An alarm clock sits atop a small
Table next to a bed. The clock reads:
5:59 AM and flips to 6:00 AM.
Beepbeepbeepbeep
Beepbeepbeepbeep
Beepbeepbeepbeep
The jarring beeps begin going off
Until a rises from the bed, tapping
The top of the clock, turning the
Alarm off. Slowly getting to a seated position
Is Marquise Bridges, outstretching his arms
To greet the early hours of the morning.
“I should really get a new alarm clock, ha.
Well, let’s get this day started-
Oh, hey Bax, what’s up man, morning!”
Baxter, Marquise’s small white Bichon Frise, walks up to him
And begins licking his hand. Baxter walks in a small circle
Before doing a mighty leap into Marquise’s lap.
“Someone slept as well as I did.
All full of energy to take on the day. That’s good,
I could use a little extra inspiration to prepare for my
AMA debut, so thanks little guy.”
Marquise holds Baxter and stands from his bed.
A better view of his place reveals it to be a small apartment,
Just enough for one person and a small dog. His bedroom
Leads into his kitchen, with the door to the bathroom being
Directly to the right of that. One window near his front door
Lets light in as he opens his curtains.
“Let’s get you some food and set you up with a nice walk
So I can get to the Bronx. Don’t worry Bax, I’ll pick myself up
A little something on the way before I get to Mac.”
Baxter lets out a playful little bark, jumping from Marquise’s
Arms and doing a little dance once he lands on the floor.
Marquise sets off to do exactly as he said; take care of Baxter
And get on his way to the Bronx to meet his friend Mac.
6:00 AM turns into 7:30 AM and music slowly fades in.
Marquise Bridges jogs up some old stairs into what looks like
A dusty old gym out of a movie. Large barred windows high up
On the walls illuminate the room. Various tubes and pipes
Are seen on the ceiling, along with old school ceiling fans.
Heavy bags hand from wooden support beams, old model
Treadmills are on one side of the gym, a few prison-looking
Weight benches are on the other side. Littered around are
Pieces of boxing equipment. Dead center of the gym is a
Decrepit boxing ring held together by duct tape, plywood
And the prayers of those that train in it. In the center of this ring
Shadow boxing is an average height man wearing a matching color
sweatpants/hoody combo.
“Hey yo, Mac! What’s up! I dig the classic threads,
Haven’t seen them in a while.”
-
“Yeah, pink was always more my color. Setting trends and
Breaking records and chins, you know how it is.”
-
“When you gunna admit you stole your
whole schtick from that old video game?”
-
“Haha, fuck you man. Sound like that nerd chick
You gotta fight. Whatsername, Kelly?”
-
“Uh, Cali. Cali Hayama.”
-
“Sounds like a fuckin' motorcycle.
Change into your shit and get in the ring.
Talk and train, let’s go, multitask Mr. Smiles.”
Marquise goes to a bench and puts down
A duffle bag he had been carrying. Inside of
The bag are his personal boxing gloves,
Left glove reading “Problem” and right glove
Reading “Solution” on the wrists,
A mouth guard that funnily reads “TEETH”,
And white hand wraps. Inside the ring, Mac
Has removed his hoody and put on a pair of
Very much used, but still viable, green gloves.
He’s a 39 year old man with black hair. Pretty
Normal looking, but with a bit of a grizzled,
Battle worn face. He’s been through a lot, professionally.
After getting prepared, Marquise gets in the ring.
“Alright, so same as usual then Mac?”
-
“Yessir. Headgear’s for bitches, I will tag your
Ass up in the corner, and the ropes don’t save you,
But your footwork will.”
-
“Ring the bell already then man.”
Mac rings an invisible bell in the air and says “Ding, ding”
Before throwing a sudden right hook towards Bridges,
Who steps back dodging it swiftly.
“So Smiles, tell me what you got going on in your debut
Before I knock your teeth out and you can’t.”
Mac throws a few jabs at Marquise that hit his gloves.
Marquise responds by faking a left, and throwing a right
To the body instead, connecting lightly.
“There’s six other people in the match and we’re in a cage.
You remember that old match type we saw
As kids, the Bunkhouse Stampede?”
-
“Yeah, I remember that.”
Marquise throws a quick combo; two to the body
And one to the head that only glances Mac.
“It’s one of those. I’m not going to lie Mac
Nobody in there’s a walk in the park,
But you can never be sure.”
-
“Yeah, ya gotta be alert.”
Saying that, Mac absolutely rocks Marquise near the hip,
But he doesn’t let it phase him as he manages to throw some quick
Shots that back Mac up to the ropes. He taps him on the chest
And goes back to the center of the ring.
