The Beginning: Part 2We are back in Chad Columbo's screening room, but this time he is joined by Terry Magnum, Jessica Beach, Missy Blackwood, and Nick Claffey. They are all sitting and waiting for the second part of Chad's renactment of how he and Darrell first met.
Claffey: You know, I appreciate the entertainment and all, but I thought I was invited here to discuss strategy for our match this Friday night.
Chad: Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick! What really is there to discuss?? You, myself, and Magnum are the top three athletes in the WWA! All we have to do is go out there and do what we always do. Kick the shit out of anyone that stands in our way.
Magnum: You talk like this is nothing more than a common everyday match! Chad, you MUST have some mixed emotions about facing Darrell for the first time ever, even if it IS in a six-man tag.
Chad: Terry, come Friday Night .... DARRELL will be the one with mixed emotions. I've got a suprise for him so big it's going to turn his little world upside down!
Claffey: Oh really? And pray would you tell us what this little suprise might be??
Chad: No can do Clafftastic One. This one is on a "Need To Know" basis, if you get my meaning.
Magnum: Fine, fine .... keep your secret Chad. What I want to know is how in the hell you and Darrell became friends after the man threw you through a frigging window!!
Chad: Ask and thy shall recieve!! Are we ready up there?? A hand creeps out from the projector window above the back of the room with an "okay" sign, then pops back in.) Well, then lets strut, cut, Boom, and ROLLEM!!! Lights please!
The room dims out and the screen lights up. Once again, it shows the front of The Dive. It is not long after Chad walked away and there is still broken glass strewn all over the sidewalk. But it is past closing time.... there are no patrons left in the bar, as we can see from the glass-free window pane. After a couple of seconds, we see Chad return .... holding a lead pipe in his hand.
"Ah yes, the ancient art of 'returning the favor'. I had been humiliated, and even back then the old Columbo ego was in full bloom. I was hell bent on getting this guy back in spades. Nobody does that to me and gets away with it, I thought. Funny thing is, I didn't count on what happened next...."
As we watch Chad stand by the door, hiding the lead pipe whenever somebody passes by, we begin to hear muffled arguing coming from inside The Dive. But it quickly gets louder, sounding like whomever is shouting is getting closer....
Unknown: No Darrell, go out the back way!!! I don't want you slamming my front door and ruining IT too.
Darrell: Come on Gabe. If your going to fire me, at least let me leave with some dignity out the FRONT door.
Pushed up against the wall outside next to the entrance,Chad nods emphatically at this suggestion, but "Gabe" appears to disagree.
Gabe: Look Darrell, I'm sorry I have to do this. I know you just got married and are living in some shack and really need this job.... (Chad rolls his eyes, then pretends to cry, rubbing his eye with one hand and sobbing silently in a mocking gesture. He clenches the pipe tighter and sneers in the direction of the voices.) ... but this is the fourth time in the last two months you have broken that window! Not to mention the countless glasses, tables, and chairs! I just can't afford to pay you AND to replace everything you've destroyed. You're just too rough and I need a bouncer that keeps his cool when dealing with rowdies. Please, I'll give you an extra weeks pay, just leave out the back.
Darrell: Fine, if that's the way you want it. Good riddens, I was sick of this job anyway!
We hear footsteps moving away. Chad makes a disgusted face then looks towards the alley to his right. He stalks toward it. The scene switches to the back alley behind The Dive. We see Chad peeking around the corner. Down the alley a bit we see Darrell Music surrounded by four looming figures. Chad rolls his eyes yet again and listens to the following conversation....
Darrell: Look Sam, I told you I'd get the money as soon as I could, its the best I can do. Give me a break, I've just lost my job.
Sam: Darrell my friend I have given you more time then I have ever given anyone ever before. You bet on the Steelers to win the Super Bowl back in January. It is now July. Seven months and you have yet to give me the five thousand dollars you owe me. If I don't make an example out of you now it will be bad for business, cause if you can get away with it, anyone can get away with it. Boys, do your thing.
The three thugs each pull out knives and surround Darrell. Darrell shows no fear on his face whatsoever, and prepares to defend himself.
"I don't know, to this day, why I decided to do what I did next. After all, fair play hadn't necessarily been my forte BEFORE this encounter."
As Sam and his thugs close in on Darrell, Chad sneaks up behind one of them and clobbers him on the back of the head with the pipe. The guy collapses to the ground in a heap. The other thugs turn around in surprise.
Sam: What the.....
Chad: Hi guys! Oops I'm sorry, is this a private party or can anyone join?
Darrell takes advantage of the distraction to grab Sam and one of the other thugs by the hair and ram their heads together. Chad dodges the swing of the last thugs knife and nails him with a left cross that sends him careening into the wall where he collapses unconscious. Darrell and Chad stare at the bodies strewn around them for a second, then glance up at each other for what seems like a long time. Darrell is the first to break the silence.
Darrell: Ummm.... thanks, I think. What the hell are you doing back here?
"I could have taken that lead pipe and let him join his unconscious friends. I could have left him lying broken and bleeding right there in that alley. Or maybe I would have missed and it would have been the other way around. We won't ever know because it was then at that very moment that I made a decision that would eventually lead to wrestling history."
Chad looks down at the lead pipe in his hand, then drops it.
Chad: I was just passing by. I saw your window was open and thought I'd look in? Okay, how about this one....
