Post by Michael Callahan on Jun 26, 2012 14:38:27 GMT -4
[PLAY]
”GOOOOOOOOD MOOOOOORNING JUAREEEZZZZ FAMILY!!!!”
That idiosyncratic roar of TV's Ty Pennington symbolises only one thing, one lucky yet suffering family is about to get the makeover of a lifetime. An EXTREME makeover of which the variety is home based. The man with the megaphone's beaming smile is matched by the grinning faces of a screaming and cheering Juarez family who burst out in bulk to greet the philanthropist who's about to revamp their house. The Juarez Family who've lived in Northern Washington for the past fifty years have been tireless servants of the state having with Mario having been running an offenders rehabilitation scheme for the states wrong-doers while at the same time living in a cramped house in desperate need of repair.
Ty Pennington: MARIO! JULIA! TITO! REBECCA! DANIEL! COME ON OUTTTTTT!
Emotions run wild as up-tempo rock music accompanies the family bursting out of their crooked home to greet the construction crew. Smiles quickly turn to tears of joy as the Extreme Makeover Crew hug it out with the Juarez Family, a family who deserve a helping hand. Especially needing of course is their youngest, seven year old Daniel who's been afflicted with Spinal Muscle Atrophy, a life threatening, incurable muscle wasting disease requiring round the clock care from both the family and medical specialists. It's a horrible, horrible thing to be afflicted with yet Daniel is still full of life and joy.
Ty Pennington: It must be so exciting knowing that your life is about to change, right? We saw your video and put you right at the top of the list of people to see to. Everything about you guys and what you do is amazing and we feel that a man like you Mario who juggles one of the nation's most important needs in helping offenders find their way back into society while keeping your family fed and looking after Daniel is just so inspiring and what we want to do is help take the strain of all the hard work you do away and make things as easy as possible for you.
Pennington's heart-wrenching monologue brings Mario Juarez, a strong and hardy Latino man to sobbing tears and he can't help but find comfort in the embrace of his wife. Relief washes down his cheeks within those little crystalline tears, his faith in the world restored as his wish is granted. It's a beautiful, touching sight to see.
Mario Juarez: Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Ty Pennington: Well... This house? We're gonna' have to destroy it so we can build you a new dream home and obviously you won't be able to stay here for the week... That's why we're sending you to DISNEYWORLD, FLORIDAAAAAA!
It's almost like a fairytale as the kids, particularly young Daniel scream and cheer with pure joy in their joyless lives at getting to go to one of the coolest places a kid can go to.
Ty Pennington: But first... you're gonna' have to show us this house. I mean, we saw it on the tapes but to see what you guys have been allowed to live in... It's important. Would you mind taking us round?
Mario Juarez: Sure...
And tour they did. The house is nothing short of dreadful. No building inspector in the world would pass off a house like this. The basement is sinking into the ground sideways and there's muddy water log helping it to sink, steps are physically broken, there's destroyed piping that's actually causing sewage to flood into the basement. This place is not fit for pigs, never mind human beings. We then cut away to Ty Pennington who's having a heart to heart conversation one on one with Daniel as his proud mom watches on from the doorway.
Ty Pennington: So... Daniel... We're gonna' build you a brand new room just the way you want it and we wanna know what you like so we can do something really cool with your room. What do you like? Do you have any hero's?
With big button eyes that could just melt your heart, the poor kid who's suffered endless muscle pain since his very first days on God's earth still has a beautiful white smile on his face as he talks to the leader of the Extreme Makeover crew despite going through so much punishment. Nobody, certainly not a child should be expected to live like this but not only does Daniel manage it, he does it without losing his childlike sense of spirit and happiness.
Daniel Juarez: I really... really love wrestling and-.... uhh... My hero is Michael Callahan. People don't like him because he shouts... and because he says mean things... but he loves God like I do, and he's strong... and he always does what he thinks is right no matter what anyone says and I think that's... really cool.
This young boy is so nice that he can find solace in the teachings of Callahan and yet forgive his blatant flaws because of his positive traits and the strength he takes away from supporting him.
[PAUSE]
As Callahan himself watches all this on his laptop he finds a single, solitary tear streaming down his left cheek. Now Callahan's a tough man, it takes a lot to make him cry. Matter of fact he hadn't cried since the day Bethany Monroe accepted his proposal for marriage. Not even when he hurled her out of his house did he cry like this. Vikki Lahm stands to one side with a reassuring hand, stroking his shoulder. She too is a little bit choked up with it all.
Michael Callahan: ”My God... how can people live like this? Is there anything we can do?”
Vikki Lahm: Well... you can go down there and help out, maybe go meet that kid and make his dreams come true. I know you're not much of a humanitarian but-
Callahan's already grabbing his car keys and grabbing his coat before Vikki can finish the sentence. No man with the power to make a kid like that's dream come true is going to stand back and do nothing. Not even someone so selfish and corrupt as Callahan could ignore a call of duty. Just showing up to see that kid would make his life, it's the very very least Callahan could do. Within an hour Callahan is already on loud-speaker to Ty himself as he races with Vikki across state to go do whatever he can to help this house.
Michael Callahan: Hi, Ty Pennington? This is Michael Callahan. I got your e-mail and I'm on the highway up there as we speak. No, don't worry. I'm using a hands free set, I'm not a dangerous driver.
Ty Pennington: Really? I was a little uneasy when I sent you that video because well... you don't exactly have the reputation for being a nice guy. With them being a Latino family too... and your very hardline ideas on immigration I thought-
Michael Callahan: Sometimes the right thing to do is a bitter pill to prescribe but I assure you that I will always do my best for the community of which I live in. The Jaurez family have been citizens for the past fifty years and given the services they have done for our nations prison system, I think we should judge each case on it's merits. Besides, no man alive could ignore a video like that. Is there anything I can do besides showing my face?
