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Thaddeus Duke · (10-13-2020)

Mt. Sinai Hospital || New York City

I’m always drawn to this city. Maybe it’s some subconscious connection to my mother because it’s the only connection I have to her. She was born here. She was adopted here by the Nguyen’s. She lived here most of her life until she got a job at Boston General where she met my dad. So in some strange way, anytime I come back here, it’s like I feel the part of her that stays with me. I don’t talk about her much. Hardly ever. The conversation with my dad was the first time I’ve ever done it in a public setting. I know why my dad did what he did to her but even still, I wish it didn’t have to be that way. I know he wishes that too.

Any chance I get, I come here. Any reason I can make up, either legitimately or otherwise, I do it. Last year when I left the XWF before coming back as the Collector, I bought into a little upstart wrestling company based here. When I decided to start my own entertainment company, New York City is where I based my operations. When I donned the mask and became Alister Henry’s Collector, it was his place just in Scarsdale I stayed at. When I started seeing my shrink, it was a doctor right here in NYC that I chose. So naturally, when Corey needed help, it was the best hospital in New York I brought him to. New York City courses through my veins like the rats through the sewers. In that sense at least, despite my mother having died years ago, she’s always with me, always in me.

I ducked into Corey’s room a moment ago, but he wasn’t there. With the aid of my crutch, I head to the nurses station.

”Heyyyyyy,” says Corey’s on duty nurse as she looks up at me. ”How you doin’ honey? How’s the knee?”

”I’m good, can’t complain,” I answer her as I look down at my bum knee. ”Knee’s doin’ okay. Be good as new in a couple weeks.”

”Corey showed me what you did to it,” she says before giving me a side eye. ”That wasn’t the smartest thing to do, ya know?”

”But did you hear that crowd reaction? That’s my job!”

”Uggh! she rolls her eyes.

”Anyway, where the hell is Corey?”

”He’s down in PT,” she states and I head toward the elevator, albeit slowly.

”How’s he coming along?” I ask as I punch the ‘down’ arrow with the tip of my crutch.

”I’ll let you decide for yourself when you see him,” she says with a smile.

DING!

”The last time you said that,” I say as I step into the elevator and his the appropriate button. ”You scared me half to death for no reason. I’m thinking good things this time ya damn woman!”

She laughs as the doors shut and I begin to descend. It’s this moment that it occurs to me that I never once asked him if he even wanted my help. Whatever else I may be, I’m driven to do what is right no matter how often I may turn out to be wrong in the end. To me, helping Corey, or trying to anyway, didn’t take any thought. He needed it, I gave it. That’s just what being a friend is about. I don’t need thanks, I don’t need adulation, I don’t need anyone patting me on the back.

Turning into the hallway off the elevator, I walk as quickly as I can as I eagerly anticipate seeing his progress. Stepping into the physical therapy room, I see Corey but he doesn’t see me. I’m nearing the point of overwhelming emotion right now. He’s… walking... under his own power. I want so badly to run and tackle him like Michael Scott did to Jim Halpert.

But I can neither run at the moment, nor do I particularly wish to take him to the floor. With a tear in my eye and a smile on my face, I merely slow clap. He turns his head in my direction.

”Yeah you like that, Thad?” he asks with a smile.

”Bro,” I say to him, unable to spit out more words. Instead I drop my crutch and limp over toward him.

”What?” he asks as I approach him and pull him into a hug.

”I’m so fucking proud of you,” I say as a tear falls and I’m forced to sniffle.

”Don’t wipe your snot on my shirt,” he jokes, causing me to laugh.

”Corey,” I say as I let go of him and take a step back. ”Look at you man,” I say as I wipe my stupid tear away. Emotions: both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes both simultaneously. ”You’re walkin’ better than I am.

“Be fuckin’ proud of yourself. Be proud of how far you’ve come the last couple months. You gotta be over the moon bro, I know I am and I’m just your friend.”

Corey grins from ear to ear. I’ve never had a brother. If I did, I imagine it’d be just like what you see between Corey and I. Or at the very least, I’d want it to be just like this. Tough love at times, and on both sides too, not just me to him. Supportive. I’ve done everything I can to help him get back on his feet and I know if he was equipped to do it, he’d be helping me get my wheel back. I love Corey Smith like a brother. I like to think he feels the same. His future though is now in his own capable hands. I for one, greatly anticipate seeing what’s next for Corey Smith.

I hang out and let him finish his therapy session. Afterwards, we sit in his room and just chat for hours. About his future aspirations. About his recovery and things he knows he has to deal with aside from the physical aspect. About myself and my own career and my own personal life. About things that I have failed to address in that life. I lend him my advice, he lends me his. I’m not about to compare us against one another, but the truth is, we’ve both been handed a raw deal in life, no matter how different those deals might be, or how different those lives might be. It’s up to us and us alone to make peace with our pasts in order to move on to whatever may come in the future.

Corey, I love you brother, now go fuckin’ get it.

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