Al!
League Member
Fed: New Frontier Wrestling
PC: “Wild Child” Aidan Campbell
Date: 2 March 2004.
Series: Homecoming
Issue: 1
Begin Part One–
“Light a fire for a man, and he’s warm for the night. Light that man on fire and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.” - Aidan Campbell, Mid South Hospital, June 2000 shortly after learning he may never wrestle again. Isn’t it funny how a small thing like morphine can make anyone a poet?
[Scene cuts to a shot of a long stretch of Mid-South highway. Traffic is backed up heading East for as far as the camera can see. Scan lines occasionally interrupt the clarity of the images and convey the feeling of a traditional late-day traffic report. A female broadcaster can be heard announcing the event at hand.]
“If at all possible avoid Route 84 Eastbound. As you can see in our live feed, there has been a multi-vehicle accident. Paramedics, Police and Fire officials have blocked off the interstate ….”
[Scene cuts to a blurred view of what appears to be the median of Route 84. What remains of the frame of a small sports car is turned over upon its side. A large hole exists between the door and lower frame and as the shot pans up two paramedics can be seen looking down.]
“Stay with us man, stay with us. You made it this far, you’ll be ok”
“How many fingers am I holding up…. Can you feel this?” says the other.
At first no reply comes from the patient. Seconds pass. A shallow breath comes from a man who just hours before was fighting one of the top wrestlers in the world to a draw…
“Damn, you’re ugly.”
As a makeshift morphine drip begins to pour into Campbell’s veins the fire begins to consume him. All else fades, the pain, the past.. his career. To Black.
[Scene cuts back to the traffic broadcast.. Chiron at the bottom of the screen begins to roll “Professional athlete involved in multi-car pileup. Route 84 has been closed pending Airlift”]
-End Part One
-Begin Part Two
Time: Four years later, March 2004
Place: Carson City Auto Body
[Scene opens to reveal the interior of a luxury SUV. The sights and sounds of the previously mentioned traffic broadcast can be viewed/heard across the entertainment system/TV’s of the vehicle. A man sits perhaps listening to what’s going on around him, perhaps partially enjoying the lunch at his side, but definitely engrossed in the piece of paper he holds in his hands.]
“Aidan,
It’s been a while buddy. I hear you’ve been keeping yourself busy working on that damn wreck of a car you’ve managed to crack up. You’re not an easy guy to find.”
(Thoughts: Yeah that’s the way I wanted it.)
“So I’m going to get right down to it. Dr. Reese tells me you’re in great shape and could get back in the ring.”
(Thoughts: ****ing Reese.)
“Right about now you’re probably saying “****ing Reese”. Don’t blame him for all of it. Sullivan’s been paying him for a while now and he likes to keep a lid on everyone that used to be on payroll. He asked me to keep an eye on you, so it’s my fault.
(Thoughts: Yeah, since when have you been doing what Sullivan wants? Cheesedick.)
I don’t expect you to consider coming back to NFW due to Sullivan or due to some love of wrestling, but I’d like you to come back because I could use the backup. Aside from me you’re the only one that knows what being 5-Stars means.”
“Come to the next show, I’ll have you on the commissary list. If you get in late there’ll be tickets at one of the windows for ringside.”
Later kid.
5 Star.”
The letter falls from his hand onto the seat to his right as a bellow can be heard from the floor outside.
“Campbell! What the hell are you doing in Holmes’s SUV!”
“Taking a stroll down memory lane Earl. That and eating in as much style as this place allows.”
Campbell gets out of the vehicle, two days of stubble and the dirt on his jumpsuit putting aside any notion that he’s preened himself over the last four years. The long hair is tied back and of normal brown color. A wedding band can be seen on his left hand.
“You know Aidan, you really need to get your act together, you ain’t nothing special anymore and living in the past only got you divorced. You look like ****.”
“Yeah, Earl, well you know, last time I checked you paid me to fix cars, didn’t know that fixing cars and looking like **** was mutually exclusive.”
“You got issues Campbell.”
“Yeah well I got those covered”
With that the door of the SUV is slammed and Campbell walks towards the open service door. The stride in his walk tells Earl he may not be back.
“Damn straight you got them covered. Your ****ing right arm ain’t seen daylight for four years and that wedding band is about two years out of date.”
Earl storms up the walkway, his 300 lb frame moving on an intercept course with the former athlete.
“Listen hotshot, living in the past and looking like **** isn’t going to bring Ally back. It isn’t going to make that tattoo on your arm go away, and it sure as hell ain’t going to make you happy. “
“What the **** do you want Earl?”
Moments pass and a look of depression washes over Earl’s face..
