm in a dramatic, action movie-like "you’re-my-enemy-but-I-won’t-let-you-fall-to-your-death-so-take-my-hand" gesture)
Cannonball Kidd: Please, please stop deluding yourself! Now look, Nemesis, your attitude may seem self-actualized to most, but as a self-actualized man myself, I can spot your insecurities, and it fills me with sorrow to see that someone I had so much hope for hasn’t achieved the level of self-actualization he appears to have achieved at first glance. I know you don’t want to hear about my program, Nemesis, and I SO wish that I could grant you that request, but I just can’t bring myself to let you keep living the terrible, terrible lie you live.
(Cannonball shakes his head sadly)
Cannonball Kidd: What you do, Nemesis, is hide behind your intellect. Your words seem to show nothing but the highest level of intelligence. I mean, just look at some of the terms you use..."stellar", "catharsis", "deaf-by-choice". While I can appreciate your grasp on the English language, I can’t appreciate your use of it to hide any true meaning. You may say things in a different way than other competitors, but essentially, you’re still sending out the same tired catch-phrases. The only difference is that with you, those catch-phrases require a dictionary and a whole lot of patience. A lot of other wrestlers probably don’t have either of those, which I believe is the reason no one else has seen through your calm exterior before.
(The camera zooms back in on Cannonball’s face)
Cannonball Kidd: But I’m not one of those others. I’ve looked critically at you just as I’ve looked critically at everyone I’ve come into contact with since I achieved self-actualization. And what I see in you is a man who’s unwilling to admit his problem because he fears that admitting it will make him a weaker person. Your attempt to avoid my program entirely and get me to focus on only the wrestling aspects of our upcoming match only supports my belief that you are an incomplete man...a man who won’t admit his problems until after they’ve already been solved. But Nemesis...therein lies the problem, for hiding your problems only makes them more difficult to solve.
(The camera zooms back out to the full-torso shot)
Cannonball Kidd: Self-actualization is more than just proving it to others – you must also prove it to YOURSELF. And Nemesis, if I can’t be convinced, I’m sure you can’t be either. I’m sure you’ll try to dodge that by pointing out that you never claimed to be self-actualized, but I KNOW you were trying to prove it without saying it outright, and denying that fact will only make things worse for you, believe me. Denial only delays the healing process. Nemesis, I’ve done a very noble thing in identifying your first problem for you. You might be a little more insecure now, but I know you were insecure before so I’m not too worried about that. And the insecurity will only be temporary, because now that the problem has been identified, you can begin working on a solution. Now, you can continue your internal struggle with this problem...
(Cannonball flashes his heroic smile)
Cannonball Kidd: ...Or you can open yourself up to my program. I know you don’t trust others to help you, Nemesis. I’m sure there aren’t many who CAN help you. But no one can help you achieve your own inner peace like someone who has achieved it himself. And Nemesis, that someone is me. With my help, you can begin to resolve whatever issues have led to the insecurity you suffer from. Just say the words, and you can be well on your way to achieving the self-actualization I have achieved. I wish I could have done as you requested and not tried to get you interested in my program. But, as much as I enjoy being someone who amicably grants others their requests, I simply can’t allow that role to overtake my role as a Man...
(The camera zooms back in on Cannonball’s eyes)
Cannonball Kidd: ...with a Message.
(Fade out)
(Cueup: "My Own Prison" by Creed. What? Yes, of course I know Creed sucks. My songs can't ALWAYS be good. Just try to bask in the heroic tone of it)
(Things start out with a black screen. After a few seconds, the words "CANNONBALL KIDD" appear, grow seemingly closer to the camera, and then fade out. They are followed by "A MAN" and "WITH A MESSAGE". "WITH A" and "MESSAGE" then separate and begin swirling around in circles. Slowly, a close-up shot on Cannonball Kidd's eyes - covered as always by his signature flight goggles - fades in, with the goggles taking the place of the swirling words as those fade out. Once the fade is complete Cannonball begins speaking)
Cannonball Kidd: Once again, I must marvel at the confidence GLCW has placed in me. If I weren't such a humble man, I might get a big head because of this. I mean, after just one match - ONE MATCH - I'm already going up against some of the best GLCW has to offer. First Golem, and now Nemesis. Now, I thought Golem MIGHT have the sense to accept his faults and allow me to introduce him to my program for self-actualization. Unfortunately, things are not looking good on that front. But now, I'm facing a man who might be even smarter than Golem.
