Kings

[Doug E Fresh]

*Clang*

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH"

(A small crown falls from a high chair to the tile below. The scream of an infant stirs the entire house.)

"Doug! He dropped the crown again! This time it rolled so far away I can't reach it while feeding him. Grab it please?"

"Alright hold on."

(From the doorway to the kitchen, Doug emerges holding a playstation controller and wearing a headset.)

"I'm gonna go anyway. Good talking to you Rucker. Next time you won't block my finish."

(He sets everything down and approaches the crown on the floor. Picking it up, he turns to the child who meets him with huge eyes and a bouncing grin.)

"From the once king to the future king I dub thee."

(All giggles as the child reaches up to the crown meanwhile another spoon of baby food gets quickly put in his mouth while its open and he's jubilant.)

"Everytime you do that Doug I get nightmares that he's going to follow in your footsteps."

"Wouldn't hurt him ya? Maybe he'd meet a darling wife like yourself in the process."

(They kiss.)

"Hopefully it doesn't take about 12 years of ups and downs to accomplish that. I don't want to be a grandmother for the first time in my sixties."

"Be more worried about if he knocks someone up while in high school with your looks and my charisma."

(Doug grabs the controller and headset as he walks away. Setting them down in the next room, he walks down the hallway and into the room of the house that can only be described as wrestling's holy room. On the wall in frames are numerous wrestling outfits, pads, cloaks, and so on. Between frames is the trophy case. Countless championships from across the world are ordered fashionably. World titles, tag team titles, inter-federation titles, and at the very top on a larger pedestal than the rest is the original True Expert Championship title belt which Doug won almost 6 years ago. Since then everything went defunct and thus he's recognized as the LAST True Expert in existence.

A couple years passed and there were questions of retirement because it happened...and then it didn't...and then it did again. Finally a couple years ago Doug had his last match anywhere and it was at home in Sin City Wrestling, a company which unfortunately just like Doug had retired. Since then, he reconciled with everything and everyone he could. The persona he'd assumed over the years had burned too many bridges. One specific bridge was with his former fiance Amber. They're together now and their son Xavier was born less than a year ago.

This is life now. That doesn't mean there's feelings of satisfaction and content but rather just acceptance. This holy room of the house is not only a reminder of the man Doug was but its also a room for Doug to meditate, reflect, and be alone in his thoughts. There's a large 'throne' like chair in the corner with an ottoman for sleep. There's a computer for work and personal use. And there's a mirror along the wall where once in awhile Doug puts on a pair of tights to see if he isn't too out of shape.

In this room, Doug sits and stares into the mirror, perhaps speaking to who he sees or just himself.)

"How I miss the facade of faith, the holier than thou version of you. Sometimes I just wonder if you're lost now. You went around undoing the damage, wronging the rights, calling out your sins as if you were trying to open a direct line to God himself.

You're a shell of yourself.

An empty vessel.

A ghost.

You live a life that makes you feel whole. But honestly Doug I can't in all certainty assess the weight in the words of your lecture. What's real? What's fake? For years you had so many eating from your palm. They prayed for you while you played their faith. And you loved it. In retrospect you still do.

Look at you now. Personal life is great but personally you're regretful, shallow. Are you waiting for what's next or just waiting for death? Behind you are symbols of when you were glorious. And they weigh heavy on the head your crown once sat.

What kind of happiness do you have?

What kind of happiness do you want?"

(Doug slouches a bit. He's starting to look weary. His eyes are still staring directly at the mirror but they're slowly closing.)

"You deserved better."