PROMO - The Message

[Guest Evolution]

A friendly suburbia greets us as the camera fades into view. A car can be seen in the distance, approaching the image of a quaint white house to the right of the camera view. The car stops at an intersection and then continues for another half-block, turning left in front of the camera as the driver's eyes stare at the camera--the man driving the car is John Duran. He pulls slowly into the paved driveway, the lone tree in the front yard having its branches rustled with the passing wind, leaves in full bloom. The car comes to a stop, the red lights on the rear of the car turning on as Duran can be seen removing his seatbelt and opening the driver's side door. Duran shuts the door behind him, taking a look back at the stationary camera and then turning back to the house, walking up the paved walkway lined with gravel on either side. After a few steps, he starts up to the small porch in front of the door, reaching out with his right hand and pressing in on the doorbell. Duran is far in the distance, but the camera begins to move, approaching the former World Champion slowly as Duran opens the screen door, knocking on the solid white door. Duran closes the screen door again, looking around at his surroundings, and then one more time glancing back at the camera that continues to close in on him.

 

The camera finally stops moving as the front door opens, standing at the foot of the stairs.

 

"Johnny!" A cheery voice in front of Duran speaks, answering the door as the camera has to swing around to catch a aged, but beautiful woman in a pink dress, her graying hair pulled up into a bun.

 

"Hi, mom," the humbled Duran responds, and then is obviously disturbed as he turns back towards the camera. "This is Gus, mom. Gus, meet Mrs. Duran." John's mother moves past the Unnamed leader, offering her hand to the cameraman, but Gus doesn't bother to respond, and the woman pauses and then nods her head in appreciation, turning back to her son.

 

"It's so nice to have you home, Johnny," Mrs. Duran says softly, reaching her skinny arms around John as best she can, and Duran returns the embrace, Mrs. Duran's face turned towards the camera--tears have already begun to form. The hug is broken after a few tender seconds, and then John slowly breaks away from his provider. "Please, come in," she continues, "you and your friend."

 

She motions her head to the cameraman, still behind John. Duran doesn't seem pleased with the prospect of Gus in his childhood home, but nods reluctantly anyway. "Alright." Together, mother and son walk through the front door, the camera close behind as they enter what appears to be the living room. The camera pans across the quaint room, with a couch against the far wall and a recliner against the south wall, facing a modestly sized TV sitting at the north wall.

 

Mrs. Duran is flush with happiness to see her son, continuing to talk. "I'm so glad you got away from that terrible alcohol, John. You didn't need it." John nods in appreciation to that fact, having kicked the habit not too long ago. "God will show you the way, dear." The former SJL Triple Crown Champion doesn't respond to her recent comment, continuing through the house to what appears to be the kitchen, white linoleum spread out across the rather expansive kitchen, with one sliding glass door leading to the backyard, where a swimming pool has gone untouched, its waves crashing against the sides from the swooping winds outside.

 

"Since you told me you were stopping by Champaign on your way to Moline, I decided to make your favorite," Mrs. Duran explains with a tone of excitement in her voice. "Pork chops!" Duran takes a look on the oven, where two fat pork chops rest on a gleaming white plate, the afternoon sun filtering in through the window behind them and shining on the plate. "Feel free to have one yourself, John...I'll split the other with your friend!"

 

"He's just a cameraman, mother."

 

"Anyone welcome in the Duran household is a friend of mine! Join us, Gus!" Mrs. Duran flashes a smile at the camera as the camera fades out.

 

...

 

When the camera fades in again, John is leaning back at the dining room, taking some deep breaths in appreciation of the pork chop.

 

"Very good, mom," compliments Duran, and his mother smiles.

 

"Only the best for my little champion." Her response makes Duran's blush, and she continues. "Do you remember back in high school when--"

 

A rather loud ringing interrupts Mrs. Duran as she is snapped out of her reminiscing by the telephone in the kitchen. "I'll get that," Mrs. Duran begins to rise from her seat, but Duran stops her. "No, I'll get it. I gave James Matheson my number here and told him to call me if he had any news on my match on Sunday."

 

Duran rises from the table, walking over to the telephone in the kitchen. The camera rises from the table as well, following Duran closely as he walks to the phone, taking a look at the caller ID on the back of the phone before answering it, having already rung two times.

 

"Hurry, Johnny, the answering machine picks it up after three and a half," Mrs. Duran warns from the dining room. Duran looks at the phone carefully, and then picks it up.

 

"Hello?" Duran quickly asks, and gives little time for a response. "No, I'm sorry, you've got the wrong number." Duran takes a look at the camera and then hangs the phone up quickly, turning back swiftly to the dining room and walking in, where her mother has just finished wiping her mouth after finishing her half of the pork chop.

 

"Was that Mr. Madison, Johnny?"

 

"Matheson, mom. And no, it was a wrong number."

 

"Really? Huh."

 

"I have to be going now though, mother. I need time to practice for my match and hit the gym in Moline."

 

"But dear, you just got here, can't you stay for a little longer?"

 

"No, that's just not possible right now, mom. I'll give you a call once I'm on the interstate."

 

Mrs. Duran tries to sputter out a response, but Duran moves around the table, leaning in and kissing his mother on the cheek. "I'll talk to you later, mom. Love you!"

 

Duran walks away from the table and the camera follows, as Mrs. Duran is too stunned to realize that her son is quickly walking away. Duran moves through the front door of the house again, and looks over at the van where Gus was likely getting a ride.

 

"Gus, we've got a problem," the driver says, peeking out from his seat in the car. "Van won't start. I called a tow truck to come take us to the mechanics."

 

"Come with me, Gus," Duran says suddenly. "I'll give you a ride to the arena."

 

The camera is cut off abruptly.

 

...

 

The camera fades back in once again, now silent and in Duran's car, likely moving down I-74 as it approaches the Mark of the Quad Cities in Moline. The camera is in Gus' lap, but focused on the former World Champion. Duran is steering the vehicle with his right hand, but his left hand is occupied by a cell phone pressed to his far ear.

 

"Yeah, James? This is John." Duran pauses to hear a response from James. "That's good, listen, head back to the hotel. I'll meet you there. We have a few things to talk about." Another pause. "I left early, it's pretty important that I talk to you about this, James." Pause. "No, listen, James, just go back to the hotel, we've got time to scout out the casino later. I'm fifteen minutes away from the hotel, now just GET THERE." Duran doesn't wait for a response this time, folding--well, slamming--his cell phone together and putting it on the dashboard. John puts both hands back on the wheel and lets out a long sigh...

 

...as the camera fades to black once again.

[Toxxic 0]

What? Duran has a mother!?

 

Nice promo, and I for one am intrigued to see where it's leading. Why did Duran allow Gus to tag along if he didn't want him inside? Who was the wrong number? Why did Duran leave so quickly? Why did Gus's van break down? Why did Duran offer Gus a lift? And who WAS that masked man, anyway?