(The camera zooms out to show Cannonball's full face)
Cannonball Kidd: Yes sir, in his VERY FIRST TELEVISED MATCH IN GLCW, Nemesis will be facing me. And I really think that he will be a much better opponent than "Lost Cause" Chris O'Neill was or Golem will be. The difference? Security. Chris O’Neill had no idea what he was doing. And Golem was clearly too intimidated by the self-actualized vibe I exude to say almost anything. But Nemesis came right out and laid everything on the line. He stated, right off the bat, everything he had in mind. That’s confidence right there, something I’ve seen all too little of in my brief time here in GLCW. Clearly, the man I am facing does not have the bitter defeatist attitude of the Lost Cause or the blatant, whimpering fear of Golem. Nemesis’s attitude is one of satisfaction with his lot in life and unwillingness to settle for anything less than the best. Yes, that’s right, Nemesis…the attitude you give off is the attitude of a self-actualized man.
(The camera zooms out again, showing Cannonball from the torso up)
Cannonball Kidd: You made only one request of me outside of a good match, Nemesis – that I not try to get you to follow my program. Obviously, I would also prefer to have a good match…I can’t continue proving my psychological superiority to the employees of this fine league without some physical superiority to back it up. But, just as you made one other request of me, Nemesis, I must make one of you. I fear you won’t like it too much...but my conscience won’t allow me to do otherwise.
(Cannonball extends an arm in a dramatic, action movie-like "you’re-my-enemy-but-I-won’t-let-you-fall-to-your-death-so-take-my-hand" gesture)
Cannonball Kidd: Please, please stop deluding yourself! Now look, Nemesis, your attitude may seem self-actualized to most, but as a self-actualized man myself, I can spot your insecurities, and it fills me with sorrow to see that someone I had so much hope for hasn’t achieved the level of self-actualization he appears to have achieved at first glance. I know you don’t want to hear about my program, Nemesis, and I SO wish that I could grant you that request, but I just can’t bring myself to let you keep living the terrible, terrible lie you live.
(Cannonball shakes his head sadly)
Cannonball Kidd: What you do, Nemesis, is hide behind your intellect. Your words seem to show nothing but the highest level of intelligence. I mean, just look at some of the terms you use..."stellar", "catharsis", "deaf-by-choice". While I can appreciate your grasp on the English language, I can’t appreciate your use of it to hide any true meaning. You may say things in a different way than other competitors, but essentially, you’re still sending out the same tired catch-phrases. The only difference is that with you, those catch-phrases require a dictionary and a whole lot of patience. A lot of other wrestlers probably don’t have either of those, which I believe is the reason no one else has seen through your calm exterior before.
(The camera zooms back in on Cannonball’s face)
Cannonball Kidd: But I’m not one of those others. I’ve looked critically at you just as I’ve looked critically at everyone I’ve come into contact with since I achieved self-actualization. And what I see in you is a man who’s unwilling to admit his problem because he fears that admitting it will make him a weaker person. Your attempt to avoid my program entirely and get me to focus on only the wrestling aspects of our upcoming match only supports my belief that you are an incomplete man...a man who won’t admit his problems until after they’ve already been solved. But Nemesis...therein lies the problem, for hiding your problems only makes them more difficult to solve.
(The camera zooms back out to the full-torso shot)
Cannonball Kidd: Self-actualization is more than just proving it to others – you must also prove it to YOURSELF. And Nemesis, if I can’t be convinced, I’m sure you can’t be either. I’m sure you’ll try to dodge that by pointing out that you never claimed to be self-actualized, but I KNOW you were trying to prove it without saying it outright, and denying that fact will only make things worse for you, believe me. Denial only delays the healing process. Nemesis, I’ve done a very noble thing in identifying your first problem for you. You might be a little more insecure now, but I know you were insecure before so I’m not too worried about that. And the insecurity will only be temporary, because now that the problem has been identified, you can begin working on a solution. Now, you can continue your internal struggle with this problem...
