Post by lenton on Oct 24, 2013 0:44:45 GMT -5
[The scene opens to the Cherry Tree situated in Peterborough. A pub, that was originally converted from two cottages back in the early 19th Century, the Public House and land as it is now has been transformed and renovated into a spectacular area whilst retaining the overall original traditional feel and style of the buildings. It is one of the City's best known live music venues and food pubs; its facilities include a public bar and lounge where they serve superb food, a function room, hard-standing carpark and a fully landscaped rear garden with a play area for the young ones . Currently, there's not too many people here- it's early on a Thursday morning and most are at work or at school, depending on the ages, but those that are here, have come to the exterior entrance to see one person; one person only. That is, Ian Lenton. The man who is living up to the promise that he made his daughter when he told her that she would be able to see him compete in his home town; thanks to EOV, that's EXACTLY what is going to be occurring this week. Wearing a Peterborough United home strip shirt, jeans and brown leather boots, he cuts a very casual personality within a setting that is causal in itself.]
IAN: Daddy's home, Peterborough. And damn, I couldn't be prouder to be back in the place that I hold close to my heart. The place, where the man known as Ian Lenton was born. Aye, I'm not here as Ian Lenton, EOV wrestler. I'm here as Ian Lenton, the person. The man that you grew up with; the man who most of you have come to know as a kind-hearted and quiet personality, when he's not cheering on the mighty Posh.
[Ian lets out a slight laughter at that remark, as do the rest of the audience in attendance.]
IAN: See, nothing means more to me, than to be able to come back here; connect with my youth. Connect with what I have been disconnected from, ever since I made the choice to step into the ring once more. The moment, that I decided that I still have something to give to the industry that I had left in 2002. Whilst you might ask what that is; what could somebody that had done a lot more than most people could ever dream of in their entire careers, by the age of twenty two have to give to the business? And you'd be right: I have accomplished a lot in this business, and managed to do so at such a young age. But it's not about the accomplishments; it's not about the success at all.
[Pausing, he takes in a deep breath; feeling the emotions rise to the surface. A blend of both realising why he returned to the ring, and being back in his home town.]
IAN: No, it's about the thrill I got, just listening to the fans. The adulation they gave to me, every time I set foot between those ropes. It felt like a second home- it felt just like I was back here in Peterborough. I've got a child now; I adore her with all my heart, but she knows just how much wrestling means to me. She's never seen me compete, but she's seen the videos; the newspaper clippings that adorn the walls back home. That's why I decided to go back. More so than anything else, it was the euphoria I got from knowing that I was following my dreams; doing something that I was passionate about.
[Feeling a tear roll its way down his cheek, Ian can't help but slightly smile. The outpouring of emotion is something that's out of character for him, but it's something that needed to be done. Something, that he needed to talk about and where better, than his home audience?]
IAN: Many people have assumed that greed played a part in returning, yet they would be incorrect. I've got enough both from a financial and emotional standpoint; I'm not one to steal the spotlight from those who are seen as more deserving.
[Shaking his head, he knows that anybody that knows him well enough, will tell you that he's the last person to accuse of being greedy.]
IAN: That's not why I'm here though, it's not what I wanted to talk about.
MAN: It's great to have you compete here Ian. I've just got a question to ask.
[Looking over to the man, Ian instantly realises that it's one of the people that he worked with whilst serving here at the Little London Inn back in 2004. Wearing a weathered brown leather jacket over the top of a black polo shirt, blue trousers and white casual shoes, the man appears to be in his mid thirties. Not much older than Ian.]
IAN: Go ahead, Chris.
CHRIS: I know you've probably answered this before, but what is the one thing that you love about being one of the best British wrestlers ever? About being a bona fide icon of the sport?
IAN: It's never been about the success or what people have thrust upon me. I've just gone out there and done what's best for me. What's best for this industry; the fan base that make it all possible as a whole. I've been the guy who you KNOW, isn't going to slacken in performance, when it comes to being inside of the ring. The one who you can rely on, to fight until the bitter end- no matter the end result.
