Post by Matt Meyhu on Aug 2, 2017 15:51:29 GMT -5
There comes a point in every man’s life where his friends become his enemies. Especially in this business. It could be for a day, or it could be for a lifetime.
Who exactly is to blame for that is neither here nor there. One person got what they needed from the other and no longer saw the benefit of the partnership. It’s fair. It’s expected. It’s understood. Maybe you were fortunate enough for everyone to gain from it.
No sense whining about it, no reason to dwell. Conversely, no need to brag about it either. You did something thousands of people have done before you. Quietly pat yourself on the back and move on with your life.
There is a risk involved with this, sure. The pros are obvious. You get a leg up on the competition. You further your career. Like any other business, this is cutthroat. There isn’t a lot of room at the top. All you’re doing is giving yourself a shot to make it there. But the cons? This can only get you so far. You need to finish the job. If you don’t? It was all for nothing. You wind up with egg on your face for backstabbing those closest to you for a lateral promotion. Not to mention the future branding you wind up with. Who will ever trust you again?
This sure is a high stakes game we play. You’ve got to be sure that every move you make counts, and time them right. Be cold. Be calculated. Don’t let your emotions control you. If what you seek is to be the best, no friendship is worth it.
----------
Tiffany: What’s the matter with you?!
[Tiffany whimpers from across the center console of the car. Matt stares straight ahead, trying to play it cool. His hands rest at ten and two on the steering wheel.]
Tiffany: Is it worth it to be that competitive?
[He glances out of the corner of his eye to see his very pregnant, very emotional girlfriend wiping the tears from her eyes. Again, he does his best to ignore the emotions in the car. There is nowhere to run right now.]
Tiffany: He was your little brother, Matt. How could you do that? He was part of the family. How could you!
[That was the last straw.]
Matt Meyhu: Brother? Part of the family? Are you kidding me?! We hardly knew the kid. Wow, he made quite the impression in one week.
[The couple drive away from the Monroe County Detention Center, where Matt’s “little brother” Alan is currently staying. Tiffany insisted on visiting him. She had been enjoying his company. She sent him cookies in there… Poor kid.
The first red flag went up when Matt opted to stay in the car. After going in and speaking with Alan, Tiffany managed to piece the rest of it together. When she returned to the car, she was red in the face, now well aware of the fact that Matt was the one that turned Alan in. Matt is now forced to deal with the backlash.]
Tiffany: He still cared. He cared about you. About both of us. All three of us!
[She pats her stomach.]
Matt Meyhu: He cared about who was helping him out. Who was giving him free shit. Didn’t matter what their names were.
[Matt begins to feel defensive. He clinches his jaw but continues to look straight ahead, trying not to give Tiffany too much attention. Up until now, he has always tried to live his life with no regrets. He doesn’t plan to start with some punk kid he barely knows. Tiffany shakes her head. She too tries to avoid looking at her significant other.]
Tiffany: Great outlook you’ve got on life.
Matt Meyhu: Life? How do my feelings about one kid make up my entire view on life?
[He pauses just for a moment. Not long enough for Tiffany to jump back into the conversation.]
Matt Meyhu: It doesn’t even need to be personal! It was a game. A bet. And I played it better! As always, I win. When I win, you win… Usually.
Tiffany: What did you win? You certainly didn’t get any money for that bet. You ruined his life!
Matt Meyhu: Wait, he didn’t pay you in there? I thought that’s why we made this trip.
[Matt smirks a little, but tries to hide it. The glance out of the corner of his eye is met with a death stare. His eyes quickly shift back to the road. Humor is not the way to go with this. Time to try logic.]
Matt Meyhu: The kid was a drug dealer, Tiff. Is it really that bad for a drug dealer to go away for a little while? He’s a kid. He’ll learn. Besides, he won’t be in there forever. It’s a slap on the wrist in the grand scheme of things.
[She doesn’t respond at first. At least, it doesn’t feel like it to Matt. Anxious to patch things up, he hangs on the silence waiting for it to break. He mentally crosses his fingers, hoping no more waves are made from someone who was hardly a part of their lives. What feels like a few minutes is actually only a few seconds.]
Tiffany: It’s not just about Alan, you know. This is just a familiar feeling.
Matt Meyhu: What? What the hell does that mean?!
Tiffany: Your friendships. They don’t tend to last too long.
Matt Meyhu: That’s ridiculous.
[Matt’s grip tightens on the steering wheel, so much so that the sound of flesh rubbing on leather is audible. The car rolls to a stop at a red light and Matt finally turns to face Tiffany. He can only see her reflection in the opposite window.]
Tiffany: Not really. You’ve got a loyalty problem. Hell, it almost pulled us apart once.
[Matt rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to the road.]
Matt Meyhu: Oh, brother.
