Let's Talk About That (11/20 Proving Grounds)

(Our scene opens in what looks to be a bedroom.  The room looks to be kept really clean.  The crisp white walls match the crip white comforter on the bed, with its crisp white wooden footboard.  There is a calm easiness in the room as the sun shines through the spotless window, through the sheer curtain panels.  Even the alarm clock sitting on the white end table, is white...with exception to the soft blue numbers that show the time)

*Click*

(The numbers change from ‘6:59’ to ‘7:00’.  Suddenly the quiet serenity that hung in the air, is super charged.  ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ by Electric Light Orchestra begins to billow out from the speaker on top of the alarm)


(The drums begin to beat as a body arises from under the comforter, on top of the bed.  Sitting there is a bright eyed Airk Holt.  A smile in his face as he pulls the covers off of himself and hops out of bed.  We can see he is dressed in a white w/black polka-dotted collared pajama set)

#Sun is shinin’ in the sky
There ain’t a cloud in sight

(He makes his way to a set of white doors, opening them to reveal a closet full of neatly hung and color coordinated clothes.  He slowly begins to touch the hangers, trying to decide what to wear for the day)

#It’s stopped rainin’
Everybody’s in the play

(Arik’s eyes widen as he stops and pulls out a hanger that has a white-collared shirt, gray pants, and a thin gray blazer)

#And don’t you know,
It’s a beautiful new day, hey hey

(Arik shuts the doors to the closet, hoping into the air slightly and clicking his heels together, before landing softly and making his way towards the bathroom)

#Runnin’ down the avenue
See how the sun shines brightly…

(Our scene cuts to the bathroom mirror.  It’s just a normal rectangular mirror, but has silver scones shining light down from above it.  The bathroom walls are a clean egg shell color, with a pristine glass door that blocks off the shower area.  Arik stands in the mirror, inspecting himself)

#...in the city
On the streets where once was pity

(The sound of an opening drawer can be heard as Arik pulls a hair brush out from somewhere beneath the mirror.  He lifts it up towards his bald head, but stops before it’s bristles touch his skin.  He makes a laughing motion before tossing the hair brush over his shoulder)

#Mr. Blue Sky is living here today, hey hey

(Arik grimaces as he turns and picks up the hair brush, placing it back into the opened drawer.  The sound of the drawer can be heard shutting)

#Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)

(Arik lifts his right hand up and snaps his fingers.  Suddenly he is fully dressed in his gray ensemble he pulled from the closet.  He looks at the camera, through the mirror.  Holding his hands up into the air and arching them like a rainbow, he mouths the word ‘magic’)

#Where did we go wrong?

(We cut to Arik walking out the front door of his apartment building in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota.  Cars are speeding along the streets, while people hustle and bustle on the sidewalks, to get to work)

#Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)

(Arik stops while he stands in the middle of the sidewalk, taking in a deep breath.  He looks around and nods at the people passing him, before people start to just randomly bump into him)

#Where did we go wrong?

(He turns and starts walking down the sidewalk in no particular direction, still nodding to people as they walk past)

#Hey you with the pretty face
Welcome to the human race

LADY: HEY!  THAT’S MY PURSE!!!

(Behind Arik, we can see a man dressed in a red hoodie grab a purse from a slightly overweight woman.  He runs through the crowd, but accidentally clips Arik.  Arik stumbles, but the man crashes hard into the ground)

#A celebration,
Mr. Blue Sky’s up there waitin’

(Arik helps the man up to his feet and brushes off the back of his hoodie.  As the man stares at him oddly, Arik reaches down and picks up the purse, dusting it off as well.  The man, ready to run, leans back away from Arik.  Arik hands the purse to the man, who takes it very slowly)

#And today is the day we’ve waited for

(Arik grimaces and then mouths the word ‘sorry’, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a light blue mask.  He hooks it around his ears and adjusts it so it fits better, before pointing at it and giving two thumbs up to the purse snatcher)

#Oh Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)

(The man, still confused, turns and runs off again)

LADY: WHAT THE HELL???

(Arik waives to the man as the woman comes up and stands next to him, looking at him like she could murder him)

#Where did we go wrong?

LADY: He just stole my purse!

(Arik shrugs his shoulders at the lady, then continues to walk down the sidewalk)

#He there Mr. Blue
We’re so please to be with you

(He turns the corner and stops dead as he looks at a man standing outside of a van with the words ‘Project: Honor’ on it)

#Look around see what you do
Everyone smiles at you

(He waves at the man, who tosses a spent cigarette to the ground, before lifting up a camera and walking towards Arik)

(The music begins to fade out)

CAMERAMAN: So I am guessing you are this...Arik Holt...that I am supposed to be interviewing.

(Arik shakes his head ‘yes’)

CAMERAMAN: Do you have any idea where you want to shoot this?