(Cannonball flashes his heroic smile)
Cannonball Kidd: ...Or you can open yourself up to my program. I know you don’t trust others to help you, Nemesis. I’m sure there aren’t many who CAN help you. But no one can help you achieve your own inner peace like someone who has achieved it himself. And Nemesis, that someone is me. With my help, you can begin to resolve whatever issues have led to the insecurity you suffer from. Just say the words, and you can be well on your way to achieving the self-actualization I have achieved. I wish I could have done as you requested and not tried to get you interested in my program. But, as much as I enjoy being someone who amicably grants others their requests, I simply can’t allow that role to overtake my role as a Man...
(The camera zooms back in on Cannonball’s eyes)
Cannonball Kidd: ...with a Message.
(Fade out)
PhantomZ
League Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- Messages
- 49
- Points
- 0
Apology Considered
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-03 AT 01:42 PM (EST)]FADE IN...
(Wood floor in a wicker pattern. Unstained, just with a smooth, clear varnish. The camera zooms out, getting a view of most of the floor, the coffee table, the red leather sofa with wood fixtures, and the two end tables. The coffee table, decked out with a newspaper, a few random magazines, and a bowl of Hershey's miniature candy. The table is wooden with a polished glass surface. The end tables are designed similarly with glass and wood. Each has a set of three coasters, one has a box of tissues and the other a deck of cards. The table with the cards also has the leather-bound book, and a glass of ice water.
The camera pans around the room, and directly across from the sofa is a large, marble fireplace. With of course, a small fire, but mostly just glowing red embers. Atop the mantle are some photos of various nouns; people, places, things. Unfortunately, all are too far off to make any sure-identifications. Beside the sofa, off to the right, beyond the end table is a large sliding glass door. Beyond the glass door, the patio, and just beyond that, the white outdoors.
The camera takes a few moments to pan the landscape outside. Much of the same, snowy wilderness and lake... but in a thaw, and sparkling as it begins to melt away. The winter beginning to peel away for spring. Another gorgeous day, with only a few white clouds in the sky, visible over the cliffs of the far off edge of the lake. The camera returns to the room, and settles towards the red leather couch, positioned toward the cushion nearest the cards, the book, and the glass.
Into the shot walks our hero, dressed in dark gray slacks rolled up just below the knee, barefoot, and an untucked, white-buttoned shirt. The top two buttons left alone, the silver chain is once again seen... but any pendant on it is hidden beneath the man's clothing. The sleeves of his shirt, too are rolled up, just below his elbows. He seems very relaxed and comfortable... and his face adds to that.
His expression is one of humor. The smirk on his face has widened to a half-smile, and his brow is smooth with calm. His eyes are dark in color but bright in brilliance, and his overall composure is one of cool and collected. He eyes the camera, takes a sip of his beverage, and sits back in the sofa. He begins...)
NEMESIS: Heh heh... Kidd... you've certainly amused me, if nothing else. Fortunately, there are a few other things you've elicited out of me as well. You're entire presence is a bit incredulous... but to each his own. Nice goggles, by the way.
I appreciate your acceptance of a good match. One will surely be made at Riptide, and we will both be to thank for it. Good luck, train up, and rest on... because you are going to need it.
Sadly, you could not heed my last request, to leave my well-being, well enough alone. now, I am not understanding what is about me that everyone feels the need to go on a Crusade in attempts to help me out. Kidd, you're not the first one to try and offer me advice, not by any means. Your entire persona towards me has been played out more than any well-worn catchphrases. I've heard it all... everyone else always has the answers for me... specifically when I make it clear I have no questions for anyone. You're right... I never did claim self-actualization. I never claimed to be seeking out such a thing. In fact, I admitted my problems right out... I did not hide them or attempt to conceal them through my words. Eloquence and intelligence are not used to mask who I am. They just are parts of me that come out every once and a while, and certainly one with a similar grasp of words like "amicably," "defeatist," and "exude" can understand the lack of denial and secrets that come out of natural speech.