“How about not getting yourself killed. I know what was in that letter and I’m taking a guess of what’s going through your head. Listen kid, I know you’re going to tell me to go screw, but since you’re strolling down memory lane.. lemme pain you a real picture.”
“I’m looking at a kid that 4 years ago was on top of the world with a new wife, a decent gig, and a bunch of potential. Four years is a long time,”
Campbell starts to look a bit agitated as if he knows what’s coming next.
“In the last four years you’ve discovered a morphine allergy and recovered from a morphine addiction. You’ve lost your wife and you ain’t the millionaire anymore. You’ve been in jail three times and you’re on your last chance with your probation officer. Only reason why you’re even standing here is because you can fix cars, otherwise you’d be in jail. “
So you’ll have to excuse my ass for thinking that taking off to travel and wrestle is probably going to be a bad idea, especially considering that one more shot in any one of a number of places on your body is going to get you killed. How’s that hip flexor champ?”
Earl moves through Campbell’s left hip and is quickly dodged.
“Listen boss, I don’t have a whole lot of answers for you right now. I know two things. The first is that I owe you.”
“Damn straight you owe me, you’ll owe me until you kill yourself.”
“Know what the second thing is Earl?”
Silence and a generally pissed off stare glares back at him..
“What Aidan?”
“Wrestling is all I have left. I don’t expect you to understand that. I do expect that for old times sake you’ll humor me on this. I need a few days off.”
Earl storms past Campbell and heads for the service bays.
“**** all, if you’re going to take off, take off. I don’t want to know where you’re going or what you’re doing. Your death ain’t going to be on my head. Get your damn car out of my bays too.”
A tear slowly forms down Campbell’s left eye as he turns to walk away.
[Scene cuts to the private office of Earl Carson as he approaches his desk. Wrestling memorabilia can be seen adorning the walls. Belt buckles and pictures in frames and cases are illuminated by the filtered light passing through frosted glass windows as he sits at his computer.]
(Thoughts: Ah young Campbell, I know more than you think.)
Earl sits at his computer and opens an email program, the following is written.
To: ghost@nfwwrestling.com
From: Carson@scout.nfwwrestling.com
Re: Wild Child
Kid’s taken the bait. Reese has cleared him to wrestle per your request. Attached find copies of Campbell’s medical records and my evaluation of his existing injuries.
Need anything else let me know.
Carson.
End Part Two.
PC: “Wild Child” Aidan Campbell
Date: 2 March 2004.
Series: Homecoming
Issue: 1
Begin Part One–
“Light a fire for a man, and he’s warm for the night. Light that man on fire and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.” - Aidan Campbell, Mid South Hospital, June 2000 shortly after learning he may never wrestle again. Isn’t it funny how a small thing like morphine can make anyone a poet?
[Scene cuts to a shot of a long stretch of Mid-South highway. Traffic is backed up heading East for as far as the camera can see. Scan lines occasionally interrupt the clarity of the images and convey the feeling of a traditional late-day traffic report. A female broadcaster can be heard announcing the event at hand.]
“If at all possible avoid Route 84 Eastbound. As you can see in our live feed, there has been a multi-vehicle accident. Paramedics, Police and Fire officials have blocked off the interstate ….”
[Scene cuts to a blurred view of what appears to be the median of Route 84. What remains of the frame of a small sports car is turned over upon its side. A large hole exists between the door and lower frame and as the shot pans up two paramedics can be seen looking down.]
“Stay with us man, stay with us. You made it this far, you’ll be ok”
“How many fingers am I holding up…. Can you feel this?” says the other.
At first no reply comes from the patient. Seconds pass. A shallow breath comes from a man who just hours before was fighting one of the top wrestlers in the world to a draw…
“Damn, you’re ugly.”
As a makeshift morphine drip begins to pour into Campbell’s veins the fire begins to consume him. All else fades, the pain, the past.. his career. To Black.
[Scene cuts back to the traffic broadcast.. Chiron at the bottom of the screen begins to roll “Professional athlete involved in multi-car pileup. Route 84 has been closed pending Airlift”]
-End Part One
-Begin Part Two
Time: Four years later, March 2004
Place: Carson City Auto Body
[Scene opens to reveal the interior of a luxury SUV. The sights and sounds of the previously mentioned traffic broadcast can be viewed/heard across the entertainment system/TV’s of the vehicle. A man sits perhaps listening to what’s going on around him, perhaps partially enjoying the lunch at his side, but definitely engrossed in the piece of paper he holds in his hands.]
“Aidan,
It’s been a while buddy. I hear you’ve been keeping yourself busy working on that damn wreck of a car you’ve managed to crack up. You’re not an easy guy to find.”
