PROMO: Which Way To The Top?

[Guest Evolution]

"Well, the good news is it isn't broken."

 

Another doctor for John Duran. This time, Duran is sitting on the side of a bed in a hospital, after having just received tests on his neck after his brutal match with Charlie Matthews at Genesis V. No black boots or black tights, simply a white gown draping over his large body.

 

"What's the bad news?" Duran asks the doctor, knowing exactly what the answer will be.

 

The doctor sighs. "There's no way any doctor in this country would ever clear you to wrestle ever again, John."

 

Duran's response is instantaneous. "Your bad news is old news, doc."

 

"Of course," the doctor says with a nod. "I can give you more painkillers, and I have to recommend surgery for the sake of your neck. It won't get you back into wrestling, but it'll let you to somehow live through the rest of your life."

 

Duran runs his hand through his hair and looks down at the floor. "Yeah. We'll do that surgery."

 

Somewhere in the hubbub of that hospital, Duran is lost in time for numerous hours. Finally, he is released from the hospital the next morning, although he will be due back for that surgery. For now, though, he's free to live life in a careless way. No cares in the world when you're on painkillers.

 

Then the cell phone rings. Duran is coherent enough at this point to answer the phone, so he does.

 

"Hello?" he speaks into the receiver.

 

"Please stop ignoring me," a somber female voice responds.

 

Duran recognizes the voice instantly, but scoffs. "You're easy to forget."

 

"And I suppose he's easy to forget, too?", the female responds, not referring directly as to who this "he" is.

 

Duran frowns. "No. But I'm trying as hard as I can."

 

"Come down to Texas, John. You've lost sight of what you're all about as a person. I want to help you find it."

 

"It's a hopeless quest." John says plainly.

 

"Not to me."

 

"I wonder about you sometimes."

 

"Why, because I care?" No response to the question from Duran. "Just come down here. You need to see him."

 

Duran sighs. "Fine. I'm on the next flight out."

 

"See you then, John."

 

"Ditto, Roxy."

 

---

 

All of those packages.

 

Sure, the SWF fans know about the first package that she sent me...but what about those packages that followed? The training sessions, the meets. I'm glad that I've learned to throw away anything with her name on it anymore.

 

Duran is sitting next to a window on a plane, assumably en route to an unknown city in Texas. What will be waiting for him there, judging by Duran's reaction, will be much more painful than the pain that had seared through his neck during that match at Genesis V.

 

But now John has the painkillers. And he's deep in a swimming pool of thought.

 

The phone calls, too. How many calls could she have humanly made before I just lost my mind? Always telling me to go back to the last place I wanted to be. Trying to force me into something I couldn't face. She always knew what number I'd be at. Why did I let her into my life as well as his?

 

John's eyes flutter and then close, as he drifts into sleep above Arizona.

 

---

 

Duran steps into the terminal, and immediately sees her on a bench.

 

"Am I to be expecting a ride, or am I renting myself a car like usual?" John asks the woman, staring down at the top of her head as she gently smokes a cigarette, puffing the smoke out and looking up at Duran.

 

"It's about time."

 

"The weather in California was a bitch after the show."

 

"I bet it was," the woman answers sarcastically, and extinguishes the cigarette in the nearby ashtray before standing up and brushing off her pant legs.

 

Duran senses her sarcasm and feels angered. "Let's get this over with, Roxy," he says bitingly, staring.

 

"Never thought you'd look in these eyes again, did you? Not after the funeral, anyway."

 

"There's another plane that'll take off in 15 minutes, if that's what you'd like."

 

Roxy's eyes widen. "No, no. Let's get going."

 

---

 

The gravel crunches under the heavy tires of Roxy's sports utility vehicle, pulling to a stop along the grass-surrounded road. John's rental car pulls up behind Roxy's, as he decided to get a rental car after all. Both Roxy and John step out of their cars, looking around and breathing in their surroundings.

 

"Been a damn long time," Duran acknowledges after exhaling.

 

"Too long, John," Roxy quickly responds.

 

"Right, of course," Duran rolls his eyes and begins walking onto the grass, matting the wet blades down into the ground as the sunshine burns down onto his black leather shoes, making the inside of those shoes hot. He comes to a stop suddenly, and Roxy notices this immediately.

 

"You forgot where he is, don't you?" Roxy says with a uneven grin, and Duran can only nod in response.