Tiffany: Yeah, your brothers are the only ones you’ve truly been loyal to! But only your real brothers, not the ones you waste your time calling ‘brother.’
Matt Meyhu: Alright, relax. You’re being a little emotional right now, given…
[He motions toward Tiffany’s belly.]
Matt Meyhu: Yesterday, you burst into tears seeing a picture of a cat and a dog touching noses. Maybe it’s not quite the best time to be making sweeping statements about my personality. What do you think?
Tiffany: I don’t know… Look at the position you’ve found yourself in this week. I’d say that’s a point for-
Matt Meyhu: I’m the champion! Nobody likes the champion! I’d think you’d be used to that by now.
Tiffany: What about the times you weren’t?
Matt Meyhu: I don’t recall anytime like that.
[Tiffany rolls her eyes and looks up at Matt. He is stone-faced this time.]
Tiffany: Okay. Whatever you say.
Matt Meyhu: Well, what is it that you want me to say? “I’m sorry I’m so good at winning?” Or how about “let’s break Alan out and adopt him!” Would that make you suddenly less emotional? Or would it just present a whole new set of tears to deal with?
Tiffany: I don’t want you to say anything. I just don’t want you to forget those who helped get you where you’re at today.
Matt Meyhu: In what way did Alan help me out? At all. I’ll wait.
Tiffany: I told you. It’s not just about Alan.
Matt Meyhu: Then what is it... about?
[Before the question completely leaves his mouth, Matt realizes what she is getting at. Years ago, a risk was taken to get Matt ahead in his old stomping grounds. It didn’t end so well for the person taking that risk. He struggles to swallow. Tiffany notices. She tries her best to dry her eyes.]
Tiffany: There’s an appeal this week.
[Matt has checked in on the situation from time to time. Never directly, just through a few Google searches here and there. He hopes for the best for his old friend. It’s never been an easy emotion for Matt to deal with. He’s always done his best to suppress it.]
Matt Meyhu: I know.
[No, it’s not guilt. Something worse than that. Far worse. Something nearly impossible to admit. He looks over at Tiffany. Their eyes meet for the first time during this trip.]
----------
Be thankful.
If you’re The Incredible One, be thankful that you’ve been given a second shot at this. If you’re CJ O’Donnell, be thankful that you somehow managed to leapfrog other champions to get into this position.
But above all else, both of you should be thankful for you association with me. Afterall, that is the reason you’re both getting a crack at the OCW Championship on Massacre. There is certainly no shortage of people who believe they have earned that right. There is definitely more than one guy taking cheap shots at me in order to get my attention. And yet here you are. Two men who needed me to get where they’re at today, using me one last time as their springboard.
You’re welcome!
I’ll tell you what, it’s certainly no coincidence. Without our partnership, The Incredible One would have lost a one battle war with the Clientele, and CJ O’Donnell would still be wondering what gold looked like. As for me? I would have fared just fine. I’m where I belong now. But like the spotlight-hungry leeches you are, you insisted on this match. One last chance to stand side by side with The Marvel himself. I’d be flattered if I weren’t so sick of it.
My old friend TIO… We’ve had some battles over the years. And through it all, there has been that respect. Two of the best to ever do it. I respect your resilience. You respect my knack for getting the job done. Our last encounter was the best of them all, but the most destructive. With so much on the line, it got personal. There’s no going back from that. We saw the look in each other’s eyes. That wasn’t respect. That battle tore apart an entire group. We killed the frat.
CJ, you probably really think you killed The Aptitude. You didn’t. As always, you were late to the party. Rolled in with your six-pack of Natty Ice and threw a sucker punch as people were being separated. Then you went on and bragged to any lonely girl who would listen about the fight you won. Problem is, you’ve built yourself up and now you’ve got a real fight staring you in the face, and everyone's gathering around to watch it.
From friends to foes. This is the moment we’ve been expecting. This is the moment everyone in the back has been hoping for. We all got where we needed to be as a group. Now, it’s time to show the world who the best really is.
All by himself.
----------
*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*
“Ladies and gentlemen…”
[The sound of an airplane blasts overhead as dozens of people line the windows, watching it take off. Matt Meyhu sits on a bench near his gate in the airport. He looks straight down at the ground, contemplating his next move. He hears the announcement and lets out a heavy sigh as he looks up. He wraps his fingers around the handle of his luggage but doesn’t stand up right away.]
Matt Meyhu: It’s been a long time… It’ll probably do me some good. Some people I want to see, and others I don’t. Still, I’m making this trip for my family. Whatever gets Tiffany off my back.
[He looks up at the row of people forming at the gate. As the line begins to grow, Matt grips the bag tight and stands up, slowly making his way to the end of it.]
Matt Meyhu: Well, I’ll see you soon, brother.
