Life Changing

[Cashman]

Life Changing

Tuesday September 11th 2001

BUZZ…BUZZ…BUZZ

Hello?

Shawn is that you? It’s Uncle David, how you been?

Shawn: Good bud, I am headed to school right now. Man, the last time I had talked to you, they had you stationed at camp Zukeran in Japan! You still there?

Uncle David: No sir, transferred to D.C about a month ago, had to get back in the states, you know how it is…

Shawn: No, not really but, I will take your word on that…Wait! Did you say D.C, that is like a 5 hour drive - we can hang like old times!

Uncle David: You driving now? Wow I have missed a lot.

Shawn: About two years worth, I mean I am 18 now Uncle, any male at my age with a girlfriend, better be driving.

The two of them burst into laughter.

Uncle David: You can drive up here one weekend with Britney if you are still with her, and we can catch a skins game or something … what do you think of that?

Shawn: I think me and Britney would love to do that.

Uncle David: Sweet sounds good, but hey let me go, I just pulled up to the gate and these pentagon security guards aren’t the friendliest.

Shawn: Yeah, I’m sitting in my car in the school parking lot, better go before I’m late!

The two of them hanged up their phones and Shawn gets out his car, grabs his backpack, and runs up to the school as the bell rings. A bummed look took over his face knowing now that he was late, and his first class teacher Mr. Knapp, one of the school’s tech ed teachers, did not like tardy students. He strolled up to the door of his class and opened the door expecting the worst.

Mr. Knapp: Shawn Cashman! Thank you for being late for my class this morning.

Shawn: Sorry Mr. Knapp, traffic was crazy!

Mr. Knapp: Really my drive was quite smooth this morning considering I live a block from you.

Shawn quickly took his seat and smiled at Mr. Knapp as he finished his sentence. Mr. Knapp aggravated, continued teaching class. In Mr. Knapps class, you had good days and bad days. On a good day, Mr. Knapp talk very little and the students worked with the machines on their tasks. On a bad day, Mr. Knapp would talk very often, mostly on the importance of safety. This was a bad day until half-way through class, the door of the class room opened again, this time another teacher entered the room walking quickly over to Mr. Knapp and started whispering something into his ear. Whatever was being said made Mr. Knapps eyes widen and a look of shock striked in his face. He quickly walked over to the TV.

Mr. Knapp: Class there has been a change of plans. There has been an event that I think deserves our attention.

Mr. Knapp turned on the TV and turned it to CNN, where the picture on the TV had a huge burning building on it with words below reading, “World Trade Center tower hit by plane”. The students began talking, including Shawn about how dumb a pilot would have to be to hit a building that size. A couple minutes went by as the school bell rang again, signaling the end of class. Shawn and the rest of the students filed out into the crowded hallway, where most of the talk was about the World Trade Center. Shawn finds a way to his locker, opens it, and starts exchanging books.

There you are stranger!

Shawn zips up his backpack and closes his locker turning around to find his girlfriend, Britney.

Shawn: Hey beautiful! How has your day been?

Britney: Good, now that I have seen you! Are you still coming over tonight and helping me study for my test?

Shawn: Would not miss it for the world.

Britney: Good, see you later hun…

The two of them exchange a kiss on the cheek and split ways. As Shawn walks into his next class, Miss Stanton already has the TV on watching the events. The school bell rings again, signaling the start of class.

Miss Stanton: So class what do you make of this plane crash?

Shawn: What! Please don’t tell me we are going to have to write another paper on current events!

Miss Stanton: Don’t give me any ideas Mr. Cashman… I just wanted to know what you guys think about this event?

Shawn: Well, I think the pilot dropped his glasses and when he got back to his seat, it was too late and ….

WOOOW

Another student in the class room cuts Shawn off, and is staring in amazement at the TV. There on the TV, was another plane plunging into the other tower of the World Trade center. No jokes were given this time, only jaws dropping as everyone in the room was glued to the TV. The reporters on TV were using words like attack, hijacking, and terrorism (words students had only imagined were described in far-away lands) seemed to be far too real at this moment. It was not to long thereafter, until the first tower fell and a cloud of smoke begun to overtake the civilians of the city. Shawn had a million questions in his head that he wanted to be answered, and he knew the only person that could shine any light on this could be his Uncle David. He reaches in his pants pocket for his phone but thought about it for a moment, coming to the conclusion not to call him. He probably was in a meeting or answering phones or trying to makes sense of the same questions he had. The phone fell back into his pocket. The class progressed with the gloomy estimates of the death toll that continued to rise. The bell rang; signaling the end of the class, in which Shawn stands up and catches a glimpse of the TV that just changed to the words, “Breaking news!” The picture of the TV changed to another building, which as Shawn saw this, his heart sunk, recognizing the building instantly as the Pentagon. Shawn quickly reaches in his pants pocket, grabs his phone and begins to immediately call his Uncle. It goes straight to voicemail. He begins talking, trying to control his emotions.