(Arik looks around slightly, before turning back to the cameraman and shrugging his shoulders)

CAMERAMAN: Wait...you...you’re the mute, right?

(Arik shakes his head ‘yes’)

CAMERAMAN: Then how the hell are you going to talk for this promotion?

(Arik’s brown furrows for a moment.  Suddenly his eyes widen and he holds up his index finger like he has an idea.  He points at the cameraman and makes the motion with his right hand, like it is talking)

CAMERAMAN: You want me to talk?  But this is your match!  I only get paid to film.

(Arik looks down at the ground for a moment before reaching up and removing his mask.  He reaches into his back pants pocket and pulls out a wallet, opening it to reveal it is empty)

CAMERAMAN: Fresh out of cash, huh?

(Arik smirks at the cameraman, walking over to a tree that is in a large planter in the sidewalk.  He pulls off two leaves and clasps his hands together over them.  Arik pulls his hands apart slightly and blows into the opening, looking up and smiling at the cameraman afterwards)

CAMERAMAN: Yeah, that’s not awkward at all.

(Arik walks over to the cameraman and opens his hands, to reveal two one-hundred dollar bills.  The cameraman is slightly taken back, before taking the money out of Arik’s hands)

CAMERAMAN: How’d the hell you do that?

(Arik slips his mask on and makes the ‘rainbow’ motion again)

VOICE OVER: Magic!

(The cameraman slips the money into his pocket and lifts the camera up)

CAMERAMAN: Well it seems you got yourself a voice over, pal.

(Arik’s cheeks jut out, as if he is smiling)

VOICE OVER: Excellent.

(The cameraman begins to film Arik as they walk along the sidewalk)

VOICE OVER: So at the upcoming Proving Grounds, I get to make my grand entrance into the world of wrestling.  I get to introduce myself to the fans...the crowd...the whole locker room of Project: Honor.

(They continue walking, Arik not even looking up at the camera)

VOICE OVER: I might be a little shy and awkward at this, as I’m sure it will get my anxiety just running amok.  I mean, how many wrestlers out there are mute?  How many out there have alopecia?

(Arik stops and looks at the camera.  He uses his outstretched fingers to point attention to his bald head, then runs them along down to his abdomen)

VOICE OVER: I’m not the best looking and I am certainly not the most talented on the Project: Honor roster.

(Arik turns and begins to walk again, quickly followed by the cameraman)

VOICE OVER: Am I putting myself in harm's way?  Yeah, you can say that.  But I have to do it.  I have to prove to myself that my disabilities are not a death sentence.  I have to prove to myself that my issues can not hold me down.  I can accomplish anything.  Who knows , one day maybe I can beat Dickie Watson for the Grand Championship!

(Arik stops and through the creases next to his eyes and his cheeks, you can tell he is smiling)

VOICE OVER: In my dreams, right?

(The voice over laughs awkwardly)

VOICE OVER: Right now, I need to just be ready for what stands in front of me.  Nat Walker, Alex Slayer, Colby Sol...all of these men, I’m sure, are looking at me like I am a raw steak.  They are ready to get me in that ring and take me out lickity-split!  It will be MY job to just try to not make myself look like a fool.

(They both start walking again)

VOICE OVER: I’ve seen the show these men put on.  Show after show...awe inspiring moment after awe inspiring moment.  Am I fearful?  Yes.  I’m I full of anxiety?

(Arik shakes his head ‘yes’ vigorously)

VOICE OVER: You’re darn tootin’.  But am I going to back down?

(The voice over sighs, obviously aggravated he has to read whatever Arik scripted him to read)

VOICE OVER: H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS, no!  I’m going to go out there and show them that I am more than a quiet, bald-headed, no-haired man.  I am Arik Holt!  And despite my insecurities and knowing I am not HALF as talented as these men in the ring...I will go head first into our little battle.

(Arik taps his bald head)

VOICE OVER: Because I may not have the brawn, but I sure do have the brain.  If I have to outsmart them...if I have to out maneuver them...then I guess that is what I have to do.  And despite what threatens they bring at me...despite what evil things they want to say to me...I will have to stand my ground and never back down.

(Both of them turn the corner and stop dead as the lady from earlier is standing ten feet away, talking to a couple of police officers)

VOICE OVER: Otherwise, I could never live it down.  What would they think of me?  What would I think of myself?  The shame...oh…the shame...

(The lady turns and sees Arik and the cameraman.  She instantly points at him)

LADY: IT WAS HIM!!!

(Arik’s eyes widen as the Police Officers turn and start walking towards him.  Arik and the cameraman turn and start quickly walking down the street they just came from.  After a few steps the cameraman trips over his own feet and falls to the ground, the camera slamming to the ground and ending the transmission instantly)