Time: Monday morning. Day after Climax Control
Location: Inside of Matt Barnes’ Cadillac
(As the scene opens we are treated to the view of “Wrestling’s Bad Boy” Matt Barnes. He is sitting in the driver’s seat wearing a black Lacoste polo, pair of khaki shorts, a backwards red Angels cap, and a pair of designer shades. As we look out the windows in the Escalade all we see are cars and concrete barriers whizzing by. Looking over all this heavy traffic and landscape it appears Matt is driving down a busy interstate. There is no one else in the vehicle so Matt keeps himself occupied by blasting some music through his speakers. We see him sitting there nodding his head to these rap beats as he continues driving at what appears to be high speeds dashing in and out of traffic. He seems to be in a good mood with a half smile on his face, but that all quickly comes to an end. As just then his speaker system automatically cuts the music off, because his cell phone that is docked in the adapter, begins to ring. Matt, looking unimpressed that his music cut out, looks at the caller ID and it shows his manager Gus Jones calling. He pauses for a brief moment and contemplates if he wants to answer it. After a few more rings he finally gives in. He presses the talk button on the phone activating the intercom.)
Matt Barnes: Talk to me Goose.
Gus Jones: Well…You’re a hard man to get on the phone. Finally decided to stop screening my calls?
(Matt knows there’s no hiding the fact that he has ignored Gus’s twenty previous missed calls. After all Climax Control took place last night and Matt choose to skip the event. Obviously his manager was calling looking for answers. So Matt being is typical brash self doesn’t hide from this fact and comes out point blank.)
Matt Barnes: Well I imagine there’s only one reason you’ve been blowing up my phone for the past twelve hours non-stop, and honestly I didn’t care to waste my time addressing the situation.
Gus Jones: You didn’t care to address why you no showed Climax Control last night? You didn’t care to address that you missed your scheduled match in only your second week with SCW? And you didn’t care to even bother letting the staff or myself know ahead of time that you wouldn’t be there?
(Matt looks disturbed hearing this little rant. He just rolls his eyes and looks out the side window. He chooses to sit in silence and ignore Gus, which leaves a slight pause in the conversation. Gus breaks the awkward silence.)
Gus Jones: Do you not understand how bad both of us look by you just not showing up? You were scheduled to face Dorian Ryan. Mark and Christian were forced to change up the show and move matches around to cover for your absence.
Matt Barnes: Gus you’re confusing me with someone who actually gives a fuck.
Gus Jones: Well do you care that you were fined a whole paycheck for this no show?
Matt Barnes: (laughing) Fined? Please. Why would I care if they fined me a paycheck? Shit, I wouldn’t even pay kids working in sweat shops what SCW is paying me. So why would I be worried about a petty little paycheck? I make more money in a month in my business ventures than I would in two years with this company…And you get paid by me either way. So what are you so batty about?
Gus Jones: Look Matt, I get that money isn’t the top priority here, but I want to be sure we’re going about this whole thing the right way. I don’t want to be here wasting anyone’s time or my own.
(You can tell Matt still isn’t taking this conversation seriously. As he is just sitting there with a little shit eaten grin on his face. A very sarcastic remark comes flying out.)
Matt Barnes: Gus, now you know I wouldn’t do that. You’re time is very valuable and I would never be one to waste it.
Gus Jones: (slightly agitated) Well up to this point I feel like it has. You haven’t been staying in touch with me, so I feel like I have been out of the loop on what your plans are… I have no idea what to tell Mark and Christian when they call me asking where you are? Because I never seem to know. And in this situation you didn’t give me any reasoning or even a heads up that you were thinking about no-showing. You just vanished. I mean where are you even at now?
(Matt continues making light of this conversation. He chooses to respond with a quote and bad impersonation of a Jim Carey movie.)
Matt Barnes: That’s none of you damn business and I would like you to stay out of my personal affairs.
(This sends Gus over the top and finally has reached a breaking point with his client. He gets a little more aggressive in his exchange.)
Gus Jones: Listen Matt, you said when you asked me to manage you that you wanted to take over the wrestling world. You wanted to be the face of this business. All this talk is what made me agree to this partnership. I felt that fire and I believed in it. I want to be sure that you’re still looking to achieve this stature. Because skipping out on matches and events is not a way of getting there. I feel like this has all been a joke and a game to you, and that you’re not taking it seriously enough. I mean both of our reputations are at stake here
(Matt’s face quickly becomes more serious. You can tell this message hit him and a more stern voice is heard.)
