Post by Dead Eye on Jun 20, 2018 5:09:25 GMT -5
“Mind Over Matter”
•June 15, 2018•
•2:00 PM•
•Dr. Rick Van Haveren’s Office•
•Alpharetta, GA•
•Camera:OFF•
•Entrer•
The scene opens with Dead Eye having exited the office of his sports psychologist. We join him in the middle of a phone conversation.
CJ: “Bruh, you know I can't do it. I done told you I don't know how many times, Marc.”
He rubs the bridge of his nose as he enters his car and sits in the driver's seat of the sports car. He lets out a deep sigh as his cousin shows him no mercy.
Marcus: “I know it feels like I'm banging on a drum, but I need you to think about a few things here. You with me still?”
Another sigh escapes.
CJ: “I ain't go anywhere.”
Marcus: “Good. Aight. One, you're the reason all this even exists. It's your name on the marquee, if you wanna put it that way. It was a tough enough sale to get folk here with the knowledge you weren't a part of the active training process in-person, anymore. Dude, this is our first full first graduating class. Is it fair to them…or even yourself and all your hard work to get this started for you not to be here for the commencement? Don't answer just yet. Think about it for a minute logically.”
A deep breath is heard being exhaled in the small space. He punches his steering wheel, breathing deeply. He knows Marcus is right. It isn't fair to punish the people that paid their hard-earned money to get trained at his school, but to do this means confronting the demons he has been running from. Is this a blessing in disguise, however?
•June 16, 2018•
•11:00 AM•
•Michigan City Municipal Airport•
•Michigan City, Indiana•
•Camera:OFF•
The scene reopens with Dead Eye walking out of the private airport nearest his former home of Long Beach, Indiana. As he closes his eyes, trying not to have flashbacks of his last moments in the area, he feels the hand of his girlfriend rub his arm. The touch reminds him that, in some ways, he has been able to move on.
Chey: “Everything is going to be okay, CJ. I know this is difficult for you, but I'm here. Don't forget that, love.”
He mentally goes back in time to visiting his parent's house and having been served divorce papers during the visit. The words of his father ring through his head. “Son, I know this seems like dark times, but I know you. You have fought like hell your whole life. This is just another test from above to see how strong of a man you truly are. Now, will you cower in despair and depression or run to the Almighty to be your fortress when all around you seems in shambles?”
He's been running, all right. Those words remind him that he's been running away from everything, and it's about time that stops. It also reminds him of the fact that he hasn't been such a man of faith of late. He wonders if that has compounded some of his issues. Avery has mentioned that to him, which he deflected defensively. He realizes he has zoned-out. He flips his sunglasses up, turning to Cheyenne. He squeezes her hand with his.
CJ: “I appreciate that. It means more than I can express. I just had… a moment there and kinda zoned on ya.”
Chey: “It's okay. I've noticed you do that from time-to-time. I can't lie and say that I completely know what you're going through with this, but I'm here in whatever way you need me.”
The two are interrupted as CJ's cousin, Marcus, approaches. The two James men embrace. Marcus reaches to hug Chey.
Marcus: “I'm glad you decided to come. It will mean a lot for this class for you to do their commencement. I know this ain't easy for you, but you need to get yourself over all this.”
He waves his hand around the air, much like CJ tends to do. The two men are very much alike and really more like brothers than cousins.
Chey: “Oh, gosh. That must be a family thing…the hand talking.”
They both give Chey a side eye. She bursts into laughter.
Chey: “Don't be mad at me. I didn't do anything.”
CJ: “Really, bruh?”
He turns his attention to his cousin.
CJ: “I can't say I'm thrilled to be here. That said, it's needed. Between what you said, the words of Adrien about my yips and not being one hunnit, I realize I have to confront this head-on. Running away is getting me nowhere. Ya think I'd have realized this earlier, considering I've given others the same advice.”
Marcus: “We both know that you aren't good at following your own, though.”
Chey: “He's right, CJ.”
Marcus: “I knew I liked this one for a reason. Keep agreeing with me, and you'll find yourself quickly part of this family.”
CJ: “Shut up, Marc. Babe, don't agree with this clown… Or at least, don't verbally announce that you do. I'll never hear the end of it.”
He laughs— something he didn't expect to do much in this setting. Could this be the catalysts he needs? A return visit to Indy and a match against Adrien?
Marcus: “Are we gonna stand here all day? Or we gonna get some grub?”
Chey: “I like that idea.”
Marcus: “The usual spot, C?”
CJ: “Might as well start there on this trip of nostalgia. I don't think I'm ready to face all this on an empty stomach.”
Cheyenne squeezes his hand, a reminder that he isn't facing this alone. In some ways, this has an effect of scaring CJ in a way of wondering if this could truly last. Is he finally going to be able to be happy and stay that way? Can he redefine himself once more?
