Post by T-Money on Aug 6, 2007 21:29:01 GMT -5
The entire universe seems to have me under a microscope. But why me out of all people? I, the number one poster child for crime and rebellion, have become the media’s adoration. Simultaneously and strangely, individuals bash me and admire me. They love to have hatred towards me but at the same time, they want and long to be in my position. Why do we as human beings wish for things that we have absolutely no knowledge of? Do we honestly want the desires of our heart? The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things. Are we just fooling ourselves? My name has become somewhat equivalent to the cherished words “fame” and “fortune,” but nobody knows what I had to go through to get to the position I’m at. They see the glamorous finished product, but the hellhole factory that pieced me together remains a mystery. I might sound sort of cliché, but nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen….nobody knows but Jesus….
[[The scene opens to the inside of the Wadeview Community Center in downtown Orlando, FL. A back to school celebration for students of all ages is currently taking place. A few Orlando Magic basketball players and select local media representatives are in attendance at the highly anticipated event as well. The sounds and mixture of fairly loud music, laughter, and talking, among other things, can be heard throughout the small, crowded venue. A well dressed African American male with partially gray hair makes his way to the wooden podium and begins to speak.]][/i]
African American Male: Good evening everybody....may I please have your attention?
Excuse me, but may I please have your attention?!
Thank you. It is my pleasure to present to you all, the Wadeview Community Center’s third annual Back To School Jam!!
We here in the wonderful city of Orlando strongly believe in and value excellent education. I’ve always been one to say that the children are our future, but I was wrong. The children are the present and even at this very moment, are being raised up as leaders. So it’s our jobs, parents and teachers, to train them up in the proper way. And this year we have a special treat for all of our students out there because they deserve only the best for being the best. We’ve been trying to get this man for the past two years, but something always came up whether it was because of his schedule or our budget. Because in case you didn’t know, this man is extremely busy and we operate with a shoe string budget, so we weren’t sure if we would be able to cover his expenses. But thank God, this year he agreed to come and not only that, he agreed to come for free because like all of us, he believes in our children. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you….right here from our very own city and the current World Heavyweight Champion of the Global Wrestling Coalition….T-Mooooooonnneeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
[[The edifice is rocked with deafening cheers as “We Fly High” by Jim Jones begins to blare over the PA System. T-Money comes through a closed door from behind the podium, and as he becomes visible, the cheers get louder. He’s wearing diamond stud earrings, a dark blue three piece Brioni suit, and dark blue Alligator shoes. T-Money waves to the ecstatic audience, greets a few of the Magic players, and greets the African American male who was just speaking at the podium. He takes his place at the podium and begins to speak.]][/i]
T-Money: Good evening everybody, how’s everybody doing out there?
That’s what’s up, that’s what’s up. Are all of ya’ll ready for school to start back?
Aww, come on now, I know ya’ll can do better than that….I said, are all of ya’ll ready for school to start back? That’s the whole reason we’re here right?
Okay good, now we’re on the same page, hehehe. But anyways, I’m glad that I could make it tonight. I have to be in Tokyo tomorrow, so time at the moment is not on my side. But real quick, I’m not gonna keep you long because I know how easily bored some of you can get, so I’m gonna get to the point. I was a teenager once, and even today, if I’m not feeling something, I’ll tune it out in a heartbeat. But tonight, I came to talk to you all about the importance of education. You see, I am like many of you out there. School was alright, and I made decent grades, but as long as pretty girls were there, I was all for it. I played football back in high school, so that was why I went to school. That’s what motivated me along with the beautiful women. I had dreamt of one day possibly going to the NFL and making it big. So original right? Well my childhood dream was all of a sudden cut short when what I had loved to do so much played a part in my expulsion from high school. So what’s a seventeen year old black male to do without a high school diploma? And at this time, I was also homeless because my mom had kicked me out because I was being hard headed. So seeing no way out of my situation, I turned to a life of crime. A choice that I greatly regret even to this day. You name it and I had it. I had the most beautiful women, the nicest cars, clothes, and shoes money could buy. And at that age, which is the age some of you are right now, you heart longs for those things right? I mean who wouldn’t want to be that young driving a luxury vehicle and dressed to kill? But see, the thing was I had all of those things to cover up the void that I had in my life. School was a huge part of my life, and with that now gone, I had to find things to replace it with. I had a $15,000 bed but mentally and emotionally, I was restless. I had hundreds of suits, and I couldn’t cover up the pain. I had nearly ten cars in my driveway, but I wasn’t going anywhere in life. I had hundreds of pairs of shoes, but I couldn’t walk in the right direction With my mouth, I made fun of my peers who had went onto college and made something of themselves. But with my heart, I longed to be in their position. I wanted to make something of myself the legal way.
