Post by The Soul Of Philly on Jul 27, 2012 20:13:59 GMT -4
July 20th, 2012
July 26th, 2012
We open the scene on a dark and dreary day in the city of Philadelphia as the storm clouds above The City of Brotherly Love have opened up, pour down warm rain. Many people stay outside, taking in the relief from the humid heat wave the city has been in the last few days as the rain comes down. For “The Soul of Philly” TJ this rain gives him a chance to do what he loves to do on rainy days: run up the stairs of the Art Museum. Unlike tourists, TJ does this repeatedly, over and over until he is gassed and goes some more. The rain has drenched TJ’s black beater, making the neck of it sag with the weight of the rain. After a 14th set of stairs, TJ stops at the top and sits on the top step watching as several people walk by, some with umbrellas and some with newspapers covering themselves from the rain. He looks out to the city down the Ben Franklin Parkway, leaving himself to his thoughts as the people are too concerned with the rain to notice TJ symbolically watching over the city.
God, this sucks. I love the rain, I love being in the rain, I love working out in the rain, makes me stronger, makes me who I am, but something doesn’t feel right.
Thunder roars through the sky as a flash of lightning brightens the sky as a few pedestrians begin to speed their walk up.
And I really don’t know what it is this time around. Last time this all didn’t feel right, Jacob was killed and I tried to force myself to go on with my life. The time before was when I just depressed and try to wrestle myself outta that rut. I wish I really knew this time. Just feels like, I could be spending this time, better.
From behind TJ, a man coughs a hearty, phlegm-filled cough that gets TJ’s attention. He turns around and sees his mentor, and friend, Ernie Walters, standing behind him with a rather large umbrella.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters I’ve always hated this ritual you have.
TJ stands up, the first time seeing his mentor in weeks after TJ flew off the handle at him.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Ernie…I’ve been meaning to call.
Ernie shakes his head.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters TJ, I know you, better than you know. I knew I was pushing a button. I knew that you were tired of hearing my thoughts on your father. And maybe down the road, you’ll maybe listen to what I have to say about him, but I know that time is not now. But I do know why you’re sitting here. And I’m here to help, I’m here…for you.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Thanks Ernie.
TJ, despite towering over his mentor, has the body language of a lost child. He hugs his mentor as they another thunder crash and lightning flash is heard. They release as TJ sits back down, facing the city again with Ernie behind him standing.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ You say you know, but do you?
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters As to why you’re sitting here in the rain? Yea, it’s not because it’s what you like to do, you’re sitting here because you have nowhere else to be right now. No one to go home to.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Damn.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters You were hoping that I was wrong?
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Actually, I was.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters That much in doubt?
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I guess, I mean, Ernie, I’ve never cared for that part of my life. Never cared about having someone. I knew this life would take me places, both in and outta the ring, so I never tried to connect with someone because I didn’t know how long I’d be around.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters We’re all like that at one point.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Yes, but Ernie, I was always like that. Sure I had a few girlfriends in high school, but I mean look at me, girls wanted to get to me before I made it to the NFL. And as soon as they all found out that football was not in my plans, they split.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters We all change sometime TJ.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’ve never been one to change though.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters Yes you have. You just don’t see it as change, rather progression. You think that you’re the same as you were when you started, or five years ago, or even two years ago, but the fact is, TJ, you have changed. For once in your life, you acknowledge that something isn’t right and you don’t have the answer. For the first time in your life, you are worried about the next move you make. For the first time in your life, you don’t know what you’re going to do next. For the first time-
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I get it. Now, how do you suggest I start to figure out my next move.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters I’d suggest getting outta the rain and getting dry. Then, I suggest you make it known that you are ready to prove yourself against the best Asylum has to offer.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I can dig it.
Ernie chuckles as TJ shows, for the first time in a while, that childish side of him. TJ stands up and grabs the umbrella with his left hand and puts his arm around his friend and mentor as the scene fades to black.
God, this sucks. I love the rain, I love being in the rain, I love working out in the rain, makes me stronger, makes me who I am, but something doesn’t feel right.