Matt Barnes: In any of my past ventures, have I ever let the Barnes’ name be soiled?
Gus Jones: Well no…
Matt Barnes: Have I ever been made out to be a joke and not a man of my word?
Gus Jones: No…
Matt Barnes: Have I ever been one to go at things half-assed and not go about my business in a serious manner.
Gus Jones: No…That is not typically you.
Matt Barnes: That’s right it’s not me. And it will never be me. I’m still here to accomplish everything I said to you when I came to your office that day. That hasn’t changed one bit. I will take over this business when it’s all said and done. I think I have already proven myself in that ring in my two matches. So clearly people know that I’m not joking around here. They’ve seen firsthand how serious I am when I’m in between the ropes…. So don’t think I lost my focus here Gus. Yeah I missed one event. Whatever. They can get over it. Besides after the prior week’s Climax Control I was so fed up with how things went, that Mark, Christian, and the rest of the SCW didn’t deserve my presence last night.
Gus Jones: See I figured there was something that was bothering you and that’s why you no-showed. Was it your loss to Lucas Darby? If so, don’t let that get to you, that was only your second match ever and he is a very talented wrestler.
Matt Barnes: (Annoyed) Please…I didn’t skip out on the show just because I lost my match. You should know me better than that. I have never let a slight set back or loss stop me from getting what I want. Eventually Matt Barnes gets what’s coming to him. So don’t kid yourself and think it was because of that inbred piece of shit Darby.
Gus Jones: You positive? You seem a little incensed just mentioning his name.
Matt Barnes: Look, I’ll admit I was pretty pissed at first about an inferior opponent beating me, but that’s not the issue.
Gus Jones: What is it then?
Matt Barnes: For starters, how about the SCW brass canceling my grand entrance I had planned for that match? I was ready to go out there and put up on a show like those fools in the stands have never seen, and all my requests were shot down.
Gus Jones: Well… like I tried explaining to you that night. You have to look at it from their perspective about costs, liabilities, and also they’re not going to just roll out the red carpet for a newcomer to this business. I’m sure they feel extras like that should be earned.
Matt Barnes: You kidding me? I’m not a typical newcomer to this business, and I think everyone here knows it. If they want the ratings and a growing audience I think it would be wise for Mark and Christian to listen and appease their true talent. And shit, if they’re too cheap to fork over the money, then I would have shelled out for it if I would have gotten the word sooner. After all it’s my image that’s on the line here. If my name is being put on these events, I want to be sure I’m being presented in the correct fashion.
Gus Jones: So this was the whole issue, your entrance being denied? I feel like this is only small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. In time we will get your whole image presented in the way you’re looking for, but for now we should concentrate on in the ring. And for your first two matches I think you’re off to a fine start.
Matt Barnes: Glad you brought up in the ring, because that’s another issue.
Gus Jones: In the ring, but you just said that the loss has nothing to do with…
Matt Barnes: (cuts Gus off) I’m not talking about that damn loss! Would you stop trying to put words in my mouth and just listen….Because what I’m talking about is that fucking masked nut job running in after my match and assaulting me!
Gus Jones: You mean Frost?
Matt Barnes: Whoever that psycho was. He had no business coming out there and being involved in my match! And I think Mark, Christian, and SCW are responsible for that as they should have something in place to prevent these lunatics from just running into my ring.
Gus Jones: I don’t think there’s a whole lot they could have done at that point. The match was already over and I guess Frost just thought he was coming in and doing the right thing trying to get you off of Darby. I mean… you did look like you wanted to kill Darby when you started attacking him after the match.
Matt Barnes: I don’t care. Attacking Darby was my choice and it’s what I felt prompted to do after that lucky win. So regardless of what it looked like to anyone else, it was just between Lucas and I in that ring. I don’t need some masked wanna be super hero coming and interfering in my business. I won’t tolerate that and I want you to communicate that with Mark and Christian.
Gus Jones: Well I will see what I can do, but I know what they will say. That it’s out of their hands and that you might have had it coming after your attack on Darby after the bell.