•June 15, 2018•
•11:30 PM•
•Embassy Suites•
•Indianapolis, IN•
•Camera:ON•
The scene reopens a third time with Dead Eye on the phone. He is on-hold awaiting a radio on the overnight ESPN Radio show, Freddie and Fitzsimmons. He has been on a few times with Freddie Coleman when he hosted the show alone. This will be his first appearance on the new format. Any ESPN Radio listener knows that Coleman is an admitted fan of professional wrestling. We hear Freddie give the spot to a commercial break on the radio station. He then comes on the line with Dead Eye. This is off-air, radio wise.
Freddie: “Dead Eye, my man. How are ya? Thanks for coming back on.”
Dead Eye: “I'm good, man. Good to be back on with ya. Sorry, it's been so long.”
Freddie: “No sweat. We'll be back on in a second. This will be slightly different than our usual talks. Ian has a few questions for you.”
Dead Eye: “Sounds good.”
The show comes back on.
Freddie: “Welcome back to Freddie and Fitzsimmons on the mighty ESPN Radio.”
Ian: “And we have a guest on the Penzoil Performance Hotline. He's a friend of the show, right, Freddie?”
Freddie: “Yes, sir. It's my man, Dead Eye. How's it going, my friend?”
Dead Eye: “It's going. What's Gucci, Freddie? Fitz?”
Ian: “Dead Eye, Ian here. You've had a tough go in your return so far. What do you think it'll take to get over the hump, so to speak?”
Dead Eye: “Shoot to kill, huh, Fitz? It's all good. Love you guys as a duo.”
Freddie: “Thanks.”
Dead Eye: “Anyway. Yeah, I'm taking this a match at a time. Clearly, some would say that strategy hasn't worked out well for me so far, but they're not in my shoes. I'm confident I'll be my ‘old self’ soon enough.”
Freddie: “You certainly will need to be going up against your friend Adrien Cochrane.”
Dead Eye: “Without a doubt, Freddie. This is a match AC and I have dreamed about since we met three years ago. It almost happened once, but the stars didn't align, as they say. I knew it was inevitable, and I'm not gonna allow myself to get into the mental funk I got when I found out that I was going up against Avery. I'm definitely lightyears above where I was even that short time ago. This last rip I had in the bag. You know me, Freddie. We've talked several times, and I appreciate you plugging NG Dubs for me. That said, you know I don't make excuses. Shields did what he did, and the record book records it as a loss. C’est la vie. I'm going into this match with Adrien knowing I'm making huge strides from where I was three months ago.”
Ian: “Adrien Cochrane said that he is going to bring the legend back, that you're too young to be a has-been. He also said he knows that legend is still inside you. What are your thoughts on what he had to say?”
Dead Eye: “You gotta love Adrien's passion. It's contagious and one of the reasons we clicked as quickly as we did. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for Adrien, I'm not sure if I'm back in the ring today. When he found out— probably from Avery— that I was debating whether or not to make a return, he was quick to make up my mind for me.”
Dead Eye laughs.
Dead Eye: “He practically talked me into it. If he wasn't a wrestler, I bet Adrien would make a good salesman. Back on topic, Adrien is very passionate about this business, and so am I. He's also very passionate about getting the best and most out of his opponents. I'm sure that was the driving force in a lot of what Adrien had to say. In fact, it actually motivated me to finally get over something I've been putting off. As we speak, I'm sitting in a hotel room in Indianapolis.”
Freddie: “Wow. That is huge.”
Dead Eye: “Yeah, it is. I swore I never would come back to this city, unless contractually obligated to. Sometimes, we have to face our fears head-on. I'm blessed to have a support system like I do. Between Chey, Avery, Adrien, Serenity, Marcus, I'm making progress a little at a time. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's getting bigger every day.”
Ian: “Now, here, we more often than not don't have this type of story to cover. Naturally, in mainstream sports, we cover injuries and returns from them. It's rare in those cases that we cover someone returning from a broken neck. Take us through that in these last few minutes we have, if you don't mind.”
Dead Eye: “I don't mind at all. You ask me this three or four months ago, and I hang up. Now, I embrace it. It was tough. I thought I'd seen adversity in my life, but I wasn't prepared mentally for the battle I'd find myself in. When I've rehabbed other stuff, it was simple. Wait a minute, start working out, start working on getting the spot back 100%. This was a totally different animal. I couldn't really do anything because it was my neck. Sure, I could do leg presses, but that ain't gonna get me back into the shape I wanted to be in. It was a lot of patience and waiting.
“Throw in the fact that my personal life fell apart, and you have a recipe for disaster, which is why I think it's taken me a great deal of time to fully rebound here. I booked it. I took off out all the way to the Pacific Northwest and buried myself into my restaurant as soon as I could physically do so. That started off with me in a wheelchair, which wasn't easy, at all. But, thank God I'm walking and doing what I love. You will see me back on top. I make that promise here on national radio. It's archived forever now. Dead Eye will be back to his old self. It's just mind over matter.”
The scene fades out with Freddie and Fitzsimmons thanking Dead Eye for his time. He truly feels that this is the beginning of something special for him.
•Entrer•