(Thoughts: Yeah that’s the way I wanted it.)
“So I’m going to get right down to it. Dr. Reese tells me you’re in great shape and could get back in the ring.”
(Thoughts: ****ing Reese.)
“Right about now you’re probably saying “****ing Reese”. Don’t blame him for all of it. Sullivan’s been paying him for a while now and he likes to keep a lid on everyone that used to be on payroll. He asked me to keep an eye on you, so it’s my fault.
(Thoughts: Yeah, since when have you been doing what Sullivan wants? Cheesedick.)
I don’t expect you to consider coming back to NFW due to Sullivan or due to some love of wrestling, but I’d like you to come back because I could use the backup. Aside from me you’re the only one that knows what being 5-Stars means.”
“Come to the next show, I’ll have you on the commissary list. If you get in late there’ll be tickets at one of the windows for ringside.”
Later kid.
5 Star.”
The letter falls from his hand onto the seat to his right as a bellow can be heard from the floor outside.
“Campbell! What the hell are you doing in Holmes’s SUV!”
“Taking a stroll down memory lane Earl. That and eating in as much style as this place allows.”
Campbell gets out of the vehicle, two days of stubble and the dirt on his jumpsuit putting aside any notion that he’s preened himself over the last four years. The long hair is tied back and of normal brown color. A wedding band can be seen on his left hand.
“You know Aidan, you really need to get your act together, you ain’t nothing special anymore and living in the past only got you divorced. You look like ****.”
“Yeah, Earl, well you know, last time I checked you paid me to fix cars, didn’t know that fixing cars and looking like **** was mutually exclusive.”
“You got issues Campbell.”
“Yeah well I got those covered”
With that the door of the SUV is slammed and Campbell walks towards the open service door. The stride in his walk tells Earl he may not be back.
“Damn straight you got them covered. Your ****ing right arm ain’t seen daylight for four years and that wedding band is about two years out of date.”
Earl storms up the walkway, his 300 lb frame moving on an intercept course with the former athlete.
“Listen hotshot, living in the past and looking like **** isn’t going to bring Ally back. It isn’t going to make that tattoo on your arm go away, and it sure as hell ain’t going to make you happy. “
“What the **** do you want Earl?”
Moments pass and a look of depression washes over Earl’s face..
“How about not getting yourself killed. I know what was in that letter and I’m taking a guess of what’s going through your head. Listen kid, I know you’re going to tell me to go screw, but since you’re strolling down memory lane.. lemme pain you a real picture.”
“I’m looking at a kid that 4 years ago was on top of the world with a new wife, a decent gig, and a bunch of potential. Four years is a long time,”
Campbell starts to look a bit agitated as if he knows what’s coming next.
“In the last four years you’ve discovered a morphine allergy and recovered from a morphine addiction. You’ve lost your wife and you ain’t the millionaire anymore. You’ve been in jail three times and you’re on your last chance with your probation officer. Only reason why you’re even standing here is because you can fix cars, otherwise you’d be in jail. “
So you’ll have to excuse my ass for thinking that taking off to travel and wrestle is probably going to be a bad idea, especially considering that one more shot in any one of a number of places on your body is going to get you killed. How’s that hip flexor champ?”
Earl moves through Campbell’s left hip and is quickly dodged.
“Listen boss, I don’t have a whole lot of answers for you right now. I know two things. The first is that I owe you.”
“Damn straight you owe me, you’ll owe me until you kill yourself.”
“Know what the second thing is Earl?”
Silence and a generally pissed off stare glares back at him..
“What Aidan?”
“Wrestling is all I have left. I don’t expect you to understand that. I do expect that for old times sake you’ll humor me on this. I need a few days off.”
Earl storms past Campbell and heads for the service bays.
“**** all, if you’re going to take off, take off. I don’t want to know where you’re going or what you’re doing. Your death ain’t going to be on my head. Get your damn car out of my bays too.”
A tear slowly forms down Campbell’s left eye as he turns to walk away.
[Scene cuts to the private office of Earl Carson as he approaches his desk. Wrestling memorabilia can be seen adorning the walls. Belt buckles and pictures in frames and cases are illuminated by the filtered light passing through frosted glass windows as he sits at his computer.]
(Thoughts: Ah young Campbell, I know more than you think.)
Earl sits at his computer and opens an email program, the following is written.
To: ghost@nfwwrestling.com
From: Carson@scout.nfwwrestling.com
Re: Wild Child
Kid’s taken the bait. Reese has cleared him to wrestle per your request. Attached find copies of Campbell’s medical records and my evaluation of his existing injuries.
Need anything else let me know.
Carson.
End Part Two.