Matt Barnes: Maybe I’m not making myself clear enough for you Gus. You’re my manager and I’m demanding you to communicate with those two that I’m not going to stand for retards interfering in my matches going forward. Otherwise they might have me boycotting more matches in the future!
Gus Jones: Ok you’re right. I want to be sure you’re in the right frame of mind going forward. So I will be sure to have a talk with Mark and Christian about this issue. And we will just have to see what comes out of that.
Matt Barnes: And there’s one more thing.
Gus Jones: What’s that?
Matt Barnes: At Into The Void….I want Frost!
Gus Jones: I assumed you might! I will try to make it happen, but I’m not sure how much leverage we have now to demand a match after missing last night. But I will try.
Matt Barnes: I don’t want you to try. Just make it happen. I will only get in that ring at the Supercard if it’s with Frost!
(And with that Matt abruptly cuts the call off before Gus has a chance to respond. As Matt hits the end button on the phone, the music kicks back on and we see Matt back to nodding his head as the scene fades out.)
================================================================================================================================
Time: Present Day
Location: Matt Barnes’ Condo in Vegas
(The scene opens back up inside the immaculate condo of Matt Barnes. We open up in a den where a laptop is set up on a desk. There we also see “Bad Boy” himself sitting there. The only thing he is wearing is a pair of Nike basketball shorts and a backwards cap. The sun is shining in from a rear window and is glowing on his muscular upper body. He adjusts the laptop so the camera at the top is pointing right at them .He turns it on and beings to broadcast a video that he’s loading to an SCW forum. He appears to be in a good mood with a smile on his face as he addresses the camera.)
“I know…I know…You missed me last week. You trolls didn’t get your weekly fix of Matt Barnes and you weren’t sure what to do with yourselves. You were all excited to see me rip into Dorian Ryan at Climax Control, and you were let down when that match never took place. Mark and Christian tried to make it up to you fans by giving you a swimsuit competition featuring the SCW bombshells….And while that was a valiant effort, it wasn’t quite enough to make up for the fact that you couldn’t see my talents in the ring. So I’m sure you idiots continued to just sit there for the whole show on the edge of your seats staring at the entrance way. Just hoping and praying I would come out and save you from the bore-a-thon that was Climax Control last Sunday. But of course your hopes never came true. Instead you had to sit through one boring match after another. And put into a futhur state of depression with every pointless and boring promo you were subjected to….Trust me I can just imagine how painful that night must have been. And it’s really a shame…but you know what. Unless a few things change around here, then all I can say to all of you is…Welcome to the Suck! Because these no-shows might start becoming a regular occurrence!”
“Now why would I do this? Why would I choose to just boycott an event like Climax Control? Well to me it’s simple. It comes down to a basic principal. And that is… if I’m not happy, then you can bet your ass no one here is going to be happy! Now I don’t expect most of you idiots to understand what I’m saying. Because most of you are slaves to this world we live in. You go out and live everyday working for someone else. You live to obey all of society’s rules. You’re the “yes sir” and “right away sir” types of people. You jump as soon as soon as you’re told to do so…But that’s not me. I follow my own path and do what I want when I want. Nobody tries to control Matt Barnes. It just doesn’t happen... Like say for instance I demand a grand entrance and it gets denied, and I’m simply told to just go out and do my job…It’s shit like that that doesn’t make me very happy. And once again, if I’m not happy then you’re not going to be happy. Which means since I’m not getting my entrance than you’re damn sure not going to get Matt Barnes at your showing make you money!
“Another thing that gets to me is when people put their nose in my business when it doesn’t belong there. Which Frost did when he came in and physically assaulted me after my match with Lucas Darby. He had no business being in that ring with us on Sunday. That was between me and Darby. Not some masked lunatic. So needless to say that also made me unhappy. The heads of SCW should have some sort of policy in place protecting their true talent, like myself, from these psychos. So once again if I'm unhappy in the ring and not comfortable, then your not going to get the "Bad Boy" in your ring putting on a show!"