“…Now boarding, Spirit Airlines flight 6969, to Atlantic City International.”
Who exactly is to blame for that is neither here nor there. One person got what they needed from the other and no longer saw the benefit of the partnership. It’s fair. It’s expected. It’s understood. Maybe you were fortunate enough for everyone to gain from it.
No sense whining about it, no reason to dwell. Conversely, no need to brag about it either. You did something thousands of people have done before you. Quietly pat yourself on the back and move on with your life.
There is a risk involved with this, sure. The pros are obvious. You get a leg up on the competition. You further your career. Like any other business, this is cutthroat. There isn’t a lot of room at the top. All you’re doing is giving yourself a shot to make it there. But the cons? This can only get you so far. You need to finish the job. If you don’t? It was all for nothing. You wind up with egg on your face for backstabbing those closest to you for a lateral promotion. Not to mention the future branding you wind up with. Who will ever trust you again?
This sure is a high stakes game we play. You’ve got to be sure that every move you make counts, and time them right. Be cold. Be calculated. Don’t let your emotions control you. If what you seek is to be the best, no friendship is worth it.
----------
Tiffany: What’s the matter with you?!
[Tiffany whimpers from across the center console of the car. Matt stares straight ahead, trying to play it cool. His hands rest at ten and two on the steering wheel.]
Tiffany: Is it worth it to be that competitive?
[He glances out of the corner of his eye to see his very pregnant, very emotional girlfriend wiping the tears from her eyes. Again, he does his best to ignore the emotions in the car. There is nowhere to run right now.]
Tiffany: He was your little brother, Matt. How could you do that? He was part of the family. How could you!
[That was the last straw.]
Matt Meyhu: Brother? Part of the family? Are you kidding me?! We hardly knew the kid. Wow, he made quite the impression in one week.
[The couple drive away from the Monroe County Detention Center, where Matt’s “little brother” Alan is currently staying. Tiffany insisted on visiting him. She had been enjoying his company. She sent him cookies in there… Poor kid.
The first red flag went up when Matt opted to stay in the car. After going in and speaking with Alan, Tiffany managed to piece the rest of it together. When she returned to the car, she was red in the face, now well aware of the fact that Matt was the one that turned Alan in. Matt is now forced to deal with the backlash.]
Tiffany: He still cared. He cared about you. About both of us. All three of us!
[She pats her stomach.]
Matt Meyhu: He cared about who was helping him out. Who was giving him free shit. Didn’t matter what their names were.
[Matt begins to feel defensive. He clinches his jaw but continues to look straight ahead, trying not to give Tiffany too much attention. Up until now, he has always tried to live his life with no regrets. He doesn’t plan to start with some punk kid he barely knows. Tiffany shakes her head. She too tries to avoid looking at her significant other.]
Tiffany: Great outlook you’ve got on life.
Matt Meyhu: Life? How do my feelings about one kid make up my entire view on life?
[He pauses just for a moment. Not long enough for Tiffany to jump back into the conversation.]
Matt Meyhu: It doesn’t even need to be personal! It was a game. A bet. And I played it better! As always, I win. When I win, you win… Usually.
Tiffany: What did you win? You certainly didn’t get any money for that bet. You ruined his life!
Matt Meyhu: Wait, he didn’t pay you in there? I thought that’s why we made this trip.
[Matt smirks a little, but tries to hide it. The glance out of the corner of his eye is met with a death stare. His eyes quickly shift back to the road. Humor is not the way to go with this. Time to try logic.]
Matt Meyhu: The kid was a drug dealer, Tiff. Is it really that bad for a drug dealer to go away for a little while? He’s a kid. He’ll learn. Besides, he won’t be in there forever. It’s a slap on the wrist in the grand scheme of things.
[She doesn’t respond at first. At least, it doesn’t feel like it to Matt. Anxious to patch things up, he hangs on the silence waiting for it to break. He mentally crosses his fingers, hoping no more waves are made from someone who was hardly a part of their lives. What feels like a few minutes is actually only a few seconds.]
Tiffany: It’s not just about Alan, you know. This is just a familiar feeling.
Matt Meyhu: What? What the hell does that mean?!
Tiffany: Your friendships. They don’t tend to last too long.
Matt Meyhu: That’s ridiculous.
[Matt’s grip tightens on the steering wheel, so much so that the sound of flesh rubbing on leather is audible. The car rolls to a stop at a red light and Matt finally turns to face Tiffany. He can only see her reflection in the opposite window.]
Tiffany: Not really. You’ve got a loyalty problem. Hell, it almost pulled us apart once.
[Matt rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to the road.]
Matt Meyhu: Oh, brother.
Tiffany: Yeah, your brothers are the only ones you’ve truly been loyal to! But only your real brothers, not the ones you waste your time calling ‘brother.’