(Our hero sits up, and plants his feet firmly on the hardwood floor. he eyes the camera intently, and his humorous disposition vanishes.)
NEMESIS :So many competitors claim to know so much about me. And so often they are so clueless, diluting themselves with false statements of knowledge to boost their egos. Confidence is one thing, Kidd... Blind assumptions are something else. Making conclusions about who I am and what I need from a five-minute promo is ludicrous. Being so confident in your conclusions is insanity.
The Simple Truths
The simple truth, Kidd, is that I made it very clear I was dealing with my "issues" in my own way. You may think I live a lie... but you don't know me much at all... so how can you begin to presume such things? Surely, self-actualization cannot be given away to someone... it must be sought out. If you could provide someone else actualization, then it wouldn't be "self" anything. Realizing my potential is something that I must do, should I choose to do so. You don't know much about me at all, it seems...
Now, while we both may indeed be new to the GLCW, I am not new to the wrestling scene. I've been all over the world, in countless matches in countless federations. My history, in the business, is no mystery. It's no hidden secret either. For one claiming to know so much about me, you haven't done much homework. You could ask the majority of workers in this company who I am, and where I've been. They see me now, and realize something that you have yet to realize. They do not make such calculated assumptions, because they know who I am. And who I was.
(He sits even closer, now more to the edge of his seat. trying to get as close to the camera as possible. He takes another gulp of the water and clears his throat. He looks directly into the camera like a man in staredown. His eyes don't blink throughout the rest of his dissertation, and his eyes never leave the lens. The brilliance, still remains... his glare as intense as ever.)
NEMESIS: Not only did I never claim to be self-actualized, I let it be known I was in a process of re-assessment, reflection, and rebuilding my life. Now, I never said your program didn't or couldn’t' work. Never put down your mission as a man with a message, never said a word about your practices. I did say I was having success with my own beliefs, my own practices. And as the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." My methods are going along fine, at a pace I enjoy and can deal with. I appreciate your offering help, regardless of the blind way you went about making your diagnosis... as having people concerned about another's well being is hard to come by in this business.
Thanks for Playing
Unfortunately for you, I get the unsettling feeling that your walking, talking, sideshow infomercial spectacular is merely a poorly made attempt at getting inside the head of your competitors. Make them question themselves, and allow you to squeeze yourself beside their psyche. Mind games are key in this business... and psychology is everything. But Mr. Kidd... your attempts are hollow and fail... this is coming from one who knows.
Your attempts at reading my mind are shotty. Your conclusions, even more so. Had you done your homework, you could easily see my progress from a considerably "less than" self-actualized person... to the stable and aspiring man you see before you. No games, no hidden tricks, no mirrors.... this is who I am. Good luck at Riptide, Mr. Kidd... and let's hope the match is something more worthwhile than your petty attempts at psychoanalysis.
(Our hero gets up from his seat, finishes what's left of the water, and walks off. The camera once again pans to the scene outside, as the shot fades...)
FADE OUT.
[updated:LAST EDITED ON Feb-05-03 AT 01:42 PM (EST)]FADE IN...
(Wood floor in a wicker pattern. Unstained, just with a smooth, clear varnish. The camera zooms out, getting a view of most of the floor, the coffee table, the red leather sofa with wood fixtures, and the two end tables. The coffee table, decked out with a newspaper, a few random magazines, and a bowl of Hershey's miniature candy. The table is wooden with a polished glass surface. The end tables are designed similarly with glass and wood. Each has a set of three coasters, one has a box of tissues and the other a deck of cards. The table with the cards also has the leather-bound book, and a glass of ice water.
The camera pans around the room, and directly across from the sofa is a large, marble fireplace. With of course, a small fire, but mostly just glowing red embers. Atop the mantle are some photos of various nouns; people, places, things. Unfortunately, all are too far off to make any sure-identifications. Beside the sofa, off to the right, beyond the end table is a large sliding glass door. Beyond the glass door, the patio, and just beyond that, the white outdoors.
