MAXWELL LORD: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK PT. 2
“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
[The opens up and we are back in the waiting room of the medical facility. There is only one person in the waiting room this time and it’s Maxwell Lord. Lord is flipping through pages of a magazine. Quickly, lord becomes bored with the magazines and slams it shut back on the table. Lord is anxious as he waits for his time. Lord has on a white t-shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. It’s not an extremely hot afternoon; however Lord has noticeable sweat beads dripping down from the edge of his forehead. Lord puts both his hands on either cheek and begins to wipe the sweat from his face. He wipes the sweat on his pants leg as his knees begin to shake. He knees are shaking and his shirt collar is wet. Suddenly, the handle of the office door twist and the door creaks open. Finally, popping her face through door is the female staff member whom we were introduced to last week.]
Female Staff Member: Maxwell Lord?
[Maxwell lord raises his hand, as he stands to his feet. The female staff member motions him toward the door.]
Female Staff Member: If you’ll come this way, the doctor is ready to see you know!
[Maxwell walks up to the door, and sees the next section of the medical facility. The female staff member directs Lord down the same hallway, to the second door on the right. Lord nods his head, letting the staff member know that he remembers how to get there. Lord begins his march down toward the doctor’s office. He reaches the first set of doors on either side of him. After a few more steps, Maxwell comes to his destination. On his right, is Dr. Avery’s office, but Maxwell is hesitant. He looks at the name plate but doesn’t enter. Instead, he turns back to his left and enters restroom area. Lord walks up to the sink and runs the cold water. He puts his hands under the water faucet, leaning his face down; he splashes water into face, clearing the cobwebs. Lord closes his eyes and inhales deeply before letting out a huge breath. He opens his eyes and looks into the mirror over the sink back at himself. He nods to the mirror, reassuring himself. He rips a few paper towels from the dispenser, and wipes the water from his face. After discarding the paper towels and exiting the restroom, Lord is back at the door of Dr. Avery. This time he forces himself to knock on the door. ]
Voice of Dr. Avery: Come in!
[Maxwell Lord twists the knob and enters the office of Dr. Avery. Dr. Avery is standing looking at one of his framed achievement papers. Dr. Avery looks and sees Maxwell and walks over to greet him.]
Dr. Avery: Welcome back Maxwell, it’s good to see you. How are you doing this afternoon?
Maxwell Lord: I’m a little nervous.
Dr. Avery: Nervous? Oh, what about?
Maxwell Lord: Well you told me last week that this week we were going to be talking about my childhood. Then you said, we would also be talking about my… my….
Dr. Avery: Your father! Listen Maxwell, I know that this is going to be a sensitive subject for you to discuss. You may not have discussed this subject in depth with anyone. I assure that I will not push your buttons, but I will push you to attempt to face the demons of your past and conquer them. This is one of many tough subjects that we will have to cover, and I know that most therapist would tell you it only gets easier, but I telling you it doesn’t. The deeper we go, the harder it’s going to be, I want to make sure that you know that.
[Maxwell nods his head in recognition.]
Dr. Avery: So, shall we begin?
[Both man walk over and taker there appropriate seats. Dr. Avery takes the seat behind the desk, and begins to get his notes together. Maxwell Lord takes a seat in front of the desk and attempts to get as comfortable as he can.]
Dr. Avery: Before we get down to the serious business, I was able to sit down and watch you match this past week and I was very impressed with your wrestling skills, you seemed like you really knew your way around the ring.
Maxwell Lord: Yeah, I think I surprised a lot of the naysayers in the wrestling business and outside of the wrestling business. I proved that I have what it takes to compete with anyone on any given day. I don’t think that people expected a lot out of a guy who had never wrestled before a day in his life. However, they were wrong. No matter what anyone else expected, I expected a lot out of myself. I put my all into wrestling and from here on out I plan on being the best wrestler that I can be. I don’t think that anyone is going to be taking me lightly anymore. I’ve earned the respect of my peers. I’ve earned the respect of my employers. I’ve earned the respect of the wrestling community. That is worth more to me than any medal that I ever received in the military. Unlike the military, wrestling is something that I wanted to do and I was able to do it. Using that same hard work and dedication, I have impressed in my first match ever, and I only expect things to get better.
Dr. Avery: Well you earned my respect as well. I see you were able to go out there and just be yourself, and that was just as good as any gimmick I saw back when I was coming up watching wrestling. It felt so real watching you out there competing. All the time I was watching you out there, I couldn’t help but notice the protective mask that you were wearing in the ring. I couldn’t recall you having a broken nose or any problems when you left, so I have to ask, what’s with the mask?
