The Errand pt. II

[Delikado/J-Noble]

The Errand pt. II

Cookeville Community Center
6:58 AM

Swinging open the hallway door and looking in, Johnny came to find himself in yet another hallway of the arena.

Johnny: Damn it.

That was the problem with these buildings, they seemed to be nothing but hallways and a few rooms, all of which were never the one you wanted. Nonetheless, Noble enters this new hallway and makes his way down it, checking his watch as he does so. Only about thirty minutes had gone by between his chat with the female stagehand and his final decision to check out this lazy ass janitor Raymond was bitching about. Johnny makes his way down the hall, checking each door but all he finds are locker-room numbers and unmarked doors. Any janitor’s closet or assigned area would carry some sort of mark. Realizing this, and realizing that not only did he have this particular “request” to deal with, but a match with an opponent who felt no shame in ripping him apart after some failed attempt at title glory one week ago…Johnny picked up the pace and scanned each door for a split second and a half. Johnny rerouted down another hallway, glancing at some workers as they pass him by at a small coffee setup, and suddenly looked out through a window pane, spotting an African American man in a “janitor-esque” uniform sitting on a large wooden box outside smoking a cigarette. Call it suspicion, call it an educated guess, hell, call it plain old racism, but Johnny figured that this was the lazy bastard Raymond was talking about.

Johnny made a straight path toward the man outside, ignoring any other passersby as he opened the door and walked outside. The man stands near the eastern back end of the arena near where the dumpsters are settled. The sounds of early morning had become heavier in the distance since Johnny arrived, mainly traffic noise. People going to work…how fitting. Johnny gets closer and closer to the rather muscled-up janitor until the man notices him and blows cigarette smoke into the air as an initial greeting.

Janitor: Sup?

Johnny pretends at first to not directly notice the man, but that act drops rather quickly.

Johnny: Hey, how’s it going?

Janitor: Not bad, not bad, man.

The janitor goes back to his smoke and Johnny looks around the side area of the building that he finds them both in. The younger Noble rubs his chin for a few quiet moments before striking up a conversation, because while cutting to the chase would probably be the faster route, it might also net him more of a headache in the beginning.

Johnny: You enjoying that cigarette?

Janitor: What?

Johnny nudges to the cigarette in the man’s hand and the janitor nods his head.

Janitor: Sure, sure. You want one?

Johnny: I don’t smoke.

Janitor: Suit yourself.

The janitor goes back to his smoke and Johnny keeps an eye on him for several seconds. Finally, the janitor looks back at Johnny and seems to connect something.

Janitor: Hey, you’re the Boss’s brother, ain’tcha? Kurt’s, I mean.

Johnny flicks his eyebrows, not expecting that.

Johnny: Yeah, that’s right.

Janitor: Cool. He’s a pretty decent guy.

Johnny stares off to the side as he responds, as if the topic doesn’t interest him enough to discuss it face-to-face.

Johnny: I wouldn’t know about that.

Janitor: It’s Johnny, right?

Johnny clicks his teeth together and nods his head slowly, giving the janitor a chuckle as he takes a drag.

Marty: Well, good to meet ya, man. I’m Marty by the way.

Johnny’s eyes flash toward the man’s janitor overalls, spotting the “Marty” nametag and then to his arm, which bears a rather noticeable bruise. While Johnny would LOVE to hear the story behind it, other things require his attention before the show later in the night. Therefore, it’s time to get down to business and cut right to the chase.

Johnny: So, why are you not working?

Marty: Huh?

Johnny: Working. Why are you out here?

Marty: Oh. Just taking a break.

Johnny: A break? It’s hardly seven.

Marty: I, uh, I work the night shift.

Johnny: Then you should’ve gone home a while ago. Besides, you don’t look all that worked.

Marty: It ain’t a hard job, man.

Johnny: Maybe so. Then again, maybe not. I worked my share of night and day jobs as a cleanup guy over the years. If you worked the night, you’d at least give off some sort of stink right now. All you smell like is cigarette smoke.

Johnny’s persistence is quickly getting on the janitor’s nerves and he gets rather defensive, both in posture and tone as he responds to the young man questioning him.

Marty: Hey, buddy, what’s your problem? I’m out here enjoying my smoke and you come out here all over my case. I’ve been working hard and I deserve this. I already got enough shit at home. Least I need it here at work too, so back off.