[Chris then nods, happy with the reply that his friend had given him to the question.]
IAN: All of those qualities, can be stated about me outside of the ring as well. I've never let anybody down, when they've asked me to do it; I've done it in an efficient manner as well. See, I pride myself on being the go to personality. The one that people ask, when they need a job to be done- no matter how small that task may be. Everything counts towards how one will be treated; I truly believe in the principle of treating others the way you'd like to be treated.
[Smiling, you can see the slight glint that is beginning to appear in his eyes.]
IAN: It's a part of the honour system that I shall forever live by; that I preach to my daughter each and every day of her life. Whether it be on the phone, or in person. What sort of father would I be, if I taught her one thing, whilst leading a whole different path.
IAN: Not only wouldn't I be a good father, I'd also be a hypocrite; that's something that I never want to be entitled with. Believe me, if I tell you something, it's something that is a guarantee. It's something that WILL be delivered; whether that's got to do with wrestling, or my personal life, it doesn't matter. I'm a man of my word; a man who lives and dies by the promises he makes. So when I say to you that I promise that Peterborough holds a special place in my heart, you know that it's nothing but the truth.
[Resting his right hand on his heart, Ian quietly whispers some words, before commencing a walk down the cobbled path towards the medium sized Victorian era house that Ian calls home. Smiling, he notices that a young child- no older than ten years of age, was standing off to the far right of the audience; listening to everything Ian had to say. Wearing an Ian Lenton shirt, jeans and black street shoes, the kid smiles widely upon the sight of Ian.]
CHILD: Did you truly mean what you said about following your dreams again?
IAN: Aye. I pursued my dreams as a child; it made me one of the success stories you hear about all the time. But it tired me; it wore me down- so I went and reevaluated everything, before deciding to give it all one more go around. One more shot. If you're passionate about something, you'll never lose the desire. You'll never lose the "itch" to do it, you just have to consider whether or not your body is up to the task. Tell me, what is the one thing you want more than anything else in the world?
[The child looks up at Ian, slightly dropping his head as he thinks about how to answer that question truthfully.]
CHILD: I want to be just like you.
[Ian slightly smiles, ruffling the kids hair in a playful fashion.]
IAN: It takes dedication and commitment to do the things I've done; to find yourself, when not even you truly know what you desire. It might have seemed easy to me in the ring, but trust me: it's far from easy. It's far from just competing in the ring; that's what people fail to understand.
[The kid looks back to Ian, eagerly listening to each and every word that leaves his mouth. Treating it as if it were gospel.]
CHILD: Can you teach me how to do all of that?
[Slightly shaking his head, Ian looks into the kids pale green eyes.]
IAN: I cannot teach you dedication and commitment, those things you have to find inside of yourself. I can only teach you what wrestling entails; only then, it can only be taught if YOU want to learn it. Do you?
[The child nods. That's the only response that Ian needs.]
IAN: All right then little fella, if you truly wish to learn: come to London Road on Saturday morning; I'll help you gain a foothold over what's ahead, should you pursue a wrestling career. I'll also give you three tickets to next Wednesday nights event, so you and your parents can come watch and learn from observing the desire and energy on display.
CHILD: Okay, thank you Ian.
[With one last ruffle of the child's hair, Ian continues the walk down the path, before allowing a soft yet calm breath to float into the air.]
IAN: I'm home. Back in the city that embraced me; the city that I know like the back of my hand. Some might say that it will become a distraction; that I'll try too hard to impress my friends and family, that I'll lose sight of the match I'm bound to be competing in. A match, that is just the first route back to acquiring another chance at Tommy Rowan. Another chance at the Hybrid championship.
[Ian slightly smirks at the sound of those words.]