Maxwell Lord: So you recognized the mask! I though you, as well as everyone else, would recognize. You told me that I needed a symbol, and I thought about it for a long time. I couldn’t come up with anything that was eye catching, or meant something to me. However, as luck would have it, I didn’t find the symbol, the symbol found me. I was in the trainer’s room getting taped up for my match and in walks this staff member with this mask that’s supposed to be put away in case of emergencies. I see this mask and a light goes off in my head, I see everything. I see what the mask means to me, I see what it means to the people, and I see how I can use it as a symbol. When they step out, I take the mask and a roll of tape. Now, I have that symbol that everyone will associate with me. I have my niche. I have my symbol.
Dr. Avery: So, you found your symbol. I’m glad. What does a protective mask mean to you?
Maxwell Lord: I don’t know exactly how to explain, but if I had to put into words, the mask is the pain. It’s the scars, the heartache, the heartbreak and the hurt that I have been through. You see if you look at my face now without the mask, you really don’t see anything. You don’t see scars, cuts or bruises. If you just look at my outward appearance you wouldn’t jump to say, that guys in pain. You wouldn’t rush to say, that that guy’s got some demons he’s dealing with. You look at me now, and you wouldn’t expect someone like me to have dangerous intent. When I saw that mask, I saw all of those things. The mask is mysterious. It invokes a reaction out of people. You can take any regular guy, and put a mask on him and people instantly becomes suspicious. It’s that initial reaction that creates that pain. On a regular a guy is an eye grabber. You put that mask on me, its fear. Fear is key ingredient to every battle, every war. Man created guns, atomic bombs and nuclear bombs, because of fear. Men have nationally televised discussions talking about the fear that somebody out there has a gun that’s a little bit bigger than theirs. Men die because of fear. I’ve seen that first had. You know what man’s biggest fear is, it’s the unknown. Man has always feared what it doesn’t understand, or can’t explain. The mask is my inside on the outside. I’m bringing all of the pain and hurt I have to every match. Every time I step in the ring, I’m looking to take a piece of that fear, harness it, and destroy.
Dr. Avery: Maxwell I want you to understand that it’s okay to have these feelings inside of you. It’s okay to be angry. Sometimes we all need to show a little anger. However, we must learn to control our anger. You must learn control your anger, or it will destroy you. Going out to that ring every week and trying to inflict as much pain as possible is not going to bring you peace!
Maxwell Lord: If you’ve read my file or listened to what I’ve told you, you would know that peace was never my intention. I’m not looking for peace. I’m looking for the thrill. I’m looking for that adrenaline rush. I’m looking for an escape. I’m looking for something to take me from this hell of a life that I have been living. When I put this mask on, I’m not responsible for my actions. I’m not coherent to the suffering of another human being. I only want to unleash this pent up frustration that I have inside of me. Do you know what it’s like to have this in your head every night? Do you know what it’s like to wake up in a cold sweat, shaking uncontrollably? Do you know what it’s like to lose everything you ever loved, that you’ve ever cared about?
[Dr. Avery doesn’t give an answer, he just looks blankly at Maxwell Lord, who’s sweating has soaked up the collar area of his white t-shirt.]
Maxwell Lord: I didn’t think so. Until you do that, then don’t tell me how to release, what I have on the inside of me. It’s not on the inside of you. This is my edge in the ring. It was my edge out on the battlefield. It’s my edge in life. So, until I can find another way, this is what I do. I’m going back to the WWG arena this Wednesday night, and I’m going to take on Kraven Cyanide. Now, this is a guy that you should probably be counseling instead of me. I don’t know if this guys has a few screws loose, but who am I to judge. He says he has multiple personalities. Well, I’m glad because in war I learned things that one man should never do to another man. I know how to bring the b1itch out of Samuel and make him get in touch with his feminine side. I don’t care who shows up to the ring. I don’t care if it’s both of you. I have fought battles outnumbered and I’m the one still here, aren’t I? I’m not afraid of crazy. I’m hoping to see how crazy you are. This is a Kraven script, and no matter what you do to me or throw at me, I will never die. I will always get back up. I can’t die. If I could I would have done it by now.
[Dr. Avery stops writing and looks up at Maxwell Lord. He take his glasses off.]
Maxwell Lord: You see Samuel is just craving attention. He probably didn’t get enough hugs as a kid, or maybe he got too many, if you know what I mean. I don’t need a another personality; this one is f’ed up enough. What would I do with another me? What would the world do with another me? They can’t control one of me. I can’t control one of me. Doc, I f’ed up, and I don’t think I can change. This is me, and I’ve accepted it. That’s the first step right, admitting you have a problem.
[Maxwell Lord chuckles as the doctor just looks at him. Dr. Avery looks down at his notes and takes a deep breath.]
Dr. Avery: I want you to tell about your childhood. What was it like?
To Be Continued...
