Always Learning
It’s a rainy night as we find ourselves in front of a high school building. Thunder rumbles in the distance, the parking lot glistening beneath flickering streetlights. Water streams down cracked windows and rusted gutters.
„So… We talked about respect,“ a young male voice says somewhere off camera.
„We talked about legacy,“ he continues, getting closer, louder.
„Now, since we’re here…“ he says, finally walking into the frame. It’s David Stryker, dressed in all black as on most occasions. The hood of his jacket is draped over his head as the rain drums on it.
„…let’s talk about learning,“ he says as he takes his place at the center of the frame.
„Today, we have a history class, alright? So… During the double-header last week, I pinned the almighty former World Champion Vin Halsted on Ward, then his partner KD Feigel at Aftershock. I outsmarted both of them, pinned them both with roll-ups. Now, I’ve heard people claim I ‚stole‘ those wins.“
David shakes his head.
„The problem with statements like that is… History doesn’t ask HOW something happened, it only cares about the fact that it happened. Diego Maradona scored that famous goal against England with his hand. Should have been illegal. But wasn’t. And thanks to that, the history books say he is a World Cup winner. When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, back then, it was perceived as treason to Rome. It was illegal. But history remembers it as greatness… Because thanks to that, he won.“
David takes a second.
„You see what I mean? A few weeks from now, nobody will remember roll-ups and holding the tights… But the history books will forever say that David Stryker, at 18 years old, with just six professional matches to his name… pinned BOTH the AWS tag team champions in a single night.“
An arrogant smirk forms on his face.
„And I’m not done making history, by the way. I’m two matches away from winning the Gold Rush Tournament and putting the AWS Pure Championship around my waist. I will be a champion before I even have ten matches on my record. How many of you wannabe superstars on this roster can say the same?“
He takes a second.
„None of you, right? I thought so…“
David chuckles.
„It’s funny… I’m the youngest on this roster by some margin, but I’m the one taking you all to school. You know why that is? Because unlike most of you, I truly learn. From history, from my surroundings. The back-to-back wins on Monday? That wasn’t luck, and it certainly wasn’t stealing wins. It was veteran presence and ring awareness from the youngest man on the roster. My father, my grandfather, the people who trained me, former world champions… When they speak, I listen. When they show me something, I watch. And I always remember. I’ll just keep showing you more and more.“
He crosses his arms across his chest, still unbothered by the pouring rain.
„This week, I face KD Feigel again. And this time, there’s more to it than bragging rights. There’s a place in the Gold Rush tournament final. Now KD… I won’t repeat myself. I won’t talk anymore about how Vin Halsted is carrying you and your team, or how you keep getting opportunity after opportunity in AWS because your daddy happens to be the owner. Hey, I won’t even mention that your team’s name is The Order, but all you talk about is chaos…“
David laughs.
„No, no, buddy, I just wanna tell you a little bit more about learning, okay? You look like you could use it. Some people learn from losses and bounce back. Others just get more stubborn and forceful trying to avenge that loss… And end up even worse. From all the talk about chaos you enjoy, KD, I think you’re the latter. You’ll have to do a lot in our rematch to prove to me, and to everybody watching, that you aren’t. Me, on the other hand?“
His facial expression gets more serious.
„I’ve learned from the decades of experience bestowed upon me by my family to not take wins as something automatic. I’m happy to celebrate them and shove them in your faces. Especially yours, KD. But when the bell rings again, I know I’m starting with a clean slate. I know I’m in a game that starts 0-0 like any other. So despite all the shit I’m throwing your way, KD, be sure I take our rematch VERY seriously. Because winning doesn’t get me comfortable. It gets me more motivated, more driven. The picture of me raising the Gold Rush trophy and the Pure title above my head lives in the back of my brain and drives me forward. And it will once again drive me through you.“
He takes a second again.
„There is an old saying. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. This Monday at Ward, KD Feigel…“
He steps closer to the camera.
„You’ll have a whole lot of learning to do.“
David walks away as we fade to black.