Post by The Soul Of Philly on Sept 8, 2012 21:32:33 GMT -4
February 15th, 2003
Lawyer I’m sorry TJ, but a plea was your best bet. We really didn’t have a case.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I know.
Lawyer Hey, it could be worse, it’s only going to be eighteen months. You’ll still have a life after jail. Farewell.
The lawyer walks into the crowd on the street, leaving TJ standing alone on the side walk. He sits down on the steps leading to the court house and looks up at the sky as the pedestrians ignore him as he walks by.
Back then, I wasn’t the big star, I was just a big guy. No one knew me, I’d get the occasional “Do you play basketball?” but that’s about it. [/i]
After about ten minutes or so of sitting there, Kelli Murray walks up to him. TJ stands up and they embrace in a hug.
Kelli.Murray Hey.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Hey.
The contrast between the voices is staggering, Kelli’s upbeat while TJ’s somber. Kelli’s face soon matches TJ’s.
Kelli.Murray Cheer up, it could have been worse.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’m going to jail.
Kelli.Murray For only a year and a half, it could have been 3 years.
That was Kelli. She doesn’t let you be down.
Kelli, tall for a woman, six feet tall, stands on her tippy toes to kiss TJ on the cheek.
That was Kelli too. A warm, comforting kiss on the cheek. [/i]
Kelli.Murray Come on, let’s go home, I made dinner.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Guess it’ll be the last one.[/center]
One Hour Later…
September 4th, 2012
Prologue
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Kelli, almost ten years since she said goodbye. We were something between friends with benefits and a couple. She said goodbye back then. It wasn’t the kind of goodbye that leaves hope, not that “goodbye” leaves a lot of hope to being with. It was 2003, I was on my way to jail and me and Kelli were still undefined as a couple, but leaving for prison defined what we were for us…
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Kelli, almost ten years since she said goodbye. We were something between friends with benefits and a couple. She said goodbye back then. It wasn’t the kind of goodbye that leaves hope, not that “goodbye” leaves a lot of hope to being with. It was 2003, I was on my way to jail and me and Kelli were still undefined as a couple, but leaving for prison defined what we were for us…
We open the scene outside of what looks to be a courthouse in a familiar setting. We see a public bus with a banner of Allen Iverson in a Sixers uniform drive by, confirming the familiar setting as Philadelphia. We see “The Soul of Philly” TJ dressed in a suit with someone who looks like a lawyer next to him walk out of the courthouse and walk down to the sidewalk. The lawyer type turns to TJ and extends his hand out for a handshake. TJ returns the favor.
I shook his hand for basically telling me what I knew, I was going to jail whether I took a guilty plea or not. I threw a man through an office wall for putting his hands on my little sister and I was going to jail for it.
[/i]I shook his hand for basically telling me what I knew, I was going to jail whether I took a guilty plea or not. I threw a man through an office wall for putting his hands on my little sister and I was going to jail for it.
Lawyer I’m sorry TJ, but a plea was your best bet. We really didn’t have a case.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I know.
Lawyer Hey, it could be worse, it’s only going to be eighteen months. You’ll still have a life after jail. Farewell.
The lawyer walks into the crowd on the street, leaving TJ standing alone on the side walk. He sits down on the steps leading to the court house and looks up at the sky as the pedestrians ignore him as he walks by.
Back then, I wasn’t the big star, I was just a big guy. No one knew me, I’d get the occasional “Do you play basketball?” but that’s about it. [/i]
After about ten minutes or so of sitting there, Kelli Murray walks up to him. TJ stands up and they embrace in a hug.
Kelli.Murray Hey.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Hey.
The contrast between the voices is staggering, Kelli’s upbeat while TJ’s somber. Kelli’s face soon matches TJ’s.
Kelli.Murray Cheer up, it could have been worse.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I’m going to jail.
Kelli.Murray For only a year and a half, it could have been 3 years.
That was Kelli. She doesn’t let you be down.
Kelli, tall for a woman, six feet tall, stands on her tippy toes to kiss TJ on the cheek.
That was Kelli too. A warm, comforting kiss on the cheek. [/i]
Kelli.Murray Come on, let’s go home, I made dinner.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Guess it’ll be the last one.[/center]
One Hour Later…
We see TJ and Kelli inside an apartment sitting at a small table eating grilled chicken, potatoes, veggies, basically a big last meal. It’s quiet minus the clanging of the silverware. TJ puts his fork and knife down and looks at Kelli, who looks back at him.
I had to take the risk before it was too late. I didn’t know what she was gonna say, if I did, I would have never said it because of the position it put her in.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I love you.
Kelli.Murray I’m leaving Philly.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but if you took a picture of this moment, you’d have trouble finding ten words, that’s how silent it got following the two’s declarations.
The scene fades as TJ face wears an expression of utter shock and Kelli’s one of utter shame.
To Be Continued…
I had to take the risk before it was too late. I didn’t know what she was gonna say, if I did, I would have never said it because of the position it put her in.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I love you.
Kelli.Murray I’m leaving Philly.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but if you took a picture of this moment, you’d have trouble finding ten words, that’s how silent it got following the two’s declarations.
