Headache and Heartbreak 💔

[chase]

[Diamond in the rough.]



{The scene opens on a white banner with black block letters that stretches across the small four corned room. It reads “Narcotics Anonymous”. The camera slowly pans downward and slightly to the right where a circular cluster of chairs come into view, filled with recovering addicts whom all share a similar situation. Relapse. A man dressed in casual attire consisting of a checkered print yellow and black tweed matched with light olive colored moleskin trousers. He removes his brown Trilby hat and presses it against his chest as he stands in front of the group.}



Hello. My name is Bryan and I’m a recovering addict. I am also an alcoholic. 4 days sober.



(NA supporters in unison) “Hi, Bryan.



Bryan Chase: Uh yeah, hey. I am here today because it is court ordered as part of my probation that I I participate in this 12-step program. I have been numb to the world half of my existence. Mostly thanks to Pain killers and alcohol. I’ve drank everything from whine to whiskey and all that falls in-between. Uppers, downers. You name it, chances are, I’ve tried it. Probably more than twice. Three DUI’s later, I find myself at a crossroads in my career. A fork in the road of my life. Do I continue down the same path of self sabotage and self destruction or do I finally try to right the wrongs of abusing my Self medication. Time will tell. One day at a time, right?



(He breathes out a dejected sigh then suddenly winces uncontrollably while covering both ears, clutching his head in what can be clearly seen as excruciating, agonizing torture on his brain. A sharp, throbbing, aching, pulsating pain beats inside his cranium but he grits his teeth and perseveres through the sheer misery of it all.)



-Bryan Chase-

My profession is considered by many to be “high risk” and I have recently been diagnosed with having a mild to severe concussion thanks to being spiked on my head repeatedly. I wake up confused at times. Lacking concentration, feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, groggy with blurry double vision and nausea most nights, vomiting after practically every meal. Before I just chalked it up to a drug induced hangover of sorts but I’vebeen sober four days now and it’s only gotten worse. Light and noise are a nightmare to deal with causing massive migraines. It is pure hell but I refuse to use this as a cop out or an excuse to continue my abusive relationship with drugs and alcohol. It’s been a vicious cycle that only I can stop. No one else. It all starts with me putting in the time and effort to a happy and healthy rehabilitation.





(Bryan Chase removes the golden butterfly back of a twenty four carat diamond gemstone earring from his left lobe. It sparkles in the open palm of a jittery, shaky hand held under the annoying buzz of the tube light fixtures fluttering and flickering above.)



-Bryan Chase-

“The soul is placed in the body like a rough diamond, and must be polished, or the luster of it will never fully form. A diamond doesn't start out polished. It once was nothing special, but with enough pressure and time, becomes spectacular. A diamond forms under pressure before shinning bright but never overnight. What’s my point? When you drop the ball, reach down and pick it back up because The game ends when you give up on yourself. We are all a work in progress. An unfinished product of society that has only one finish line. Death. There is no comeback from that. So live life to it’s fullest without fear of failure. Failure is a bruise, not a tattoo and if you’ve never failed, you never tried. Alright that’s enough bumper sticker slogans from me, guys and gals. Is there a bathroom around? Gotta drop off the kids at the pool if you catch my drift..”



{The counselor points in the general direction of the men’s bathroom stall and Bryan Chase hurriedly shuffles off with clinched butt cheeks}.



5 minutes later



{The distinct sound of a toilet flushing is heard as the bathroom stall door opens to reveal Bryan Chase tucking his shirt in and zipping up his pants. He raised an eyebrow of suspicion at the camera man, with a questioning expression worn on his face.}



-Bryan Chase-

“Soooo… do you follow everyone into the bathroom and record them taking a shit on camera? Or am I the exception to the rule..”



Camera man: Sorry. I was sent by Northern Pro Wrestling to try and get an interview or sound byte for you to address what went down New Year’s Eve.



{Bryan Chase breathes in a deep breath and slowly exhales as he walks over to the white porcelain sink, twisting the hot water lever to the right before washing his dirty hands clean. Chase turns the handle to off and rips a paper towel away from the wall dispenser to dry his hands while staring into the camera through the wall mirror reflection.}



-Bryan Chase-

Let me guess. You want to talk about what went down with the Syndicate. Alright, fair enough. What is there to say, really? It wasn’t my night seems like a severe understatement. Jesse Jamester and Scott Steel brought the pain and delivered in spades. This loss is on me and I own that. Joseph Mack had my back from jump street and deserves my respect for keeping my concussion from becoming a coma. That DDT gave me a pretty gnarly neck stinger. Couldn’t feel my fingers for a few moments. Next thing I know I’m clobbered in the chest with a stiff axhandle then unceremoniously slammed on the back of my head with the hardest powerbomb I’ve ever felt. My brains were scrambled like eggs. No excuses. I wasn’t prepared for that ass whooping and didn’t do what I needed to pull out the W. Next time? I will be and yes, there will be a next time. Did you really think it would be that simple to get rid of this face? Sorry, Charlie. I don’t give up on my dream that easily. Oh and if you see Joseph Mack? Tell him thanks from me and that I owe him one. Now if you will excuse me, I’ve gotta get back to my meeting
.