The camera takes a few moments to pan the landscape outside. Much of the same, snowy wilderness and lake... but in a thaw, and sparkling as it begins to melt away. The winter beginning to peel away for spring. Another gorgeous day, with only a few white clouds in the sky, visible over the cliffs of the far off edge of the lake. The camera returns to the room, and settles towards the red leather couch, positioned toward the cushion nearest the cards, the book, and the glass.
Into the shot walks our hero, dressed in dark gray slacks rolled up just below the knee, barefoot, and an untucked, white-buttoned shirt. The top two buttons left alone, the silver chain is once again seen... but any pendant on it is hidden beneath the man's clothing. The sleeves of his shirt, too are rolled up, just below his elbows. He seems very relaxed and comfortable... and his face adds to that.
His expression is one of humor. The smirk on his face has widened to a half-smile, and his brow is smooth with calm. His eyes are dark in color but bright in brilliance, and his overall composure is one of cool and collected. He eyes the camera, takes a sip of his beverage, and sits back in the sofa. He begins...)
NEMESIS: Heh heh... Kidd... you've certainly amused me, if nothing else. Fortunately, there are a few other things you've elicited out of me as well. You're entire presence is a bit incredulous... but to each his own. Nice goggles, by the way.
I appreciate your acceptance of a good match. One will surely be made at Riptide, and we will both be to thank for it. Good luck, train up, and rest on... because you are going to need it.
Sadly, you could not heed my last request, to leave my well-being, well enough alone. now, I am not understanding what is about me that everyone feels the need to go on a Crusade in attempts to help me out. Kidd, you're not the first one to try and offer me advice, not by any means. Your entire persona towards me has been played out more than any well-worn catchphrases. I've heard it all... everyone else always has the answers for me... specifically when I make it clear I have no questions for anyone. You're right... I never did claim self-actualization. I never claimed to be seeking out such a thing. In fact, I admitted my problems right out... I did not hide them or attempt to conceal them through my words. Eloquence and intelligence are not used to mask who I am. They just are parts of me that come out every once and a while, and certainly one with a similar grasp of words like "amicably," "defeatist," and "exude" can understand the lack of denial and secrets that come out of natural speech.
(Our hero sits up, and plants his feet firmly on the hardwood floor. he eyes the camera intently, and his humorous disposition vanishes.)
NEMESIS :So many competitors claim to know so much about me. And so often they are so clueless, diluting themselves with false statements of knowledge to boost their egos. Confidence is one thing, Kidd... Blind assumptions are something else. Making conclusions about who I am and what I need from a five-minute promo is ludicrous. Being so confident in your conclusions is insanity.
The Simple Truths
The simple truth, Kidd, is that I made it very clear I was dealing with my "issues" in my own way. You may think I live a lie... but you don't know me much at all... so how can you begin to presume such things? Surely, self-actualization cannot be given away to someone... it must be sought out. If you could provide someone else actualization, then it wouldn't be "self" anything. Realizing my potential is something that I must do, should I choose to do so. You don't know much about me at all, it seems...
Now, while we both may indeed be new to the GLCW, I am not new to the wrestling scene. I've been all over the world, in countless matches in countless federations. My history, in the business, is no mystery. It's no hidden secret either. For one claiming to know so much about me, you haven't done much homework. You could ask the majority of workers in this company who I am, and where I've been. They see me now, and realize something that you have yet to realize. They do not make such calculated assumptions, because they know who I am. And who I was.
(He sits even closer, now more to the edge of his seat. trying to get as close to the camera as possible. He takes another gulp of the water and clears his throat. He looks directly into the camera like a man in staredown. His eyes don't blink throughout the rest of his dissertation, and his eyes never leave the lens. The brilliance, still remains... his glare as intense as ever.)
NEMESIS: Not only did I never claim to be self-actualized, I let it be known I was in a process of re-assessment, reflection, and rebuilding my life. Now, I never said your program didn't or couldn’t' work. Never put down your mission as a man with a message, never said a word about your practices. I did say I was having success with my own beliefs, my own practices. And as the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." My methods are going along fine, at a pace I enjoy and can deal with. I appreciate your offering help, regardless of the blind way you went about making your diagnosis... as having people concerned about another's well being is hard to come by in this business.
