Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2014 18:48:31 GMT
To move across the country was to rip the beating heart out of 8-Ball. Everyone he’d ever liked, loved and talked with lived in Anaheim. His move to New York for MetroPro had left a mother without a son, dealers without a customer and disciples without a prophet.
It had been the hardest decision young Herb had ever made. It was a lot to ask an entrenched man to leave for new pastures but having visited and taken in the scenery earlier in the week, Herb knew they were definitely greener out here. For a start New York had a better job market. It had a gritty aesthetic that Herb loved. Now it had his first apartment.
There was nothing in it but a broken couch and graffiti spattered walls left by the previous owners, a couple of drug dealers who got busted by the DEA six months ago. No, they hadn’t missed any stash spots in the raid.
‘I’ve got enough room to think and to move, to act and to plan. It’s just wonderful. Thank you Travis,’
’Don’t sweat it,’ said Travis. ’Just make sure you nail them. The Shaw’s are a sickening bunch.’
’I haven’t had much chance to be on the social feed because of this move. Do you think they’ll run their mouth about me and say I’m running scared?’
’Nah. They’re not six. I doubt they’re petty like that.’
Travis switched opened the side screen for the camera.
’You ready?’
’Yeah, I guess.’
Herb kicked his legs over and sat upright, elbows to knees staring into Travis’s camera.
’Marriage is a phenomenon. You get two young, vital people with an idealized view of each other making a lifelong commitment at a time in their lives when everything is moving and changing and we have no idea what loves, what plagues, what future awaits us. We marry for security and certainty in a world where the only certainty is an immense amount of pressure and a lottery on whether or not you’ll lose half your shit. Today’s ambitions are tomorrow’s idle fantasies and the loves of our lives may tomorrow rot in the shadow of another, bolder sunshine that captures our hearts and thoughts.’
’What does that mean for your match?’
’It means my rivals this week have invested every essence of themselves, of their confidence, of their finances in an unstable connection and in the end they’ll have nothing to show for it other than maybe each other, which they could’ve got better without the gambling. True love doesn’t require securities and ceremonies and vows. You know in your heart if someone is right for you. Anything you do beyond that is grandstanding. They’re on some real edge of the knife shit. It only takes something as little as leaving the toilet seat up or leaving your laundry everywhere to trigger a series of events that’ll fuck up their entire lives. Maybe it’s losing to us that’ll trigger that.’
’So what can you do to make that happen Herb? How can you be the catalyst of their divorce? Is that even what you want?’
’It’s not, no, I’d never want to destroy love like that but I wanna win this match and make a good impression and I can do that by using my noggin and lighting the fuse for the apocalypse. These two are gamblers, they’re risk takers, we know that from their marriage. So we play a safe game, we dig our heels in, we divide and conquer and we walk out one step closer to championships.’.
’Is that your style Herb? Us Townsends aren’t known for being playing it safe.’
’It’s the San Diego blood man. Up in Anaheim we’re chill. I’m the king of rope-a-dope. I grew up in Anaheim getting chased by thugs and using their power against them when they corner me. Lunar actually goes out looking for thugs to fight and throws them in cop cars. The dude’s a legit vigilante. Between us we could probably take on a small Crips set. Against a pair of reckless people, in love with themselves as much as each other? This’ll be a fun challenge but one we can beat.’
’What will they gain from you beating them?’
’They’ll understand the curse of selfish love. They’ll know that the power of love conquers all but not the one they have for each other. It’s a love for everyone, to want to see better, to see people grow stronger and to make the world a brighter place that conquers the darkness that exists within mankind. I just hope they realize that before it’s too late and I hope their pride isn’t hurt when they realize what they think is their greatest asset is their biggest liability.’
Fade.
It had been the hardest decision young Herb had ever made. It was a lot to ask an entrenched man to leave for new pastures but having visited and taken in the scenery earlier in the week, Herb knew they were definitely greener out here. For a start New York had a better job market. It had a gritty aesthetic that Herb loved. Now it had his first apartment.
There was nothing in it but a broken couch and graffiti spattered walls left by the previous owners, a couple of drug dealers who got busted by the DEA six months ago. No, they hadn’t missed any stash spots in the raid.
‘I’ve got enough room to think and to move, to act and to plan. It’s just wonderful. Thank you Travis,’
’Don’t sweat it,’ said Travis. ’Just make sure you nail them. The Shaw’s are a sickening bunch.’
’I haven’t had much chance to be on the social feed because of this move. Do you think they’ll run their mouth about me and say I’m running scared?’
’Nah. They’re not six. I doubt they’re petty like that.’
Travis switched opened the side screen for the camera.
’You ready?’
’Yeah, I guess.’
Herb kicked his legs over and sat upright, elbows to knees staring into Travis’s camera.
’Marriage is a phenomenon. You get two young, vital people with an idealized view of each other making a lifelong commitment at a time in their lives when everything is moving and changing and we have no idea what loves, what plagues, what future awaits us. We marry for security and certainty in a world where the only certainty is an immense amount of pressure and a lottery on whether or not you’ll lose half your shit. Today’s ambitions are tomorrow’s idle fantasies and the loves of our lives may tomorrow rot in the shadow of another, bolder sunshine that captures our hearts and thoughts.’
’What does that mean for your match?’
’It means my rivals this week have invested every essence of themselves, of their confidence, of their finances in an unstable connection and in the end they’ll have nothing to show for it other than maybe each other, which they could’ve got better without the gambling. True love doesn’t require securities and ceremonies and vows. You know in your heart if someone is right for you. Anything you do beyond that is grandstanding. They’re on some real edge of the knife shit. It only takes something as little as leaving the toilet seat up or leaving your laundry everywhere to trigger a series of events that’ll fuck up their entire lives. Maybe it’s losing to us that’ll trigger that.’
’So what can you do to make that happen Herb? How can you be the catalyst of their divorce? Is that even what you want?’
’It’s not, no, I’d never want to destroy love like that but I wanna win this match and make a good impression and I can do that by using my noggin and lighting the fuse for the apocalypse. These two are gamblers, they’re risk takers, we know that from their marriage. So we play a safe game, we dig our heels in, we divide and conquer and we walk out one step closer to championships.’.
’Is that your style Herb? Us Townsends aren’t known for being playing it safe.’
’It’s the San Diego blood man. Up in Anaheim we’re chill. I’m the king of rope-a-dope. I grew up in Anaheim getting chased by thugs and using their power against them when they corner me. Lunar actually goes out looking for thugs to fight and throws them in cop cars. The dude’s a legit vigilante. Between us we could probably take on a small Crips set. Against a pair of reckless people, in love with themselves as much as each other? This’ll be a fun challenge but one we can beat.’
’What will they gain from you beating them?’
’They’ll understand the curse of selfish love. They’ll know that the power of love conquers all but not the one they have for each other. It’s a love for everyone, to want to see better, to see people grow stronger and to make the world a brighter place that conquers the darkness that exists within mankind. I just hope they realize that before it’s too late and I hope their pride isn’t hurt when they realize what they think is their greatest asset is their biggest liability.’
Fade.