Thunder roars through the sky as a flash of lightning brightens the sky as a few pedestrians begin to speed their walk up.
And I really don’t know what it is this time around. Last time this all didn’t feel right, Jacob was killed and I tried to force myself to go on with my life. The time before was when I just depressed and try to wrestle myself outta that rut. I wish I really knew this time. Just feels like, I could be spending this time, better.
From behind TJ, a man coughs a hearty, phlegm-filled cough that gets TJ’s attention. He turns around and sees his mentor, and friend, Ernie Walters, standing behind him with a rather large umbrella.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters I’ve always hated this ritual you have.
TJ stands up, the first time seeing his mentor in weeks after TJ flew off the handle at him.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Ernie…I’ve been meaning to call.
Ernie shakes his head.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters TJ, I know you, better than you know. I knew I was pushing a button. I knew that you were tired of hearing my thoughts on your father. And maybe down the road, you’ll maybe listen to what I have to say about him, but I know that time is not now. But I do know why you’re sitting here. And I’m here to help, I’m here…for you.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Thanks Ernie.
TJ, despite towering over his mentor, has the body language of a lost child. He hugs his mentor as they another thunder crash and lightning flash is heard. They release as TJ sits back down, facing the city again with Ernie behind him standing.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ You say you know, but do you?
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters As to why you’re sitting here in the rain? Yea, it’s not because it’s what you like to do, you’re sitting here because you have nowhere else to be right now. No one to go home to.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Damn.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters You were hoping that I was wrong?
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Actually, I was.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters That much in doubt?
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I guess, I mean, Ernie, I’ve never cared for that part of my life. Never cared about having someone. I knew this life would take me places, both in and outta the ring, so I never tried to connect with someone because I didn’t know how long I’d be around.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters We’re all like that at one point.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Yes, but Ernie, I was always like that. Sure I had a few girlfriends in high school, but I mean look at me, girls wanted to get to me before I made it to the NFL. And as soon as they all found out that football was not in my plans, they split.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters We all change sometime TJ.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’ve never been one to change though.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters Yes you have. You just don’t see it as change, rather progression. You think that you’re the same as you were when you started, or five years ago, or even two years ago, but the fact is, TJ, you have changed. For once in your life, you acknowledge that something isn’t right and you don’t have the answer. For the first time in your life, you are worried about the next move you make. For the first time in your life, you don’t know what you’re going to do next. For the first time-
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I get it. Now, how do you suggest I start to figure out my next move.
Ernest.”Ernie”.Walters I’d suggest getting outta the rain and getting dry. Then, I suggest you make it known that you are ready to prove yourself against the best Asylum has to offer.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I can dig it.
Ernie chuckles as TJ shows, for the first time in a while, that childish side of him. TJ stands up and grabs the umbrella with his left hand and puts his arm around his friend and mentor as the scene fades to black.
July 26th, 2012
Prologue
Ernie was right; I don’t know what I’m going to do next in my life outside the ring, but inside, I know exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to beat Julius Farquhar. And I’m gonna look damn good doing it.
Ernie was right; I don’t know what I’m going to do next in my life outside the ring, but inside, I know exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to beat Julius Farquhar. And I’m gonna look damn good doing it.
We open the scene inside of an car showcase room. We see one man in the room, “The Soul of Philly” TJ, wearing a black Philadelphia Eagles hat, a plain green shirt and a khaki cargo shorts. He stands next to a nice, red and black 2012 Audi R8. TJ looks around the car once and decides to start leaning against it.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Beautiful car ain’t it? Sleek paint to match a sleek look. Clean inside to match a pristine outside. Fast too, top speed 196 miles per hour with 525 horses under the hood. Great ride to show off in right? Yeeeeaaa. Something that looks like this is something that you take out on the road on a sunny day, much like today, let the shine of the sun bounce off the body and hit people in the eye, make them notice this car, make people on the street stop and look as you drive by them in this elegant machine. Something with this kind of power, you let something like this showoff that power at a red light when you look over to the other guy and you rev that engine, letting all 525 horses be heard under that hood. Something with kind of speed is something you take on the highway and blow right by everyone else, leaving them in the rear view mirror. Something like this deserves all that has been said about it right? Something like deserves to be on the road not in a garage under a cover, wouldn’t you agree? Something like this deserves to be where it’s meant to be, a showcase.