It’s hard to imagine that I had all of those things at that young age, but I still wasn’t satisfied. There’s nothing wrong with having nice things and I encourage you all to acquire nice things in the future when you are financially able to, but don’t make material things the object of your affection. Those rappers that some of us admire so much….a lot of them hate the positions that they are in and wish they could live their lives differently and make better choices. Trust me, I know some of them personally and if you could only hear what they tell me after the cameras stop rolling, you’d be shocked. The media wouldn’t dare to let how some of these artists really felt get out because it would affect their lavish lifestyles and their plan to continue to deceive the youth of our nation. Young people, whatever you do, don’t be deceived, and that’s including by me. I stand before you smiling in an expensive suit, but I got some major personal issues that I’m going through. I’m twenty-eight years of age and I’m on probation for the next six years. Can you believe that? A whole six years. By then, most of you would have probably graduated from college by then, but I’ll still be on probation. Don’t be like me when you get older. Don’t choose the same path in life that I chose. Keep God first and allow Him to guide your paths, not the phony glitz and glamour of this crazy society.
Knowledge is true power, that’s why I urge that you get it and that you retain it. Material things are only temporary. If I decided to stop paying my taxes tomorrow, the IRS would come and seize all of my assets. Then what? Would I stop living life because of what just happened? Well to the ones who put their hope in those things, they would want to stop living. God forbid, I could go bankrupt right this moment, then what? I’m not a pessimistic person, I’m just trying to prove to you that anything in life can be taken from you just as quick as it comes. But with knowledge and education, you will retain that for your entire life….but I’ve talked enough this evening. I really hope that this was more than your average back to school celebration. I really hope that it was more than an opportunity to meet me or some of the Magic players. But I hope, with all of my heart, that you will take heed to everything that was said here tonight. Early in my life, I was an example that crime did pay, but the older I’ve gotten, I totally abandon that statement of belief. Thank you all for your time and I hope to see you next year. Oh, and after the event, I will be by the merchandise tables signing some autographs, so I’ll see you all then. Goodnight and God bless….
[[The audience once again erupts into cheers as T-Money smiles and waves to them. He exits through the same door he came through earlier. A news station reporter and cameraman follows him.]][/i]
News Reporter: Mr. Money, can I get a quick word with you?
T-Money: Sure, that’s fine.
Camera Man: And we’re live in five, four, three, two….
News Reporter: Good evening, I am here with wrestling superstar T-Money and he has just given a few words to local students here at the third annual Wadeview Community Center’s Back To School Jam. How are you doing tonight?
T-Money: I feel great and I’m really happy to be here.
News Reporter: By you being a wrestler, public speaking is common for you. But tonight, what was different about the monologue you delivered?
T-Money: Well first of all, I wasn’t dissing or bad mouthing anybody, hehe. But nah, tonight the whole atmosphere was different so my approach definitely had to be different as well. There was a lot of potential out there and in my business, there’s a lot of potential as well, but the students here tonight are more willing to learn whereas a large majority of my co-workers are stuck in their ways.
News Reporter: What advice would you give students who don’t seem to make school a top priority?
T-Money: I would just encourage them to really analyze how they want their futures to turn out. Because the choices you make today will affect the outcome of tomorrow. So to the students who procrastinate today, when tomorrow comes, they won’t be prepared. So I feel that it’s my job to tell them where I came from and to inform them that they don’t have to live the life that I live, because I went through some tough times to get to where I’m at today.
News Reporter: Do you think any of the students tonight have a chance at being the next big wrestling superstar?
T-Money: Who knows, it’s very possible. I never saw myself winding up in the professional wrestling business, but I did. Whatever you want in life, go for it because anything’s possible.
News Reporter: Thank you for your time T-Money and I appreciate you coming out tonight to encourage the young students.
T-Money: No problem, anytime.
