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time: thursday late afternoon day: february fourteenth place: bailey's bay, bermuda; engel residence. (Valentine's Day. I remember when Mia and I first started going out that I forgot Valentine's Day. As stupid as it is, it means a lot to her. That's the whole point. Luckily, Mia is a great girl and actually stuck with me, even if I was forgetful. I felt at the time that I didn't need an excuse to take her out and buy her something nice. Fast forward six years, engagement, marriage, and raising a kid. I embrace Valentine's Day now. It gets me back on her good side when I find myself too busy to take her out. Sure, it's a cop-out, but hey...it means a lot to her and I'll do it for her.)(Warren and I are down stairs in the basement, sparring each other in my little homemade ring. Warren doesn't know the full extent of wrestling, but he's a hell of a boxer and can really help me work on my speed. I don't know a lot of people that can match his quickness. I'm in a long-sleeve Harley Davidson shirt with gray sweats and Warren's wearing a MGD shirt with some black gym shorts. It's almost like a Neo versus Morpheus training here. I'm trying to finally tap my quickness and speed potential and Warren is showing me the door. I'm the one that has to walk through it. Cha-ching.) WARREN: What do you and Mia have planned for tonight? VIRUS: I've got reservations at the steakhouse around eight. Dinner, wine, and you'd better be asleep or unavailable when we get back. (I come at him with a right, but he dodges it easily.) WARREN: Ten-four. Did you buy her anything? VIRUS: I got her some jewelry. Well, actually, I'm gonna give her a box of chocolate. She'll open it to find the jewelry inside. Corny I know but she likes that sort of thing. WARREN: As long as it works. (He comes at me with a jab-hook combo, I manage only to dodge one of them. He catches me on the side of my chin.) VIRUS: Fuck. (I throw up my arms as he goes in, but fight him back with some rib shots and a hook of my own.) WARREN: There you go. Some of the best offense is a good defense. Rocky four that shit. (I laugh and dodge one of his jabs.) VIRUS: Question. Out of Stallone's two new movies, which one did you like better? WARREN: Rambo. Brutal action. You just can't get enough of it. VIRUS: I'm a little partial to Rocky Balboa. I felt he poured his heart into that movie and he didn't do a bad job acting either. Plus, it was great to see Rocky return. I wasn't a huge fan of Rambo. (I go in with a little combo and come out empty.) WARREN: You may be tough like Rocky but you hit like shit. (I go back in with a few rights, then surpirse him with a left. I catch him on the chin as he staggers back a bit.) VIRUS: You were saying? (He smiles at me. He comes in and I swing, but he dodges immediately and hits me hard with a punch that I couldn't even see. Blinding speed. I protect myself from his second, but he catches me in the ribs. I try a throw-back, but he dodges and catches me in the face again. He's so damn quick.) WARREN: I've been meaning to talk to you about something since Monday. The PWA. How bad is it, Matt? Do you HONESTLY think I wouldn't be able to take care of myself? VIRUS: This again? I thought I already told you. WARREN: You told me I could do whatever I want, but you were 'warning' me. I'll listen to your warning, but I'm not a little kid anymore. (As he comes at me with rights and lefts. Block, block, dodge. Hit. That stung more than the others. He's getting angrier.) VIRUS: I just want what's best for you. WARREN: And I need money. I need a job. I need a life. Matt, I am forever in your debt for taking me in to your home, but I don't plan on staying here forever. The PWA could be my way to better things. VIRUS: You want the nitty-gritty, Warren? WARREN: Yes. (We pause a moment in the ring. I lean against the ropes. He stares a hole right through me.) VIRUS: The PWA is shallow when it comes to the talent pool, but there are some guys there that will end your career. They will snap you in half. There are some people there that are unforviging. Where the PWA lacks in talent, it makes up for in pain and suffering. And I don't mean that in a bad way toward the PWA. These guys hit. They hit hard. Harder than you've ever felt. Do you think I enjoy doing nothing but recovery for a couple days after every time I wrestle? You've been here awhile now. You know what I go through. Do you want to go through that? Every week? (He looks away.) WARREN: If it means that I get paid and I get respect, then yes. I'll do it. (He looks into my eyes. So naive, but yet so innocent. He just wants to go out there and get something for himself. Who am I to say no? Did I not want the same thing when I was his age?) VIRUS: Respect is void in the PWA. Don't expect it from anyone. Nobody "respects" anybody anymore. Everybody is better than everybody, until you pin their shoulders to the mat. Even then, you don't want to come across as weak, so you make up excuses. You tear down the guy that pinned you because you believe it was a fluke. But, in reality, he beat you. There's an underlying layer of respect there, but nobody talks about it. This isn't boxing, kid. WARREN: I know. (I look into his eyes. I see a reflection of myself from eight years ago. I can't deny him. He's family.) VIRUS: I'll talk to Sommers. We'll work something out. WARREN: Really? (His eyes light up. The first time I've seen that since he first arrived at my house.) VIRUS: Yup. I'm sure Sommers won't mind having another Engel because...let's face it...we put asses in the seats. Now, game on. (I knock my gloves together and we go at each other. We both deliver right punches at the same time, a throwback to the beginning of Rocky IV.) |