“Yeah, I know, haha.”
-
“You got some big boys in there right? A fuckin’ cowboy
In the year of our lord, 2022, and whatever the Buffalo dude is. He an Indian?
-
“Ok first of all, it’s Indigenous People or Native American, second, no he isn’t.
As far as I know at least, I’ve heard the guy doesn’t talk much.
But from what I do know, we ain’t too different in some ways.”
Mac physically pushes Marquise back
And throws three strikes to the head,
One of which connects flush on the left cheek
Of The Solution, causing him to step back
And reevaluate the situation.
“He slow like ya, Smiles?”
-
“I let you get that one, haha. But no,
I mean that we both lost our pops, struggled for our moms,
Had it rough, albeit in different ways. Both loved wrestling
Since we were kids, but again, in different ways.
Allegedly some vague Cartel stuff, but I can’t really speak on that.
He might be, or have been, a bad guy but I don’t know man.
I really feel like I can connect with the guy. Honestly,
Buffalo Jones seems like someone that would slot great
Into the organization. He could help a lot of people.
And probably himself. A redemption story is always great.”
-
“Yeah maybe, but first you gotta kick his ass. Guy like him,
Go for the body. Birdy told me his cardio ain’t up to snuff,
Might have some lung thing, so tire him out, wind him, go for the kill.
Typical stuff, you know what to do, I gotta hold your hand?”
Mac throws a straight, Marquise ducks,
Throws a straight of his own dead center
Of the stomach, making Mac bend over slightly,
Giving Marquise the opening for an uppercut.
Mac sees it coming and moves out of the way,
Getting off a light tap on Marquise’s chin.
“Uh-uh, that’s my thing, Smiles.”
-
“Almost had you though. Anyway, yeah, Jones is definitely
Someone I’m prepared for. The other guy you mentioned-“
-
“The fuckin’ cowboy.”
-
“Raging Redneck, Mac. He might be from another time
In the way he carries himself, being a cowboy and all,
But can’t deny the fact that cowboys are tough. Dirty fighter, sure,
But can’t say I don’t respect it. Do what you have to do
To win in this world. I just hope he leaves the
Beer bottles backstage. I don’t feel like
Picking glass up out of my hair after I win.”
-
“Just make sure that when you knock his
Ten-gallon ass off his lil’ klippity-kloppity horse, he don’t get back up.
I want him hearing that old Will Smith song in his dreams
When you knock him out.”
Mac throws a four-piece combo,
But Marquise is able to block three and dodge one,
Letting off a shot to Mac’s forehead that catches him
A bit off-guard.
“And what about the motorcycle?”
-
“Cali Hayama.”
-
“Yeah, Digital Vroom-Vroom.”
-
“I kind of want her to do her thing and collab for a charity stream! Haha”
-
“She cute? Hook me up?”
Marquise drops his hands and places them on his hips.
Mac also drops his hands.
Marquise laughs and shakes his head.
“Ok, no, I will not, haha. Although that girl has some sharp wit,
She’d make you look like a little b-i-itch.”
-
“There ain’t two I’s in bitch.”
-
“I added one special for you, that’s how bad she’d get you.”
-
“Whatever Smiles. You worried about her?”
-
“Just a bit. She’s probably one of the better fighters in this.
Very experienced at her young age. Limited experience, but it’s a lot of a little bit,
You get me?”
-
“Yeah I get it. Digital Vroom-Vroom’s a lil ‘firecracker.”
-
“Sure, that works. She’s definitely one to throw caution to the wind.
That can be used to my advantage, don’t you think? All her parkour, risk-taking,
High-flying and intensity. I could probably turn it around on her.”
-
“Ah yeah, I heard of parkour, that flippy shit the kids do to look cool on YouTube
Back In 2006. Didn’t know people still did that, I thought she was
Supposed to be the hip and cool young chick?”
-
“I mean yeah it’s old stuff, but you couldn’t do it.
And I couldn’t do it like she can.”
-
“Fair enough.”
-
“So what do you think about her?”
-
“Take her legs from her, capitalize when she’s in the air or moving fast,
Hit her so hard her brain resets like a Nintendo.”
-
“You know she’s going to destroy you on twitter.”
-
“I don’t care, she can blow me like a cartridge.”
Mac puts his hands back up, as does Marquise.
They tap gloves, back up and circle around the ring.
They meet back up and get into the clinch.
Trading light taps around the head and body,
Marquise gets a good short uppercut to the rib,
Making Mac wince and stumble. Bridges follows it up
With a two-hit combo, making Mac stumble into the corner.