Thanks for Playing
Unfortunately for you, I get the unsettling feeling that your walking, talking, sideshow infomercial spectacular is merely a poorly made attempt at getting inside the head of your competitors. Make them question themselves, and allow you to squeeze yourself beside their psyche. Mind games are key in this business... and psychology is everything. But Mr. Kidd... your attempts are hollow and fail... this is coming from one who knows.
Your attempts at reading my mind are shotty. Your conclusions, even more so. Had you done your homework, you could easily see my progress from a considerably "less than" self-actualized person... to the stable and aspiring man you see before you. No games, no hidden tricks, no mirrors.... this is who I am. Good luck at Riptide, Mr. Kidd... and let's hope the match is something more worthwhile than your petty attempts at psychoanalysis.
(Our hero gets up from his seat, finishes what's left of the water, and walks off. The camera once again pans to the scene outside, as the shot fades...)
FADE OUT.
G
Greggulator
Guest
Men With A Message
(CUT TO: The Oak Street Beach Patrol-- "Hang Ten" Harold Haggler and "Aloha" Alex Hand, are on the beach in front of Lake Erie. Hand is in his customary "Dog of Surf" position, Haggler is sraddled behind him. Both men's mullets are flowing in the February breeze.)
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOT! HOOOO!
10: I just want to come out here right now to give some WORDS of ADVICE to the Cannonaball Kidd. And that, my man, is to keep up the good work. I can't say that I'm too familiar with your work in the wrestling ring, but I can say that that me and my bro-ski here are indeed familiar with your self-help tapes and lecture series.
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOT! HOOOO!
10: Why, if it was not for your words of wisdom and your strong belief in self-actualization, I do not believe that me and my partner here would have won over 25 surfing titles here in the Great Lakes region. Why, I can remember it like yesterday-- when we was up in Sault Ste. Marie for the 6th annual Lake Superior Surf-Off. Me and The Elusive Mr. Hand here--
HAND: HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOO! HOOO! HOOOOT!
10: Well, we wasn't too up on ourselves that day. We struggled the weekend before and almost LOST our first tandem surf competition since 9th grade that day. But what we did was we put on your tape, had a good night sleep and a hearty breakfast like you just said and-- WHAMMO-- we walked away the champs... again!
HAND: HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT!
10: So, Cannonball Kidd-- we want to thank (*CLAPS*) YOU for helping us be self-actualized and helping us to acheive greatness in the competitive world of Great Lakes Surfing. We hope to continue our quest of self-actualization to one day become tag team champions right here in Great Lakes Championship Wrestling. If there's ANYTHING we can do for you, let us know. You helped us-- we want to help YOU!
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOT!
(CUT TO: The Oak Street Beach Patrol-- "Hang Ten" Harold Haggler and "Aloha" Alex Hand, are on the beach in front of Lake Erie. Hand is in his customary "Dog of Surf" position, Haggler is sraddled behind him. Both men's mullets are flowing in the February breeze.)
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOT! HOOOO!
10: I just want to come out here right now to give some WORDS of ADVICE to the Cannonaball Kidd. And that, my man, is to keep up the good work. I can't say that I'm too familiar with your work in the wrestling ring, but I can say that that me and my bro-ski here are indeed familiar with your self-help tapes and lecture series.
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOT! HOOOO!
10: Why, if it was not for your words of wisdom and your strong belief in self-actualization, I do not believe that me and my partner here would have won over 25 surfing titles here in the Great Lakes region. Why, I can remember it like yesterday-- when we was up in Sault Ste. Marie for the 6th annual Lake Superior Surf-Off. Me and The Elusive Mr. Hand here--
HAND: HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOO! HOOO! HOOOOT!
10: Well, we wasn't too up on ourselves that day. We struggled the weekend before and almost LOST our first tandem surf competition since 9th grade that day. But what we did was we put on your tape, had a good night sleep and a hearty breakfast like you just said and-- WHAMMO-- we walked away the champs... again!