Shawn: Uncle, its Shawn - you NEED to give me a call back when you get this! I am freaking out, considering the events of today! You NEED to call me back to let me know you are ok! I mean by the looks of what they are showing us on TV, it only hit a corner of the building………

Bang!

……you probably are on the other side! So call me back……

Bang!

…..and we can have a nice laugh over this or something…….

Bang!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

BANG!

Shawn, you better wake the fuck up and open this door! We are going to be late – remember, we are signing the contracts today!

BANG!

Shawn opens his eyes to sunlight glaring in from the window next to the bed. He shades his eyes and turns standing up from the bed, where beer bottles are scattered on the floor from the night before. As the sunlight shines on his body, showing a beaten body of old wounds that tell the story of a brutal past.

BANG!

You better be dead Shawn, or I’m going to kill you! Let me in!

Shawn: God damn it Emma, hold on!

He grabs a pair of blue jeans that are lying on the floor next to the bed, and staggers over to the door, unlocking it, and opens it. A beautiful, blonde female enters the room in business attire. She takes a look around the room and becomes disgusted.

Emma: How can you trash a hotel room in 7 hours? You know what, I’m not surprised! They sent us a car to pick us up, and it’s been sitting in the parking lot for about twenty minutes! Get a shirt on, grab your shoes and we will pick up some gum or mints on the way.

Shawn makes his way to the bathroom where he slips on a t-shirt from a gym bag that had the words, “The Renegade” stitched into the bag. He turns to the sink and starts running water, sticking his hands in and wiping it onto his face. After drying his face, he grabs a nearby hat that reads, “An Army of One” across it and fits it upon his head. Grabbing his shoes, he tosses them into his gym bag and enters the bedroom again facing Emma.

Shawn: Alright, let’s do this.

Emma takes a step back holding her nose.

Emma: Forget the gum and mints; we are getting you some mouth wash!

Shawn grins and opens the hotel door as the two of them make their way down to the car that was waiting for them. After a few kind words to the driver for being late, they were off to a local Walgreens for mouth wash, and then the restaurant where they would be meeting up with a UWA representative, Jake Ego for the contract signing. As they entered the restaurant, a hostess met them and escorted them to their table.

Emma: Let me do all the talking considering I will be your manager, as well as the top diva for this company. I will have plenty of demands for them.

Shawn looks at her a little awkward as they take their seats.

Emma: Don’t worry I will hook you up as well….. It’s a little funny I figured this person would be a little heated considering we are thirty minutes late. But he is nowhere to be seen.

Shawn: If I knew what I was about to deal with, I would be hiding too.

She looks at him with a sarcastic smile.

Emma: Oh, I just love your sense of humor.

A couple of seconds later, in strolls Jake ego with a shirt half-way unbuttoned, with a brief case in hand. He looks at Shawn and Emma and sits down in front of them.

Jake: Well, it’s about time the UWA signed a pretty little lady like yourself and yes, I know what you’re thinking, I’m free tonight! I know I have a busy schedule, but I can fit you in….

Emma: Jake sweetie, snap out of it, you are not dreaming. We are here to talk business, not what I will be not doing tonight!

Shawn: Come on Emma, give the guy a chance - you can’t shoot him down after an opener like that!

Emma looks back at Shawn with the same sarcastic smile. Jake takes out a small notebook, scribbles something on a page, rips it out and hands it to Emma.

Jake: When you change your mind…. I will be waiting…. Now these contracts.

He opens the brief case and hands them each their respective contracts.

Jake: First, we have Shawn Cashman, aka The Renegade; it’s the basic four year contract. If you win any championships, your pay gets increased by 25%, if you headline a PPV you will get an additional 10%. There are a couple of other minor details, but I think I hit the main ones, if you want to sign at that dotted line.

Emma: There will be no signing until we look over this clearly…

Before she could finish her sentence, Shawn takes a pen out of his pocket and signs on the dotted line. Emma looks on in amazement.

Emma: There you go again! We had a plan and you go ahead and break the rules and do your own thing!

Shawn: Of course, that’s why they call me the renegade!

The attention turns to Emma and her contract and after a few demands was met, like the free tote bag and her favorite m&ms in her locker room nightly, she signs her contract.

Jake: Thank you two and welcome to the UWA family! Ryan Blake wanted me to inform you that your first match will be at this month’s PPV, which both of you will compete in a fatal four way with Geneocide and Joanna Canelli. Have a great night and Emma I look forward to hearing from you later tonight!

Shawn and Emma look at each other curiously as Jake stands up and walks out with both contracts secured in his briefcase.

Shawn: So I get to put my hands on you and maybe knock some sense into you….Score!

Emma: Oh, I’m so kicking your ass!

The both of them stand and collect their things, when Emma makes a startling discovery.

Emma: Wait, did Jake leave us with the bill!?

End Scene

Charecters mentioned: Emma Sinclair, Jake Ego, Geneocide , Joanna Canelli
Charecters Used: Emma Sinclair (with her permission), and Jake Ego