The scene fades as TJ face wears an expression of utter shock and Kelli’s one of utter shame.
To Be Continued…
September 4th, 2012
Prologue
Welll, that’s enough for right now about Kelli. I mean I got a big chance. All I gotta do is beat Callahan and I got a spot in the Extreme Elimination Chamber at One Night In Hell. Easier said than done, but if there is anything I can do that others can’t it’s doing it easier than it was said.
Welll, that’s enough for right now about Kelli. I mean I got a big chance. All I gotta do is beat Callahan and I got a spot in the Extreme Elimination Chamber at One Night In Hell. Easier said than done, but if there is anything I can do that others can’t it’s doing it easier than it was said.
We open the scene on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum once again, looking out on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the home of the recent Made In America music festival. Trash is scattered along the sidewalks on this rainy day. We find “The Soul of Philly” TJ sitting on the first plateau of the stairs. He is wearing a light jacket with a hoody, keeping him dry from the rain and wet jeans.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ About time, you guys got here. I take it your ready, otherwise you wouldn’t have been so late.
The camera shakes up and down.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Sorry about that, a bit tense this last couple days. First day off crutches and it’s rainy and wet and just depressing ya know. I mean, I love days like this. You need days like today to appreciate tomorrow. You need to have a dark cloud open up and pour down on you to make you realize that the sun isn’t promised.
He takes his hood off and looks up at the rain as it wets his face.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And that’s the day I had at Shockwave. I thought I had everything going my way: was gonna beat Jules, continue my winning streak, and take the Tap Out Championship home to Philadelphia. But then the skies opened and down poured the rain in the form of a crooked ref. We’ve all seen it, his and Jules’ little dance had us all fooled at first. I shouldn’t have let it gotten that far, that’s my bad. My mistake. Won’t happen again if I get the chance, and I will get the chance.
He stands up and wipes the rain from his face and puts the hood back up.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But like tomorrow, there is a sun to look forward to. My wrestling sun comes this Sunday. You see, I may have been unable to capture the Tap Out championship, but I have a chance to qualify for the Extreme Elimination Chamber at One Night In Hell for the World Heavyweight Title. A match that would play very well into my hands. You see, no matter when I would enter the match, whether I’m one of the first two or the last one in, no one stands a chance between there is only so much space in that structure that there would be nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, and now way to win for anyone else.
TJ starts to walk up the stairs to the next level of the stairs.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But before I can even allow myself to think about the possibility of who I’m facing or what I’d do to them. I have to focus on my opponent, Michael Callahan. The American Hero. Wrestling’s representative. The longest reigning champion that Asylum has ever seen.
TJ perks up and smiles
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Oh wait, he’s not the reigning Suicidal champion anymore. Mike, I’m sorry to hear that, but let’s be honest, you’re about as good at being a champion as you are being a politician, and, um, dunno how to put this, you suck at that. Ok, sure, I’m not the brightest guy, but I know a terrible politician when I see one and every time I see your face parading around backstage smiling, shaking hands, kissing babies that don’t want you to kiss them, I’m sickened because I know, just like every other politician, you’re only smiling to win over the people.
TJ shakes his head
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Here’s the thing, you’ll never win this people over. You’ll never get these people happy to see you. Do you wanna know why? No, no it’s because you live a good life now, not because you’ve gone from a hard life to an easy life. No that’s not why the people will never like you, it’s because you feel that because you’ve gone from the hard life to the easy life, you are to be respected. No, you constantly go about flaunting you success due to your early life only pisses everyone off. Why? Because there are some people who work hard in life, make the right choices, and life just doesn’t pan out the way it should. And it sucks, but you represent everything they hate.
TJ begins to walk up another set of stairs, reaching the last level before the top of the stairs.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I mean, we’re very alike believe it or not. We both strive for a better life for the people we represent. We both had struggles. But the major difference between the two of us is that I don’t act like a self-righteous prick about it. Instead of talking a big game, I am a big game. I do my damned best to keep kids out of trouble. I make sure my gym’s a haven for people.
TJ takes his hood off as a booming thunder is heard, forcing TJ to look at the sky.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Our match is going to be a good one. I know it will. You’re past has prepared you for this kind of battle, I’d imagine. You being the small kid every bully would pick on and pick on and pick on. Unrelentingly pestering you, making fun of you, beating you down, but you didn’t break did you? No. You didn’t you took all that punishment and turned into fuel for a future. A future where you now have become the bully. You have the ability to look at those bullies and can mess with their present and future. You can make them regret messing with them in the first place.
TJ walks up the top of the stairs, staring out over the parkway as lightning lights up the sky.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But the mistake you made was letting the bullies fuck with you in the first place. I don’t care if you were the smallest guy, you let them fuck with you the first time unpunished so they kept doing it. And I’ll be damned if I let you try to bully me Mikey. I’ll do what those bullies couldn’t do. I’ll break your right-winged political-bullshit-spewing ass so badly that your spirit is broken. See, I know thing or two about souls and spirits, and I know yours about as strong as a premature newborn, so all it will take is for me to beat you and beat you bad enough to make you rethink every step you’ve taken to get to where you are in life.