He takes another drag and Johnny glances at the cigarette before looking back into the man’s eyes, trying to read him in any way he can.

Johnny: Actually, Raymond Caravelle says that you’re more interested in working the outside dumpster here than the restrooms and floors, like you’re paid to do.

The janitor’s eyes snap toward Johnny with a surprising and yet not-so surprising look of dislike.

Marty: Hey, brother, you calling me lazy?

Johnny: I didn’t say you were Employee of the Month.

Marty: Look, I already told you. I got a lot of crap going on at home, okay? My old lady is giving me hell, my kids are going through their high school years, and their pop’s a goddamn janitor. Besides, there’s plenty of janitors in this place, man. If I don’t give it 100% every day, then I’m sure one of the other guys will take a little extra work until I’m ready to, ya know?

Johnny: No, I don’t.

Marty: Pssht, your brother would understand what I’m talking about…

Marty goes to take a drag when Johnny snatches the cigarette from his hand and tosses it on the ground, squishing it into the pavement.

Johnny: I’m not my brother…

The janitor looks up from Johnny’s foot into his eyes, staring back with a sudden anger behind them. He nods his head slowly and surely.

Marty: I can see that.

Marty inhales slowly and looks around the area, as if he’s looking for someone. Johnny himself glances around, although not as heavily as the janitor. When they finally look back at each other, Marty’s tone comes out as a tad nervous while still trying to remain controlled.

Marty: Listen, buddy, you tell Raymond that tomorrow, maybe the day after, or at least until I talk to your brother, I’ll go back to cleaning up and shit. Okay?

Johnny: No, I’m not gonna take that. You grab a mop and get your ass back into the step like everyone else. If I have to, so do you.

Johnny’s harsh tone causes Marty to stutter in his words, as if he had expected the young Noble to be like his brother Kurt and show some compassion for his fellow man. Obviously, that’s not the case. Regardless, the janitor stands his ground and gives the side area yet another look-around.

Marty: Listen, Johnny, brother man, I swear to you, just let me talk to Mr. Noble or Mr. Sterling about something and then I’ll get back to my job. I…I just can’t do it like I am right now, ya know?

Johnny glances at the bruises on the man’s arms but remains silent. While an initial glance tells Johnny those injuries might be the cause of the man’s lack of desire to work, a second guess tells him the guy may have done it to himself. A strange thought? Perhaps. But it’s still a theory. After all, this bastard is pretty big, big enough to be able to handle himself if somebody gave him some trouble at least. Johnny sighs and rubs his chin as he examines the bruises on the man’s arms.

Johnny: What happened to your arms?

Marty tries to hide his arms behind his back.

Marty: Nothing.

Johnny folds his arms and nods his head in understanding.

Johnny: Nothing…All right.

Johnny responds by reaching out and snatching the janitor’s arm, pulling it and twisting the man around before taking a firm grip on both arms. The janitor gasps in both shock at Johnny’s speed, and pain at the angle his arms are twisted.

Marty: What the hell? Man, that hurts!

Johnny: Get over it. Let’s go.

Johnny shoves the janitor toward the arena with a look of disgust on his face as he does so.

Johnny: You’re working today whether you like it or not. You got problems, you sort them out, “brother”, but don’t drag the rest of us down with you.

Marty: I’m doing what I can, Johnny! I just…I just…

Johnny: Just shut up.

Both men make their way toward the arena, Marty in the front and Johnny trailing behind him keeping one eye glued to him and the other to the lot that the panicky janitor continues to look at even as he moves forward. Marty swallows and cracks a shaky smile.

Marty: You…you really ain’t like your brother, huh?

Johnny’s silence says it all as he follows the defeated janitor. Nonetheless, this janitor refuses to go without speaking his thoughts aloud.

Marty: Look, I do a good job normally. You can ask anybody. This job may suck and the pay is nothing I can live in a mansion over, but I’ve worked with companies like this for years, making the places freaking shine every day like they brand new! It’s just that things are pretty messed up with me right now, that’s why I ain’t working to my best like usual.

Johnny: You can talk about your work with someone who cares. Instead, why don’t you just talk about why you’re making it so I have to come down here and drag your lazy ass around like I’m doing. I already have a job of my own to do. Playing errand boy didn’t come with the contract.