“Better, Smiles. Better. That was power.
Not a lot, but it was better. You’ll need that.”
-
“Think I know what you’re about to say.”
-
“Norman Namatjira. They call him The Dharawal Warrior.
I’ve heard of him. Big, tough, strong Australian bastard.
There’s a reason he’s gotten the accolades he has.
I mean I got some shit to my name too, but I’d take my time with this one.
He might not be fast, but he’s got power. Speed does beat power, any day.
But you gotta be awake to use that speed. Gotta be careful.”
-
“Yeah this guy could probably crush most of the people in the match. And he’s mean.
Great combination there. Temper and strength.”
-
“That’s right, and you know what that means?”
-
“What, I’m not following here.”
-
“You can annoy him to death! Man, you’re charismatic, sarcastic
And annoying when you want to be. That, with your speed edge over him,
That’s your ticket. Piss him off, he can’t handle his emotions.
He might be a brawler, but so are you! You can brawl with the best of them.
What you lack in power, you evenly make up for almost everywhere else.
And you’re fucking annoying. Use that.”
-
“I learned the annoying from the best, thanks Mac, your training works."
-
“Fuck you, you’re welcome.
Oh, and remember that big boys fall hard.
Add him to the list of legs to take, just like Digital Vroom-Vroom.”
Mac goes back to the center of the ring
To meet Marquise. They trade a few jabs
Until Mac does a little foot shuffle, throwing off
Marquise, and hits a
killer uppercut to the chin of Bridges.
He doesn’t fall, but he backs up to take a breather and get his bearings.
“Hurt your glass jaw, drama queen?.”
-
“Nah, I’m good. My beard just itched, felt like I got tickled with a feather.
But uh, speaking of drama queen,
You just reminded me of Maxwell Marquee.”
-
“Hamilton ain’t nothin’. Streets talk. We both know who he is, he’s from here and he’s soft.
Complete disgrace to New York. He doesn’t even want to be in this business,
You’re gunna beat his fragile ass onto, and then off, Broadway.”
-
“I’ll admit, he might not be the most…tolerable. But hey, I would
Love to have some kind of performing arts instructor in the organization.
Maybe he’d be down for that after I beat him.
He’s definitely at least an amazing fit for that type of position.”
-
“If you become friends with him, I’m going to shoot you, and then myself.
I don’t care what happens to him after your match, he can go join The Wiggles World Tour
For all I care, but if I see him at Building Bridges, you lose me as a friend.”
-
“Aw, what’ll I do without you, Mac?”
-
“Get ya ass kicked.”
-
“I literally just took your best shot and had a coherent
Conversation with you afterwards.”
-
“Shut up.”
Mac throws a huge punch, Marquise sidesteps
And answers with a thunderous haymaker.
Mac gets floored and sits on the mat, looking up
At Marquise and chuckling.
“You’re right, maybe I can annoy Norman to death.”
Marquise removes his gloves and tosses
Them out of the ring. Mac removes his gloves
And places them next to him. Marquise helps his
Friend up to his feet and they show respect with a
Fist bump.
“Hey uh Smiles, that last guy, the vlogger. Daniel Christian.”
-
“What about him?”
-
“For a kid with a decent following, I know jack shit about him.
And I don’t mean that on an ‘oh he’s a wildcard, he’s the dangerous unknown’
Level. I mean it like he’s nothing, he’s a bitch. A nobody trying to be a somebody.
And who the fuck has an actual first name and then a first name as a last name.”
-
“I mean…I didn’t say that…but I won’t disagree with you.
This’ll be a good look for him, all the publicity from the selfies
Of a bruised up face? He’ll get more followers from the sympathy
And the extra bit of toughness for surviving.
So I guess that’s the positive outcome for him.”
-
“Marquise Bridges, you got this. And we know why you’re doin’ this.
You’re doin’ it for the kids. Doin’ it for the community.
Doin’ it for those that have half a chance.
Ya doin’ it to be better, right?”
-
“Correct, my man.”
-
“Who are ya!?”
-
“Marquise Bridges!”
-
“And that match, your opponents,
They a problem, so what ya gunna do!?”
-
“Be The Solution!”
-
“I said why ya gunna solve that problem!?”
-
“Because I am The Solution!”
-
“Fuck yeah you are!”
Marquise Bridges and Mac run the ropes a few times,
Tapping each other on the back each time they pass.
After a few times they stop in the center of the ring
And jump up for a big high-five.
“Woo, hell yeah!”
-
“Alright Mac, it’s time to get to the Org.
You have a class to teach, and I have some kids to counsel.”
----------
"The Solution"
Marquise
Bridges