Another lighting strike lights up the sky as TJ smiles.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And I can do that because that’s what I am. I’m big game. I’m greatness in its truest form. I’m your nightmares, and I know you got a lot of good ones, I’m your nightmares in their physical forms. I’m “THE FUCKING SOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF PHILLLLLLLLLLLLL-AY!”
He throws his hood up over his head
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And it’s about time the bully gets punched in the face.
The scene fades as TJ makes his way down the steps.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ About time, you guys got here. I take it your ready, otherwise you wouldn’t have been so late.
The camera shakes up and down.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Sorry about that, a bit tense this last couple days. First day off crutches and it’s rainy and wet and just depressing ya know. I mean, I love days like this. You need days like today to appreciate tomorrow. You need to have a dark cloud open up and pour down on you to make you realize that the sun isn’t promised.
He takes his hood off and looks up at the rain as it wets his face.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And that’s the day I had at Shockwave. I thought I had everything going my way: was gonna beat Jules, continue my winning streak, and take the Tap Out Championship home to Philadelphia. But then the skies opened and down poured the rain in the form of a crooked ref. We’ve all seen it, his and Jules’ little dance had us all fooled at first. I shouldn’t have let it gotten that far, that’s my bad. My mistake. Won’t happen again if I get the chance, and I will get the chance.
He stands up and wipes the rain from his face and puts the hood back up.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But like tomorrow, there is a sun to look forward to. My wrestling sun comes this Sunday. You see, I may have been unable to capture the Tap Out championship, but I have a chance to qualify for the Extreme Elimination Chamber at One Night In Hell for the World Heavyweight Title. A match that would play very well into my hands. You see, no matter when I would enter the match, whether I’m one of the first two or the last one in, no one stands a chance between there is only so much space in that structure that there would be nowhere to hide, nowhere to run, and now way to win for anyone else.
TJ starts to walk up the stairs to the next level of the stairs.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But before I can even allow myself to think about the possibility of who I’m facing or what I’d do to them. I have to focus on my opponent, Michael Callahan. The American Hero. Wrestling’s representative. The longest reigning champion that Asylum has ever seen.
TJ perks up and smiles
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Oh wait, he’s not the reigning Suicidal champion anymore. Mike, I’m sorry to hear that, but let’s be honest, you’re about as good at being a champion as you are being a politician, and, um, dunno how to put this, you suck at that. Ok, sure, I’m not the brightest guy, but I know a terrible politician when I see one and every time I see your face parading around backstage smiling, shaking hands, kissing babies that don’t want you to kiss them, I’m sickened because I know, just like every other politician, you’re only smiling to win over the people.
TJ shakes his head
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Here’s the thing, you’ll never win this people over. You’ll never get these people happy to see you. Do you wanna know why? No, no it’s because you live a good life now, not because you’ve gone from a hard life to an easy life. No that’s not why the people will never like you, it’s because you feel that because you’ve gone from the hard life to the easy life, you are to be respected. No, you constantly go about flaunting you success due to your early life only pisses everyone off. Why? Because there are some people who work hard in life, make the right choices, and life just doesn’t pan out the way it should. And it sucks, but you represent everything they hate.
TJ begins to walk up another set of stairs, reaching the last level before the top of the stairs.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ I mean, we’re very alike believe it or not. We both strive for a better life for the people we represent. We both had struggles. But the major difference between the two of us is that I don’t act like a self-righteous prick about it. Instead of talking a big game, I am a big game. I do my damned best to keep kids out of trouble. I make sure my gym’s a haven for people.
TJ takes his hood off as a booming thunder is heard, forcing TJ to look at the sky.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ Our match is going to be a good one. I know it will. You’re past has prepared you for this kind of battle, I’d imagine. You being the small kid every bully would pick on and pick on and pick on. Unrelentingly pestering you, making fun of you, beating you down, but you didn’t break did you? No. You didn’t you took all that punishment and turned into fuel for a future. A future where you now have become the bully. You have the ability to look at those bullies and can mess with their present and future. You can make them regret messing with them in the first place.
TJ walks up the top of the stairs, staring out over the parkway as lightning lights up the sky.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ But the mistake you made was letting the bullies fuck with you in the first place. I don’t care if you were the smallest guy, you let them fuck with you the first time unpunished so they kept doing it. And I’ll be damned if I let you try to bully me Mikey. I’ll do what those bullies couldn’t do. I’ll break your right-winged political-bullshit-spewing ass so badly that your spirit is broken. See, I know thing or two about souls and spirits, and I know yours about as strong as a premature newborn, so all it will take is for me to beat you and beat you bad enough to make you rethink every step you’ve taken to get to where you are in life.
Another lighting strike lights up the sky as TJ smiles.
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And I can do that because that’s what I am. I’m big game. I’m greatness in its truest form. I’m your nightmares, and I know you got a lot of good ones, I’m your nightmares in their physical forms. I’m “THE FUCKING SOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF PHILLLLLLLLLLLLL-AY!”
He throws his hood up over his head
The.Soul.of.Philly TJ And it’s about time the bully gets punched in the face.
The scene fades as TJ makes his way down the steps.