“Now listen I’m sure a lot of you are mistaking what I’m saying right now for whining. You probably think I’m just upset because I lost my match to Lucas Darby, but this is simply not the case. Maybe at first losing to that inbred bothered me. Maybe that's why I chose to attack him after the match. I guess I wanted to be sure he still knew his place in this world. I didn’t want him to think his one lucky moment over me meant he wasn’t a bottom feeder. So yes I suppose that’s why I momentarily lost control and snapped after the match…But I’m past that now. In fact a few days ago I tried to go find Darby to congratulate him on his big moment, but I couldn’t track him down. I tried everywhere I thought he would be too. Some dive bars, a few strip clubs where his “type” of women work at, the streets but none of his homeless friends had seen him, and I even tried the cemetery were his deadbeat father is buried…I just couldn’t find any signs of him. So hopefully he’s watching this now and I can finally give him his dues….”
“Lucas, you must have made quite the deal with the devil to get that win over me two weeks ago, but hopefully the eternity you gave up was worth that one shining moment. Believe me I didn’t see it coming. Never would I have thought a loser like you could surprise me, but you proved that miracles do happen. You may still be a waste of space in this world, but for one day, just remember you were on my level. Granted you won’t feel that way again, but just try to savior and enjoy that moment. Because soon I will get my revenge and make everything right with the world again. Believe me I haven’t had many low points in my life, but when they do happen I come back with a vengeance. I haven’t met a match in my life yet that I couldn’t control. And you won’t be any different Darby. You and I will see each other soon.”
(Matt pauses and takes a sip of a water he has on his desk. He relaxes for a few moments and then continues.)
“So…you see… my issues and no-show has nothing to do with my loss to Lucas Darby. I think I trust proved I’m a bigger man than all that with my classy congrats to the guy... This is all simply directed at Mark and Christian, letting them know that they need to start appeasing me. Otherwise I won’t return the favor for them and turn SCW into something that only I can. Now I understand they have many other wrestlers that they are trying to placate as well, but come on how hard can it be? There are two of you running the show here and half of the other wrestlers on the roster probably would be diagnosed by a professional as legally retarded. So it can’t be that much work to keep them entertained and happy. Maybe Mark is too distracted by the women on the roster. And maybe Christian is spending too much time grinning and skipping around in the back like he’s at the million man march. Whatever it is, it’s time they take care of my demands. I’m one of the only talented men on the SCW roster, and it’s time they open your eyes and recognize it.”
“Now at least there’s one encouraging piece of news I received from the suits here at SCW. It appears my manager was able to successfully request and book my match at Into the Void against the intruder known as Frost. I’m sure it’s not a big surprise why I would want this match to take place. After all Frost decided to get involved in my business two weeks ago, and I think he needs to pay for that mistake.”
“Frost I have no idea why you decided you had to come to the aid of Lucas Darby. Maybe you think you’re some sort of retarded super hero with that mask on? Maybe you have been watching me for a few weeks and had some sort of infatuation with me? Or maybe you’re just mentally handicapped and didn’t realize what you were doing? I have no idea. Maybe you can shed some light on this for me. I’m very curious to know. Because I don’t know a damn thing about you expect for what I saw when you attacked me, but believe me that’s going to change soon.”
“Because I realize it would be imprudent on my part to just randomly get in a ring with a clinically insane masked man without known who he really is or what he’s capable of. So believe me between now and Into the Void I will be doing my homework. I will know all about you before getting in that ring. And it won't be like I did with Lucas Darby. No because I might have gone about that match the wrong way. You see I just dug up his background. I just strictly got to understand who Lucas Darby was. I don't think I got my hands dirty enough. I should have been out there actually mingling and getting to know fellow trash like him. I should have gone to taverns with patrons who have no future. I should have sat next to them at the bar and talked to them while they sat in their stole and defecated themselves. I should have been in the streets getting involved in bum fights preparing for my match. Yes that’s what I should have done. Actually putting myself into those situations so I coudl understand who I was facing. So believe me this is not a mistake I will make twice. I won't be unprepared like I was with him. I will be sure I not only understand who Lucian Frost is, but I will accustom myself with people like you. I’m not exactly sure where I will have to go to do that just yet. I will have to think on it a bit. But there has to be weirdos just like you running around somewhere…And I will be sure I find them.”
(And with that Matt abruptly ends the broadcast and shuts the laptop. And with that the scene fades and you are taken away from the great life of Matt Barnes.)