HAND: HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT!
10: So, Cannonball Kidd-- we want to thank (*CLAPS*) YOU for helping us be self-actualized and helping us to acheive greatness in the competitive world of Great Lakes Surfing. We hope to continue our quest of self-actualization to one day become tag team champions right here in Great Lakes Championship Wrestling. If there's ANYTHING we can do for you, let us know. You helped us-- we want to help YOU!
HAND: HOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOOT! HOOOT!
PhantomZ
League Member
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2000
- Messages
- 49
- Points
- 0
No Cats...
FADE IN...
(Back into the field. The day is overcast and the wind dusts new powder about. Not hurricane winds, but steadily strong with gusts. The winter storm just passing through, as a few flakes still fall from the sky and are tossed about in the currents of air. The trees in the distance are re-frosted, having just completed thaw of their branches, now once again caked in cold and snow. A man walks, much more clothes this time 'round. He dons a heavy gray overcoat that hangs to his knees. His black pants are visible just below, and his boots are deep in snow below that. His hair is being tossed about in the same fashion as the snow dust, and the collar of his coat is turned up to protect his neck. It too feels the wind.
His face is squinted against a wind gust and the snow. His eyebrows and eyelashes speckled white, his cheeks and lips turned flushed with blood. Red-faced, he presses against the gust, and waits it out. The gust dies down, or wanders off, and all is relatively calm, once more. Breezes still blow by, and small gusts rear their ugly heads, but the worst is over. The man stops clutching his jacket to himself, and let's his gloved hands free of his pockets. He smiles into the camera, dark brown eyes posing sharp contrast to the white around them...)
NEMESIS: So Kidd, you have some fans. Midwestern surfers... resourceful fellas, if nothing else. A fanclub, and yet... no response. It's all right Kidd, I won't go through my usual rant when faced with the silent treatment. No thought of you shuffling through a dictionary, trying to figure out what certain words in my last promo mean. You're a smart guy... and none of the words I used were that big anyway. No... I'm going to give you the standard: "All right, you don't gotta talk... just let your actions in the ring speak for themselves." Well... maybe I'm going to say a bit more than that. So maybe this promo is standard procedure in this situation, but so what?
(A brief gust of wind looks like it's going to pick up, and the man begins to brace for impact. But no wind comes... and the man just smiles into the camera again.)
NEMESIS: Ya know, it's a funny thing. I was really looking forward to what you had to say. Looking forward to just what was going to come out of you... and hopefully it wasn't some 800 number, an address for an office in Richmond, Virginia and a request for me to remember "no COD's." The self-help get-up suits you... but like I said... where's the *self*-help, the *self*-actualization... when it's handed to you on a plate like a side of coleslaw at KFC. There isn't a magic potion, there isn't a secret formula, there is no... standard procedure. How did Abraham Lincoln become self-actualized? Eleanor Roosevelt? Did they know they were? If they did... wouldn't the fact that they believed themselves to be so, rule them out? In Maslow's hierarchy of needs... self-actualization is at the peak. He says many don't attain such a height, and that many who do, never realize it. Does someone who in reality has no potential become self-actualized just by doing nothing? What about catatonics, or the mentally challenged? Are they self-actualized because they might be able to feed themselves jell-o or calculate the number of toothpicks in a box when they still can't even take care of themselves? It's all contested. We'll just leave the extreme situations out and focus on the common human being. Does a crisis in the family, which prevents someone, with the potential become the greatest doctor of our time, from going to med-school... are they a failure since they did not realize their potential? Since they did not become self-actualized? It's all kind of confusion once you dwell on it. And no, Kidd... I don't expect answers from you. I don't like setting myself up for disappointment.
A Hope for the Future
So about our match... it should be a good one. It certainly has... *potential.* I'll guess we'll just have to see if your philosophy on life and mine... can coexist in the ring long enough for a match to take place. A match worth remembering, anyhow. If this is indeed the last I've heard of you, than this will be the last you here of me until we're in Cleveland. Good luck... and hopefully your actions will speak substantial volumes compared to your hollow words. We shall see...