TJ walks away from the car, putting his hands in his pockets as he walks and talks.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ This car, if you can’t tell, is a metaphor, but for what? Maybe it’s not for a “what” but rather a “whom”? So for whom is this metaphor possibly for? It could be for my opponent this week, the APW Tap Out Champion, Julius Farquhar. I mean, a champion should be able to show off his championship, letting the lights of arena far and wide blind the crowd, correct? A champion should be allowed to boast of his accomplishments, letting all around hear the story of how he beat the previous champion or the latest challenger to fail, no? A champion should be granted the opportunities to take himself places where other cannot go, leaving them behind him, right? And a champion should be deserving of any and all praise, should he not? In short, a champion should be allowed to be where they are meant to be, true?
TJ stops, takes his hands outta his pockets and points a finger at the camera.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Exactly, a champion deserves all those things, UNLESS, that champion is undeserving of being a champion. A championship does not mean that you are better than everyone, just the last man to challenge you and fail at beating you. So tell me, why does Jules think he is better than me? Has he pinned me? No. Has he made me tap out? No. Has he knocked me out cold? No. So why does he act like he is? That’s why I interrupted him on Meltdown weeks ago. He has never stepped in the ring with me or the Meltdown roster yet felt he was deserving of the time we earned and deserved. That’s why I stopped him from bragging and boasting. I challenged Jules pride that night and he backed down. I challenged him to prove that what he was saying was true, and he pussied out. He didn’t deserve to be using my time to entertain the fans to brag and boast about beating Anthony Bailey, but I gave him a chance to earn it. He didn’t deserve to be on Meltdown showcasing himself, but I gave him a chance.
TJ shakes his head and walks back towards the car, walking as he talks again.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I did this all to make him a man of his word, his pride, and his championship, and he walked out as soon as I got my hands on him. He showed to me, that he isn’t a man of his word, a man without pride, and a man undeserving of being called a champion. I asked for this match weeks ago and I’ve had to deal with Jules hiding behind lawyers, time zones, contractual priorities, bullshit, bullshit, and more bullshit. It’s done. There is nowhere else to hide, I’ve found you out in the open and I’m going to beat the shit outta you all over the Vegas Strip.
TJ gets to the car and puts his hands on the roof of the car.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’m going to give the doctors at the Vegas hospitals something they’ve never seen, and that’s saying something. I’m going to prove that I’m deserving of being taking out into the sun and let myself shine so damn hard that I’m the last thing anyone in that arena will see, that I’m deserving of letting my power be heard when I hit you with a Soulbuster so hard I break you spinal cord, that I’m deserving of going to the top, leaving you and everyone else behind me, that I’m deserving of being showcased as the best Asylum newcomer, better than Wolves, better than Hopkins, better than Johnny Rebel himself. “Simply put”, I’m going to prove that I’m deserving of being called the most feared man on Asylum, in APW, in wrestling. Point. Blank. Period.
He slams his fist so hard into the roof, it leaves a dent in the roof. With anger, adrenaline, and desire all coursing through his body, TJ simply picks his hand up, showing no sign of pain.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And as if that wasn’t enough to prove, I’m going to prove that I deserve to be greatness in its truest form, that I deserve to be nightmares in their physical forms, and that I deserve to be, forever and always, “THE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF PHILLY”.
The camera zooms in on TJ’s face as he breathes heavily.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I just hope your ready, Jules. Ready to prove that you deserve to survive.