News Reporter: I am Stephanie King, and you are watching Channel 9 News….
[[The scene opens to the inside of the Wadeview Community Center in downtown Orlando, FL. A back to school celebration for students of all ages is currently taking place. A few Orlando Magic basketball players and select local media representatives are in attendance at the highly anticipated event as well. The sounds and mixture of fairly loud music, laughter, and talking, among other things, can be heard throughout the small, crowded venue. A well dressed African American male with partially gray hair makes his way to the wooden podium and begins to speak.]][/i]
African American Male: Good evening everybody....may I please have your attention?
[[Only a portion of the audience quiets down, so a couple of conversations are still going on.]]
[/i][/center]Excuse me, but may I please have your attention?!
[[The entire audience suddenly becomes dead silent.]]
[/i][/center]Thank you. It is my pleasure to present to you all, the Wadeview Community Center’s third annual Back To School Jam!!
[[Cheers soon erupt.]]
[/i][/center]We here in the wonderful city of Orlando strongly believe in and value excellent education. I’ve always been one to say that the children are our future, but I was wrong. The children are the present and even at this very moment, are being raised up as leaders. So it’s our jobs, parents and teachers, to train them up in the proper way. And this year we have a special treat for all of our students out there because they deserve only the best for being the best. We’ve been trying to get this man for the past two years, but something always came up whether it was because of his schedule or our budget. Because in case you didn’t know, this man is extremely busy and we operate with a shoe string budget, so we weren’t sure if we would be able to cover his expenses. But thank God, this year he agreed to come and not only that, he agreed to come for free because like all of us, he believes in our children. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you….right here from our very own city and the current World Heavyweight Champion of the Global Wrestling Coalition….T-Mooooooonnneeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy!!!!!
[[The edifice is rocked with deafening cheers as “We Fly High” by Jim Jones begins to blare over the PA System. T-Money comes through a closed door from behind the podium, and as he becomes visible, the cheers get louder. He’s wearing diamond stud earrings, a dark blue three piece Brioni suit, and dark blue Alligator shoes. T-Money waves to the ecstatic audience, greets a few of the Magic players, and greets the African American male who was just speaking at the podium. He takes his place at the podium and begins to speak.]][/i]
T-Money: Good evening everybody, how’s everybody doing out there?
[[Screams accompany the loud cheers.]]
[/i][/center]That’s what’s up, that’s what’s up. Are all of ya’ll ready for school to start back?
[[The crowd gives a mixed reaction.]]
[/i][/center]Aww, come on now, I know ya’ll can do better than that….I said, are all of ya’ll ready for school to start back? That’s the whole reason we’re here right?
[[The crowd once again cheers.]]
[/i][/center]Okay good, now we’re on the same page, hehehe. But anyways, I’m glad that I could make it tonight. I have to be in Tokyo tomorrow, so time at the moment is not on my side. But real quick, I’m not gonna keep you long because I know how easily bored some of you can get, so I’m gonna get to the point. I was a teenager once, and even today, if I’m not feeling something, I’ll tune it out in a heartbeat. But tonight, I came to talk to you all about the importance of education. You see, I am like many of you out there. School was alright, and I made decent grades, but as long as pretty girls were there, I was all for it. I played football back in high school, so that was why I went to school. That’s what motivated me along with the beautiful women. I had dreamt of one day possibly going to the NFL and making it big. So original right? Well my childhood dream was all of a sudden cut short when what I had loved to do so much played a part in my expulsion from high school. So what’s a seventeen year old black male to do without a high school diploma? And at this time, I was also homeless because my mom had kicked me out because I was being hard headed. So seeing no way out of my situation, I turned to a life of crime. A choice that I greatly regret even to this day. You name it and I had it. I had the most beautiful women, the nicest cars, clothes, and shoes money could buy. And at that age, which is the age some of you are right now, you heart longs for those things right? I mean who wouldn’t want to be that young driving a luxury vehicle and dressed to kill? But see, the thing was I had all of those things to cover up the void that I had in my life. School was a huge part of my life, and with that now gone, I had to find things to replace it with. I had a $15,000 bed but mentally and emotionally, I was restless. I had hundreds of suits, and I couldn’t cover up the pain. I had nearly ten cars in my driveway, but I wasn’t going anywhere in life. I had hundreds of pairs of shoes, but I couldn’t walk in the right direction With my mouth, I made fun of my peers who had went onto college and made something of themselves. But with my heart, I longed to be in their position. I wanted to make something of myself the legal way.