(The man's smile fades into a mischievous smirk, as he turns, and walks towards the forest. The camera watches as he goes off and on into the white. After a short while, another gust of wind blows unto the screen, picking up snow and whipping it in every direction, blinding the lens...)
FADE OUT.
FADE IN...
(Back into the field. The day is overcast and the wind dusts new powder about. Not hurricane winds, but steadily strong with gusts. The winter storm just passing through, as a few flakes still fall from the sky and are tossed about in the currents of air. The trees in the distance are re-frosted, having just completed thaw of their branches, now once again caked in cold and snow. A man walks, much more clothes this time 'round. He dons a heavy gray overcoat that hangs to his knees. His black pants are visible just below, and his boots are deep in snow below that. His hair is being tossed about in the same fashion as the snow dust, and the collar of his coat is turned up to protect his neck. It too feels the wind.
His face is squinted against a wind gust and the snow. His eyebrows and eyelashes speckled white, his cheeks and lips turned flushed with blood. Red-faced, he presses against the gust, and waits it out. The gust dies down, or wanders off, and all is relatively calm, once more. Breezes still blow by, and small gusts rear their ugly heads, but the worst is over. The man stops clutching his jacket to himself, and let's his gloved hands free of his pockets. He smiles into the camera, dark brown eyes posing sharp contrast to the white around them...)
NEMESIS: So Kidd, you have some fans. Midwestern surfers... resourceful fellas, if nothing else. A fanclub, and yet... no response. It's all right Kidd, I won't go through my usual rant when faced with the silent treatment. No thought of you shuffling through a dictionary, trying to figure out what certain words in my last promo mean. You're a smart guy... and none of the words I used were that big anyway. No... I'm going to give you the standard: "All right, you don't gotta talk... just let your actions in the ring speak for themselves." Well... maybe I'm going to say a bit more than that. So maybe this promo is standard procedure in this situation, but so what?
(A brief gust of wind looks like it's going to pick up, and the man begins to brace for impact. But no wind comes... and the man just smiles into the camera again.)
NEMESIS: Ya know, it's a funny thing. I was really looking forward to what you had to say. Looking forward to just what was going to come out of you... and hopefully it wasn't some 800 number, an address for an office in Richmond, Virginia and a request for me to remember "no COD's." The self-help get-up suits you... but like I said... where's the *self*-help, the *self*-actualization... when it's handed to you on a plate like a side of coleslaw at KFC. There isn't a magic potion, there isn't a secret formula, there is no... standard procedure. How did Abraham Lincoln become self-actualized? Eleanor Roosevelt? Did they know they were? If they did... wouldn't the fact that they believed themselves to be so, rule them out? In Maslow's hierarchy of needs... self-actualization is at the peak. He says many don't attain such a height, and that many who do, never realize it. Does someone who in reality has no potential become self-actualized just by doing nothing? What about catatonics, or the mentally challenged? Are they self-actualized because they might be able to feed themselves jell-o or calculate the number of toothpicks in a box when they still can't even take care of themselves? It's all contested. We'll just leave the extreme situations out and focus on the common human being. Does a crisis in the family, which prevents someone, with the potential become the greatest doctor of our time, from going to med-school... are they a failure since they did not realize their potential? Since they did not become self-actualized? It's all kind of confusion once you dwell on it. And no, Kidd... I don't expect answers from you. I don't like setting myself up for disappointment.
A Hope for the Future
So about our match... it should be a good one. It certainly has... *potential.* I'll guess we'll just have to see if your philosophy on life and mine... can coexist in the ring long enough for a match to take place. A match worth remembering, anyhow. If this is indeed the last I've heard of you, than this will be the last you here of me until we're in Cleveland. Good luck... and hopefully your actions will speak substantial volumes compared to your hollow words. We shall see...
(The man's smile fades into a mischievous smirk, as he turns, and walks towards the forest. The camera watches as he goes off and on into the white. After a short while, another gust of wind blows unto the screen, picking up snow and whipping it in every direction, blinding the lens...)
FADE OUT.