The scene fades on that same image of TJ.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Beautiful car ain’t it? Sleek paint to match a sleek look. Clean inside to match a pristine outside. Fast too, top speed 196 miles per hour with 525 horses under the hood. Great ride to show off in right? Yeeeeaaa. Something that looks like this is something that you take out on the road on a sunny day, much like today, let the shine of the sun bounce off the body and hit people in the eye, make them notice this car, make people on the street stop and look as you drive by them in this elegant machine. Something with this kind of power, you let something like this showoff that power at a red light when you look over to the other guy and you rev that engine, letting all 525 horses be heard under that hood. Something with kind of speed is something you take on the highway and blow right by everyone else, leaving them in the rear view mirror. Something like this deserves all that has been said about it right? Something like deserves to be on the road not in a garage under a cover, wouldn’t you agree? Something like this deserves to be where it’s meant to be, a showcase.
TJ walks away from the car, putting his hands in his pockets as he walks and talks.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ This car, if you can’t tell, is a metaphor, but for what? Maybe it’s not for a “what” but rather a “whom”? So for whom is this metaphor possibly for? It could be for my opponent this week, the APW Tap Out Champion, Julius Farquhar. I mean, a champion should be able to show off his championship, letting the lights of arena far and wide blind the crowd, correct? A champion should be allowed to boast of his accomplishments, letting all around hear the story of how he beat the previous champion or the latest challenger to fail, no? A champion should be granted the opportunities to take himself places where other cannot go, leaving them behind him, right? And a champion should be deserving of any and all praise, should he not? In short, a champion should be allowed to be where they are meant to be, true?
TJ stops, takes his hands outta his pockets and points a finger at the camera.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Exactly, a champion deserves all those things, UNLESS, that champion is undeserving of being a champion. A championship does not mean that you are better than everyone, just the last man to challenge you and fail at beating you. So tell me, why does Jules think he is better than me? Has he pinned me? No. Has he made me tap out? No. Has he knocked me out cold? No. So why does he act like he is? That’s why I interrupted him on Meltdown weeks ago. He has never stepped in the ring with me or the Meltdown roster yet felt he was deserving of the time we earned and deserved. That’s why I stopped him from bragging and boasting. I challenged Jules pride that night and he backed down. I challenged him to prove that what he was saying was true, and he pussied out. He didn’t deserve to be using my time to entertain the fans to brag and boast about beating Anthony Bailey, but I gave him a chance to earn it. He didn’t deserve to be on Meltdown showcasing himself, but I gave him a chance.
TJ shakes his head and walks back towards the car, walking as he talks again.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I did this all to make him a man of his word, his pride, and his championship, and he walked out as soon as I got my hands on him. He showed to me, that he isn’t a man of his word, a man without pride, and a man undeserving of being called a champion. I asked for this match weeks ago and I’ve had to deal with Jules hiding behind lawyers, time zones, contractual priorities, bullshit, bullshit, and more bullshit. It’s done. There is nowhere else to hide, I’ve found you out in the open and I’m going to beat the shit outta you all over the Vegas Strip.
TJ gets to the car and puts his hands on the roof of the car.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’m going to give the doctors at the Vegas hospitals something they’ve never seen, and that’s saying something. I’m going to prove that I’m deserving of being taking out into the sun and let myself shine so damn hard that I’m the last thing anyone in that arena will see, that I’m deserving of letting my power be heard when I hit you with a Soulbuster so hard I break you spinal cord, that I’m deserving of going to the top, leaving you and everyone else behind me, that I’m deserving of being showcased as the best Asylum newcomer, better than Wolves, better than Hopkins, better than Johnny Rebel himself. “Simply put”, I’m going to prove that I’m deserving of being called the most feared man on Asylum, in APW, in wrestling. Point. Blank. Period.
He slams his fist so hard into the roof, it leaves a dent in the roof. With anger, adrenaline, and desire all coursing through his body, TJ simply picks his hand up, showing no sign of pain.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And as if that wasn’t enough to prove, I’m going to prove that I deserve to be greatness in its truest form, that I deserve to be nightmares in their physical forms, and that I deserve to be, forever and always, “THE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF PHILLY”.
The camera zooms in on TJ’s face as he breathes heavily.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I just hope your ready, Jules. Ready to prove that you deserve to survive.
The scene fades on that same image of TJ.