Ty Pennington: Well what would you like to do? Obviously we could do with all hands on deck for actually building the house. Actually, do you have any experience driving destruction vehicles?
Michael Callahan: I've had my bulldozer license for the last three years. I used to work in construction over in Japan and I took the test when I came back stateside.
Ty Pennington: Really? Well would you like to tear the building down? It's pretty bad, we're gonna' have to build a brand new house.
Michael Callahan: I'd be delighted to.
[RECORD]
Meanwhile over in Disneyworld, the Juarez family are sat at one of the café's eating lunch when a waiter brings them a laptop. They all gather around as Ty's grinning face fills up the shot, standing in front of their house as he points a camcorder at himself giving them the Juarez family the big update on the situation regarding their fancy new home.
Ty Pennington: Now... We know that to repair your house would be expensive, extremely difficult and take a heck of a long time. So instead we've decided that we're gonna' tear down your old house and build you up a new one. In order to destroy your house though we needed some help and so we got somebody very special. If you will?
The camera tilts to the right and standing with a sledgehammer slung over his shoulder we see the forever smiling face of one Michael Callahan with his sleeves rolled up and a builders hat on.
Michael Callahan: Mr. Daniel Juarez... My loyal constituent... A little birdie told me that you're one of, if not my biggest fan in the world and when I found that out I knew I simply could not sit by idly and let today pass me by without me being here. Now I know you're in Disneyworld right now having a great time... but as a way of saying thank you for your constant support and for being such a brave little boy I've arranged for you to have front row tickets to Test for the Best next Sunday in Chicago, Illinois where above all else you'll get to see me defend my Pro Life Championship against Calvin Ingram with the best seat in the house.
“Like a kid on Christmas” doesn't even begin to describe the sheer elation on Daniel's little face at not only seeing his wrestling hero standing outside his house but being told that he's getting tickets to see his favourite APW pay-per-view. It's better than any sugar rush a kid could ever have. As Callahan continues speaking to the camera, Daniel is weeping with joy.
Michael Callahan: Further more, I've been able to wrangle you some backstage passes for before and after the show so you can hang out with not just myself but get to meet all of your other favourite APW megastars too. I've also had your toy Pro Life championship signed by myself and the Asylum locker room and I've got you every Michael Callahan t-shirt ever made. Now, just like I'm going to do to Calvin Ingram this Sunday? I'm going to destroy your house! And that Daniel Juarez? That, little man, is a Michael Callahan certified promise and with that? I'm Michael Callahan and I approve this house tear-down.”
With that, Callahan jiggles some keys as the camera pans further right and zooms out to fit in the giant frame of the bulldozer that Callahan's climbing up. Jacking into the driver seat of a Komatsu SuperDozer, a life long dream to say the least, the builders clear out the way of the house as Callahan revs the ignition and starts making his grinding crawl with the near three hundred thousand pound destruction vehicle towards the house. Ramming into it at about twenty miles per hour, there's not a house around that could take the sheer power behind a Komatsu bulldozer. Everyone whoops and cheers like they've just won the lottery as Callahan's vehicle brings the home crashing down on it's foundation with ease. Mission Accomplished.
Michael Callahan: WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!
Ty Pennington: Go Michael!!!
[STOP]
A couple of hours later after Michael is done for the day's work chipping in with building and hanging out with the rest of the team he's throwing on his jacket and making his way out to the street. The sun is setting over the Juarez family's new home which even after only a day is already starting to take shape. Such is the magnificent power of community workers and donations from Sears. Vikki Lahm is waiting for Callahan, leaning casually against his shiny, obsidian black Chrysler 300 with a pleased smile across her pale red lips.
Vikki Lahm: You did a good thing today Michael....
Michael Callahan: I guess I did, didn't I?
The Germanic stunner plants a peck on his cheek and climbs into the passenger seat of the Chrysler leaving him mystified at the very least. Callahan's about to hop into the drivers but as he pulls on the door handle, a voice calls out for him before he can sink right into his confusion.
Guy: Michael? Greg Mack, reporter for the Kelso Post. You got a quick word before you go?
Michael Callahan: The same paper that trusted a tattoo artist harlot's word in order to write an indecent account of my supposed sexual perversions? Yeah, I guess I've got a minute.
Greg Mack: You know your lawyers won that case for you and we're looking at paying heavy damages right? Anyway I just wanted to get a story so I can keep my job.
Michael Callahan: Well I lost my job as Young Republican Ambassador as a result of that publication and have been resigned to working administrative duties and paperwork instead of doing the real work. As a result my earnings have gone down and my future career has quite possibly been sabotaged. Loss of earnings? Loss of career progression? That'll be pricey in my field of work.
Greg Mack: I guess you're right. Anyway I was just wondering if you had any words about the work you've been doing today? And obviously anything to hype up the show. As a hometown hero, we're doing a story on your match at Action Packed Wrestling.
Michael Callahan: Well my involvement here with the project has been amazing. I got the call from Ty just today and I knew I had to come help out. I cancelled all my appointments and rolled out as quick as I could because when you have the power to put the smile on the face of a boy who's been living in misery for seven years? You'd be inhuman not to. As for Calvin Ingram? I'll have more to say in my weekly blog later on this week but for now? All I'll say is that Test for the Best is gonna' be a tough night for me. I should be in the main event, fighting for a championship match but man? Whatever. Next year will be my year, right now I'm spreading the Pro Life message and when I beat Calvin Ingram, that's all that'll matter.”
And with that, Callahan nods at the frantically writing journalist before climbing into his car and looking over at Vikki, confusion setting in once more. Is something about to blossom between employer and employeee, a woman who initially detested her boss? Or has she since grown fond of him? Time will only tell.
Fade.