Matt Meyhu: Alright, relax. You’re being a little emotional right now, given…
[He motions toward Tiffany’s belly.]
Matt Meyhu: Yesterday, you burst into tears seeing a picture of a cat and a dog touching noses. Maybe it’s not quite the best time to be making sweeping statements about my personality. What do you think?
Tiffany: I don’t know… Look at the position you’ve found yourself in this week. I’d say that’s a point for-
Matt Meyhu: I’m the champion! Nobody likes the champion! I’d think you’d be used to that by now.
Tiffany: What about the times you weren’t?
Matt Meyhu: I don’t recall anytime like that.
[Tiffany rolls her eyes and looks up at Matt. He is stone-faced this time.]
Tiffany: Okay. Whatever you say.
Matt Meyhu: Well, what is it that you want me to say? “I’m sorry I’m so good at winning?” Or how about “let’s break Alan out and adopt him!” Would that make you suddenly less emotional? Or would it just present a whole new set of tears to deal with?
Tiffany: I don’t want you to say anything. I just don’t want you to forget those who helped get you where you’re at today.
Matt Meyhu: In what way did Alan help me out? At all. I’ll wait.
Tiffany: I told you. It’s not just about Alan.
Matt Meyhu: Then what is it... about?
[Before the question completely leaves his mouth, Matt realizes what she is getting at. Years ago, a risk was taken to get Matt ahead in his old stomping grounds. It didn’t end so well for the person taking that risk. He struggles to swallow. Tiffany notices. She tries her best to dry her eyes.]
Tiffany: There’s an appeal this week.
[Matt has checked in on the situation from time to time. Never directly, just through a few Google searches here and there. He hopes for the best for his old friend. It’s never been an easy emotion for Matt to deal with. He’s always done his best to suppress it.]
Matt Meyhu: I know.
[No, it’s not guilt. Something worse than that. Far worse. Something nearly impossible to admit. He looks over at Tiffany. Their eyes meet for the first time during this trip.]
----------
Be thankful.
If you’re The Incredible One, be thankful that you’ve been given a second shot at this. If you’re CJ O’Donnell, be thankful that you somehow managed to leapfrog other champions to get into this position.
But above all else, both of you should be thankful for you association with me. Afterall, that is the reason you’re both getting a crack at the OCW Championship on Massacre. There is certainly no shortage of people who believe they have earned that right. There is definitely more than one guy taking cheap shots at me in order to get my attention. And yet here you are. Two men who needed me to get where they’re at today, using me one last time as their springboard.
You’re welcome!
I’ll tell you what, it’s certainly no coincidence. Without our partnership, The Incredible One would have lost a one battle war with the Clientele, and CJ O’Donnell would still be wondering what gold looked like. As for me? I would have fared just fine. I’m where I belong now. But like the spotlight-hungry leeches you are, you insisted on this match. One last chance to stand side by side with The Marvel himself. I’d be flattered if I weren’t so sick of it.
My old friend TIO… We’ve had some battles over the years. And through it all, there has been that respect. Two of the best to ever do it. I respect your resilience. You respect my knack for getting the job done. Our last encounter was the best of them all, but the most destructive. With so much on the line, it got personal. There’s no going back from that. We saw the look in each other’s eyes. That wasn’t respect. That battle tore apart an entire group. We killed the frat.
CJ, you probably really think you killed The Aptitude. You didn’t. As always, you were late to the party. Rolled in with your six-pack of Natty Ice and threw a sucker punch as people were being separated. Then you went on and bragged to any lonely girl who would listen about the fight you won. Problem is, you’ve built yourself up and now you’ve got a real fight staring you in the face, and everyone's gathering around to watch it.
From friends to foes. This is the moment we’ve been expecting. This is the moment everyone in the back has been hoping for. We all got where we needed to be as a group. Now, it’s time to show the world who the best really is.
All by himself.
----------
*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!*
“Ladies and gentlemen…”
[The sound of an airplane blasts overhead as dozens of people line the windows, watching it take off. Matt Meyhu sits on a bench near his gate in the airport. He looks straight down at the ground, contemplating his next move. He hears the announcement and lets out a heavy sigh as he looks up. He wraps his fingers around the handle of his luggage but doesn’t stand up right away.]
Matt Meyhu: It’s been a long time… It’ll probably do me some good. Some people I want to see, and others I don’t. Still, I’m making this trip for my family. Whatever gets Tiffany off my back.
[He looks up at the row of people forming at the gate. As the line begins to grow, Matt grips the bag tight and stands up, slowly making his way to the end of it.]
Matt Meyhu: Well, I’ll see you soon, brother.
“…Now boarding, Spirit Airlines flight 6969, to Atlantic City International.”