 

Roxy turns her back on Duran and walks down a row of granite headstones, passing flowers left by loved ones. There's no turning back now for the Notorious One. He's finally come back to Houston, Texas. Somewhere among these tributes to fallen men, women, and children is the best friend of the former SWF World Champion.

 

"Come on, John," Roxy pleas to Duran, who is now standing on the gravel again, feeling uneasy. His feet begin to move, even though his mind is telling him to not go through with this, especially after his tough night yesterday. But he's on the move, and there's no stopping him.

 

Roxy puts a hand on Duran's shoulder to stop him. Duran looks down and immediately tries to change the subject. "You know, Roxy, it didn't take long for me to find out who was sending me those packages."

 

"Can't be difficult at all when you knew that my maiden name was Howe."

 

"That's right," Duran swallows, "Mrs. Turner."

 

"Not anymore," Roxy says in response to what her name used to be.

 

Duran stares at the headstone, looking as bold and clear as it was the last time he visited him.

 

"RANDY TURNER

1975-2002"

 

"Does it help looking at it?" Roxy asks Duran, motioning to the headstone below them.

 

"Help what?" Duran replies coldly. "Help the fact that my career is over?"

 

"Sure," Roxy responds, "he was your friend, John. You went into that crazy business for him. But then you got lost in everything. The money, the women, the booze, the fame. It sounds stereotypical, but it's all ringing true in your mind right now. Everything you ever worked for in professional wrestling was for Randy. What happened?"

 

"Don't give me that crap, Roxy," Duran blows her off. "I'm here, I'm looking at the headstone, and six feet below that headstone is where my best friend lies. It's hard enough for me, and now you're preaching to me about how my career was as a wrestler?"

 

"John--" Roxy sputters out.

 

"Just let me talk to him for a moment," John interrupts. "I want to say something, heart to heart."

 

Roxy doesn't respond and just takes two steps back as Duran kneels in the ground, looking at the letters spelling out the headstone right in front of his eyes.

 

"Randy," John begins, "if there's one thing I can ask of you..." John's thought fades into silence, as Duran takes time to ponder what he wants to say exactly. "I have to ask you to do something for me."

 

John runs his hand through the flowers planted at his grave. "Randy, you need to talk to your wife." Roxy's head darts up and looks at Duran. "She needs your support more than I do."

 

Duran pats the ground in front of Randy's tombstone and smiles. "You take care, man." Duran then gets off of his knees and turns on his heels, walking towards his rental car as Roxy is stunned, but then turns to talk to John.

 

"What are you talking about, John?" Roxy asks frantically.

 

"I can move on now, Roxy. Thank you for that much," John responds without turning around.

 

"But what are you going to do now?"

 

"I'm going home, Roxy. I don't want you to bother me anymore, hon. You're only bothering yourself. Let me go home and talk with my mom, finish that pork chop that I never finished. After that, you never know." Duran finally reaches his car, grabbing the handle with his right hand as he turns to face Roxy with a wide smile on his face. "I might just take a little trip to Mexico."

 

Roxy's face is mixed with confusion, sadness, and anger at Duran's cheery mood in a cemetery as Duran opens his car door and steps in, turning the keys already in the ignition. "John, wait!"

 

But Duran simply leans his head out of his driver's side window as he maneuvers around Roxy's SUV. "Goodbye, Roxy."

 

Duran centers his car on the gravel road and then sets off on his ride home.

 

Closure is important, but advancing on in life after such closure is essential.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Okay, I don't know everything behind the Turner/Duran thing, so I'm a bit confused about a lot of it.

 

I do know one thing, though, and that is there is no smoking in airport terminals! I think...

 

I'm sure if I knew the backstory, this promo would make a lot of sense and would be really great.

[Guest Evolution]

I do know one thing, though, and that is there is no smoking in airport terminals! I think...

That's right, there isn't.

 

But if that's the one thing that makes the least amount of sense about the promo, then I'm glad.

 

I know the rest of it doesn't make sense either, so perhaps reading these four promos in order will help.

 

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=27557

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=39324

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=53887

http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?showtopic=56310

 

Every one of those promos is referenced in this one, so reading all four of those helps.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Ah. Now I amz understanding!

 

Good promo, and yay for closure.

 

BORT!

[Mr. S£im Citrus 0]

:: nods ::

 

Duran, you were my favorite guy to pick on in character, but I always thought of you as a good writer... for a hoss, anyway... Fair winds and following seas.

 

- Dub "Crash" Cee