IAN: Yet those people fail to understand something. They fail to understand, just who will be stepping into that ring come next Wednesday. It won't be Ian Lenton, the person who stands before you right now. It'll be Ian Lenton, the wrestler. The man whose sole focus, is to ensure that the job that needs to be done, is done; that it is done efficiently. See, I'm representing more than just me. I'm representing this country; all that it holds dear. Just like High Flying Hardcore shall be representing Scotland. A nation that I have no issues with, except when it comes to football and wrestling. Trust me, I'm not going to take it any easier in you HFH. I'm not going to let it all slide, just because you're from the United Kingdom like I am. That would be naive.
[Laughing slightly, Ian's expression becomes one of sheer focus. Sheer desire.]
IAN: See, I'm not Michael James, I'm not Jason Kaine and I'm not Tommy Rowan. I'm not somebody that takes you lightly. I know you're talented; I know you want the shot at gold as much as I do, but that's irrelevant. It's not about what you WANT- it's about what you're willing to go out and achieve. What you're willing to put your body on the line for, just to say you reached the ultimate glory.
[Ian allows the emotions flowing within his mind to bounce within the vast spaces around him. To set him upon the path that he needs to be heading down.]
IAN: Once you take that leap, you cannot take it back. You cannot have those moments back, no matter how much you might regret it. You've got to have the belief, that you can block everything out and focus on the choices. The black and white of it all.
[Allowing those words to sink in, Ian knows all about the feelings that must be going through his opponents mind. The emotions, that Ian is slowly picking apart, with every word that is spoken.]
IAN: It's okay to fail HFH. It's okay to fall just short, but you cannot go out with the thought that you will lose. Yes, you could very well fall- just like I could. All it is about, is do you want to be a martyr, or do you seek the adulation. Do you strive for agony, or do you strive for glory?
[Keeping in his stride, Ian reaches a corner; decides to turn left as he continues to make his way back home.]
IAN: When you step into the ring with me, just know that the chanting on the terraces; the fans that are craving to see you fall...they're just road blocks. The only person that you should be worried about, is me. The man who has nothing else on his mind, but the road to redemption. The road, to taking the title that I was so close to calling mine.
[Ian tilts his head up slightly, whispering "It shall be mine", before arriving at the arched gates of his home.]
IAN: It's about nothing else, but the choices that are made. Make the wrong ones; you're a dead man. Nothing else should matter.
[The scene closes, as Ian makes his way through the gates; towards his mahogany white painted door with a brass knob.]
IAN: Daddy's home, Peterborough. And damn, I couldn't be prouder to be back in the place that I hold close to my heart. The place, where the man known as Ian Lenton was born. Aye, I'm not here as Ian Lenton, EOV wrestler. I'm here as Ian Lenton, the person. The man that you grew up with; the man who most of you have come to know as a kind-hearted and quiet personality, when he's not cheering on the mighty Posh.
[Ian lets out a slight laughter at that remark, as do the rest of the audience in attendance.]
IAN: See, nothing means more to me, than to be able to come back here; connect with my youth. Connect with what I have been disconnected from, ever since I made the choice to step into the ring once more. The moment, that I decided that I still have something to give to the industry that I had left in 2002. Whilst you might ask what that is; what could somebody that had done a lot more than most people could ever dream of in their entire careers, by the age of twenty two have to give to the business? And you'd be right: I have accomplished a lot in this business, and managed to do so at such a young age. But it's not about the accomplishments; it's not about the success at all.
[Pausing, he takes in a deep breath; feeling the emotions rise to the surface. A blend of both realising why he returned to the ring, and being back in his home town.]
IAN: No, it's about the thrill I got, just listening to the fans. The adulation they gave to me, every time I set foot between those ropes. It felt like a second home- it felt just like I was back here in Peterborough. I've got a child now; I adore her with all my heart, but she knows just how much wrestling means to me. She's never seen me compete, but she's seen the videos; the newspaper clippings that adorn the walls back home. That's why I decided to go back. More so than anything else, it was the euphoria I got from knowing that I was following my dreams; doing something that I was passionate about.