It’s hard to imagine that I had all of those things at that young age, but I still wasn’t satisfied. There’s nothing wrong with having nice things and I encourage you all to acquire nice things in the future when you are financially able to, but don’t make material things the object of your affection. Those rappers that some of us admire so much….a lot of them hate the positions that they are in and wish they could live their lives differently and make better choices. Trust me, I know some of them personally and if you could only hear what they tell me after the cameras stop rolling, you’d be shocked. The media wouldn’t dare to let how some of these artists really felt get out because it would affect their lavish lifestyles and their plan to continue to deceive the youth of our nation. Young people, whatever you do, don’t be deceived, and that’s including by me. I stand before you smiling in an expensive suit, but I got some major personal issues that I’m going through. I’m twenty-eight years of age and I’m on probation for the next six years. Can you believe that? A whole six years. By then, most of you would have probably graduated from college by then, but I’ll still be on probation. Don’t be like me when you get older. Don’t choose the same path in life that I chose. Keep God first and allow Him to guide your paths, not the phony glitz and glamour of this crazy society.
Knowledge is true power, that’s why I urge that you get it and that you retain it. Material things are only temporary. If I decided to stop paying my taxes tomorrow, the IRS would come and seize all of my assets. Then what? Would I stop living life because of what just happened? Well to the ones who put their hope in those things, they would want to stop living. God forbid, I could go bankrupt right this moment, then what? I’m not a pessimistic person, I’m just trying to prove to you that anything in life can be taken from you just as quick as it comes. But with knowledge and education, you will retain that for your entire life….but I’ve talked enough this evening. I really hope that this was more than your average back to school celebration. I really hope that it was more than an opportunity to meet me or some of the Magic players. But I hope, with all of my heart, that you will take heed to everything that was said here tonight. Early in my life, I was an example that crime did pay, but the older I’ve gotten, I totally abandon that statement of belief. Thank you all for your time and I hope to see you next year. Oh, and after the event, I will be by the merchandise tables signing some autographs, so I’ll see you all then. Goodnight and God bless….
[[The audience once again erupts into cheers as T-Money smiles and waves to them. He exits through the same door he came through earlier. A news station reporter and cameraman follows him.]][/i]
News Reporter: Mr. Money, can I get a quick word with you?
T-Money: Sure, that’s fine.
[[The news reporter goes and stands beside T-Money.]]
[/i][/center]Camera Man: And we’re live in five, four, three, two….
News Reporter: Good evening, I am here with wrestling superstar T-Money and he has just given a few words to local students here at the third annual Wadeview Community Center’s Back To School Jam. How are you doing tonight?
T-Money: I feel great and I’m really happy to be here.
News Reporter: By you being a wrestler, public speaking is common for you. But tonight, what was different about the monologue you delivered?
T-Money: Well first of all, I wasn’t dissing or bad mouthing anybody, hehe. But nah, tonight the whole atmosphere was different so my approach definitely had to be different as well. There was a lot of potential out there and in my business, there’s a lot of potential as well, but the students here tonight are more willing to learn whereas a large majority of my co-workers are stuck in their ways.
News Reporter: What advice would you give students who don’t seem to make school a top priority?
T-Money: I would just encourage them to really analyze how they want their futures to turn out. Because the choices you make today will affect the outcome of tomorrow. So to the students who procrastinate today, when tomorrow comes, they won’t be prepared. So I feel that it’s my job to tell them where I came from and to inform them that they don’t have to live the life that I live, because I went through some tough times to get to where I’m at today.
News Reporter: Do you think any of the students tonight have a chance at being the next big wrestling superstar?
T-Money: Who knows, it’s very possible. I never saw myself winding up in the professional wrestling business, but I did. Whatever you want in life, go for it because anything’s possible.
News Reporter: Thank you for your time T-Money and I appreciate you coming out tonight to encourage the young students.
T-Money: No problem, anytime.
[[The news reporter turns to face the camera.]]
[/i][/center]News Reporter: I am Stephanie King, and you are watching Channel 9 News….
[[The scene slowly fades to black.]]
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