Marty: Pfft…someone sounds bitter…now who sounds lazy?

Johnny responds harshly yet again by grabbing the man by his overalls collar and jerking him around harshly, getting in his face.

Johnny: I don’t blame people like you for your mistakes. I just ask that you pay for them. Right now, you’re paying for your laziness.

Marty: I told you I ain’t lazy!

Johnny tightens the hold on the collar and continues speaking.

Johnny: Be that as it may, you’re paying for the image you’re making for yourself. Me, I get to pay for being the brother of Kurt Noble. Now, you can call that a bad thing, and you can call that a good thing. I really don’t care. When people look at me as *just* the brother of Kurt Noble, I have to take that. It can be people I fight in the ring like Storm, it can be people backstage, it can be managers. I don’t take it in a bad way or a good way regardless, it’s just part of my life. And when that’s all over and done with, I go and do my job, what I came down here to do.

Marty: Yeah? And what did you come down here to do then, huh?

Johnny stares at the man dead in the eyes and then releases him, shoving him back toward the arena.

Johnny: I’ll let you know when I figure it out myself.

Marty: Heh, so in the meantime, you’ll just play Johnny bad boy and fight every son of a bitch your brother’s company throws at you?

Johnny: You let me keep my business to myself, and I’ll see that you get back to your business.

Marty laughs with a cynical sense of amazement and keeps walking. He opens the glass door to the arena and walks in, Johnny continuing to follow in step behind him.

Marty: So guys like Storm, eh? You just gonna fight him and not care about the consequences? Not care why you have to or what it means to go out there?

Johnny: What did I just say?

Johnny’s tone clearly indicates he’s not in the mood for any more chit-chat, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop the janitor from speaking his mind like he has been.

Marty: I can respect that, brother. Big, nasty badass like him versus the brother of the man who co-owns the company…but you don’t think-

Johnny: If you think that talking to me is going to motivate me to come to your aid about not slacking off on your job, you’re sorely mistaken.

Believe it or not, that must’ve been Marty’s plan all along, for he immediately spins around and looks like he might break down in a few more seconds.

Marty: Aw, c’mon, Johnny, you gotta believe I had a damn good reason for all this! I even told Ray about it last week and he ain’t done nothing, man! The Kingdom of Pride ain’t the only company looking to settle here. The Quixotic Wrestling Alliance is on its way in! See these bruises?

He rolls up his sleeves even more to show additional bruises and some cuts dry with old blood. Johnny still doesn’t look very sympathetic despite both the man’s injury display and his pleading eyes/tone.

Marty: One of their guys came over here last week and started threatening me to stand down from the company.

Johnny: Oh sure, sure, they just so happened to attack a Marty. Makes perfect sense.

Marty: I swear to God, man, that’s what happened! They’re probably just starting off with me and they gonna work their way up! It’s a promotion of thugs!

Marty grabs Johnny’s shoulders and tries to shake some sense into him, although the unconvinced Johnny shoves him away.

Marty: If I keep working, they’re gonna beat me ass, Johnny! Can’t you just talk to your brother?

Johnny: No.

Johnny spots a janitor’s closet near one of the restrooms and is now forced to drag the man with him, as he’s now refusing to cooperate, most likely because Johnny refuses to help him out.

Marty: You know, you’re a tough guy, Johnny. Hell, you gotta face that Storm guy later and you ain’t even broken one sweat! Can’t you just, ya know, watch my back and help a brother out? We both the same, working under less than good conditions.

Johnny: I’ve been working, I don’t know where you’ve been.

Johnny reaches toward the closet and jerks it open. He glances around inside before rolling out a mop and a bucket. He places the mop in Marty’s hand and nods toward the bucket.

Johnny: Now don’t make me come back here, because neither of us want that.

Marty: Johnny, please, dude! Please! Help me out!

Johnny: Help yourself. Where’s that fighting spirit this country preaches about?

Johnny gives Marty one last questioning look and then walks away, leaving the poor man to his duty. The janitor nervously looks around like he’s already about to have something bad happen to him.

Marty: Jesus…I’m a goner…

Johnny continues walking, checking his iPhone as he does, and turns the corner, vanishing from the janitor’s sights. He sighs and slides his iPhone away before continuing on to handle other matters of the day. The scene fades out…

The Errand pt. II