[Feeling a tear roll its way down his cheek, Ian can't help but slightly smile. The outpouring of emotion is something that's out of character for him, but it's something that needed to be done. Something, that he needed to talk about and where better, than his home audience?]
IAN: Many people have assumed that greed played a part in returning, yet they would be incorrect. I've got enough both from a financial and emotional standpoint; I'm not one to steal the spotlight from those who are seen as more deserving.
[Shaking his head, he knows that anybody that knows him well enough, will tell you that he's the last person to accuse of being greedy.]
IAN: That's not why I'm here though, it's not what I wanted to talk about.
MAN: It's great to have you compete here Ian. I've just got a question to ask.
[Looking over to the man, Ian instantly realises that it's one of the people that he worked with whilst serving here at the Little London Inn back in 2004. Wearing a weathered brown leather jacket over the top of a black polo shirt, blue trousers and white casual shoes, the man appears to be in his mid thirties. Not much older than Ian.]
IAN: Go ahead, Chris.
CHRIS: I know you've probably answered this before, but what is the one thing that you love about being one of the best British wrestlers ever? About being a bona fide icon of the sport?
IAN: It's never been about the success or what people have thrust upon me. I've just gone out there and done what's best for me. What's best for this industry; the fan base that make it all possible as a whole. I've been the guy who you KNOW, isn't going to slacken in performance, when it comes to being inside of the ring. The one who you can rely on, to fight until the bitter end- no matter the end result.
[Chris then nods, happy with the reply that his friend had given him to the question.]
IAN: All of those qualities, can be stated about me outside of the ring as well. I've never let anybody down, when they've asked me to do it; I've done it in an efficient manner as well. See, I pride myself on being the go to personality. The one that people ask, when they need a job to be done- no matter how small that task may be. Everything counts towards how one will be treated; I truly believe in the principle of treating others the way you'd like to be treated.
[Smiling, you can see the slight glint that is beginning to appear in his eyes.]
IAN: It's a part of the honour system that I shall forever live by; that I preach to my daughter each and every day of her life. Whether it be on the phone, or in person. What sort of father would I be, if I taught her one thing, whilst leading a whole different path.
IAN: Not only wouldn't I be a good father, I'd also be a hypocrite; that's something that I never want to be entitled with. Believe me, if I tell you something, it's something that is a guarantee. It's something that WILL be delivered; whether that's got to do with wrestling, or my personal life, it doesn't matter. I'm a man of my word; a man who lives and dies by the promises he makes. So when I say to you that I promise that Peterborough holds a special place in my heart, you know that it's nothing but the truth.
[Resting his right hand on his heart, Ian quietly whispers some words, before commencing a walk down the cobbled path towards the medium sized Victorian era house that Ian calls home. Smiling, he notices that a young child- no older than ten years of age, was standing off to the far right of the audience; listening to everything Ian had to say. Wearing an Ian Lenton shirt, jeans and black street shoes, the kid smiles widely upon the sight of Ian.]
CHILD: Did you truly mean what you said about following your dreams again?
IAN: Aye. I pursued my dreams as a child; it made me one of the success stories you hear about all the time. But it tired me; it wore me down- so I went and reevaluated everything, before deciding to give it all one more go around. One more shot. If you're passionate about something, you'll never lose the desire. You'll never lose the "itch" to do it, you just have to consider whether or not your body is up to the task. Tell me, what is the one thing you want more than anything else in the world?
[The child looks up at Ian, slightly dropping his head as he thinks about how to answer that question truthfully.]
CHILD: I want to be just like you.
[Ian slightly smiles, ruffling the kids hair in a playful fashion.]