Darrell: Nevermind, nevermind. Forget I asked. Look, I have got to get out of here. These guys are going to wake up eventually and I need the time to figure out what the hell I'm going... Hey, what the heck are you doing NOW?
Chad has pulled a wad of money from his pocket, he kneels down to where Sam lies in a pile of garbage bags and slaps him roughly awake.
Chad: Wake up sunshine. Hey listen, here's your damn money. Now I want you to leave Mr. Music alone from now on. And if either of us ever see your ugly ass again, your going to be lying under garbage instead of on top of it. Comprende amigo?
Sam nods weakly. Chad takes the wad of money and stuffs it into Sam's coat pocket. Then Chad punches him in the face again to put him back into dreamland. He stands up and faces Darrell.
Chad: Well, that takes care of that problem. Now I saw a bar down the street thats still open, how about I buy you a beer?
Darrell: I didn't need you to do that, I don't need your charity.
Chad: Oh really? Let me guess, you were going to bet on the Chargers next year and break even, right? Look pal, I just may have saved your life and I just paid off your debt, you don't have to thank me and I'm certainly not asking you to grovel before me. All I'm asking for is for you to have a beer with me.
Darrell: I don't drink.
Chad: Hey, one beer and a few minutes of your time isn't going to kill you, but it just may change your life. I know the perfect career for you, one in which you can make money and have alot of fun.
Darrell: Hey, I'm not into that kinky shit....
Chad: No kinky shit sparky. Just one beer. Just a few minutes of your time. If you don't like what I say, we part ways.
Darrell appears to think it over for a few seconds, then shrugs.
Darrell: I'm not sure why a guy I just threw through a window would want to help me, but what the hell. But I swear to god if your some nutcase I'm going to rip your head off and feed it to you backwards.
Chad: Such expressionism! Yes I think you could do very well. Let's go.
As the duo leave the carnage behind and walk off camera the screen goes dark and the lights in the screening room come back on.
Chad: And there you have it folks. Darrell liked what I had to say, came out to Florida with me to train as a professional wrestler, and the rest is history. The true story of the start of Icons Unlimited.
Claffey: So, let me get this straight. You are the reason Darrell became a wrestler. So then in essence, you MADE Darrell Music.
Chad: Correct.
Magnum: So if it wasn't for you, Darrell Music would either be a poor derelict or dead right now.
Chad: You got it sparky.
Claffey: Heheheheheheheh, that explains everything. I always knew Darrell couldn't have gotten as far as he has all by himself.
Chad: Well guys, I think its time to retire to the den to have some wine and discuss some strategy. Jess, would you escort these two gentlemen along and I will be there in a little bit.
Jessica, Magnum and Nick all leave the room. Once they are gone, Chad walks over and picks up the WWA World Championship Belt. He looks at it for a few seconds before facing the camera.
Chad: You know Darrell, after everything we've been through over the last six years.... and before Vendetta.... everyone from the casual fan to the diehard fanatic could not understand how you and I could ever get along in such an environment. Wrestling is a cold hearted business, it takes a very very strong bond to survive in our sport. But the thing I don't think you realize and never even came close to suspecting is that I never forgot that night. I never forgot you throwing me through that window. I didn't take you into my confidence so that I could help you. I didn't do it out of the goodness of my heart. I did it so that one day I would be able to humiliate you in front of millions of people like you humiliated me. But along the way, I made sure that I rubbed it in your face every step of the way without you even realizing it. The limos, the women, the money... everything you ever wanted, I had. The World Championships, the fans cheering my name, the recognition.... For six years I let you have a taste of what it was like to be me, without you ever coming close to being the Icon that I am.
Chad smiles and shakes his head, then continues.
And I did this on purpose, because for the humiliation you caused me for the few minutes that night in California I have cause you six years of utter frustration and torment. It killed you to see me winning World Titles while you were stuck in that po-dunk ICW, where the best you could do was win a useless Three Way Championship and beat punks like Sexual Motor and Steven Vames. It drove you crazy to see me succeed in main events all over the world while the best you could do was a mid-card Hell In The Cell against an obscure opponent who was never seen again afterwards because he was just another nobody. And it about put you over the edge when you heard those fans cheering and you came to the realization that they weren't doing it for you ... but that they were MY fans and that the only reason they even gave a damn about you was because you were associated with ME!!
Chad shifts the belt dramatically to his shoulder and his grin seems to get even bigger.
Chad: But the final straw that broke the sanity of Darrell Music was losing the Intercontinental Belt to Nick Claffey. Losing to Nick Claffey ..... again .... and then watching me demolish Joe McBrady. Watching me once again bask in the spotlight while you came up with nothing. I knew it would happen someday .... all of the jealousy would eat at you until you could no longer stand it. And now we are at that point ..... and now you have lost touch with reality, just like I knew you would. I have never heard you utter such nonsense before. YOU carried me? Really? What World Championship have YOU ever held? You've never even held a World Tag Team Championship with Hogarth as The Music Industry! You can't carry HIM around let alone me. You've really hit bottom Darrell....and it's only going to get worse. Friday Night, your world starts falling apart around you ........ piece by piece. McBrady and Hogarth? You two are just pawns in the overall picture. See you Friday Darrell .... bring a crying towel. Seriously .... you are going to need it. BOOM!!
Chad laughs as the scene fades to black.
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