IAN: It takes dedication and commitment to do the things I've done; to find yourself, when not even you truly know what you desire. It might have seemed easy to me in the ring, but trust me: it's far from easy. It's far from just competing in the ring; that's what people fail to understand.
[The kid looks back to Ian, eagerly listening to each and every word that leaves his mouth. Treating it as if it were gospel.]
CHILD: Can you teach me how to do all of that?
[Slightly shaking his head, Ian looks into the kids pale green eyes.]
IAN: I cannot teach you dedication and commitment, those things you have to find inside of yourself. I can only teach you what wrestling entails; only then, it can only be taught if YOU want to learn it. Do you?
[The child nods. That's the only response that Ian needs.]
IAN: All right then little fella, if you truly wish to learn: come to London Road on Saturday morning; I'll help you gain a foothold over what's ahead, should you pursue a wrestling career. I'll also give you three tickets to next Wednesday nights event, so you and your parents can come watch and learn from observing the desire and energy on display.
CHILD: Okay, thank you Ian.
[With one last ruffle of the child's hair, Ian continues the walk down the path, before allowing a soft yet calm breath to float into the air.]
IAN: I'm home. Back in the city that embraced me; the city that I know like the back of my hand. Some might say that it will become a distraction; that I'll try too hard to impress my friends and family, that I'll lose sight of the match I'm bound to be competing in. A match, that is just the first route back to acquiring another chance at Tommy Rowan. Another chance at the Hybrid championship.
[Ian slightly smirks at the sound of those words.]
IAN: Yet those people fail to understand something. They fail to understand, just who will be stepping into that ring come next Wednesday. It won't be Ian Lenton, the person who stands before you right now. It'll be Ian Lenton, the wrestler. The man whose sole focus, is to ensure that the job that needs to be done, is done; that it is done efficiently. See, I'm representing more than just me. I'm representing this country; all that it holds dear. Just like High Flying Hardcore shall be representing Scotland. A nation that I have no issues with, except when it comes to football and wrestling. Trust me, I'm not going to take it any easier in you HFH. I'm not going to let it all slide, just because you're from the United Kingdom like I am. That would be naive.
[Laughing slightly, Ian's expression becomes one of sheer focus. Sheer desire.]
IAN: See, I'm not Michael James, I'm not Jason Kaine and I'm not Tommy Rowan. I'm not somebody that takes you lightly. I know you're talented; I know you want the shot at gold as much as I do, but that's irrelevant. It's not about what you WANT- it's about what you're willing to go out and achieve. What you're willing to put your body on the line for, just to say you reached the ultimate glory.
[Ian allows the emotions flowing within his mind to bounce within the vast spaces around him. To set him upon the path that he needs to be heading down.]
IAN: Once you take that leap, you cannot take it back. You cannot have those moments back, no matter how much you might regret it. You've got to have the belief, that you can block everything out and focus on the choices. The black and white of it all.
[Allowing those words to sink in, Ian knows all about the feelings that must be going through his opponents mind. The emotions, that Ian is slowly picking apart, with every word that is spoken.]
IAN: It's okay to fail HFH. It's okay to fall just short, but you cannot go out with the thought that you will lose. Yes, you could very well fall- just like I could. All it is about, is do you want to be a martyr, or do you seek the adulation. Do you strive for agony, or do you strive for glory?
[Keeping in his stride, Ian reaches a corner; decides to turn left as he continues to make his way back home.]
IAN: When you step into the ring with me, just know that the chanting on the terraces; the fans that are craving to see you fall...they're just road blocks. The only person that you should be worried about, is me. The man who has nothing else on his mind, but the road to redemption. The road, to taking the title that I was so close to calling mine.
[Ian tilts his head up slightly, whispering "It shall be mine", before arriving at the arched gates of his home.]
IAN: It's about nothing else, but the choices that are made. Make the wrong ones; you're a dead man. Nothing else should matter.
[The scene closes, as Ian makes his way through the gates; towards his mahogany white painted door with a brass knob.]
