The scene opens just off of the New Jersey Turnpike at the Richard Stockton Service Center. A cool, cloudy afternoon, the area is bustling with exhausted and hungry travelers, many of which are taking this opportunity to catch a quick nap in their cars, stretch their legs, aim for (and miss) the bathroom urinals, or wolf down a quick cheeseburger at Burger King (hamburgers are sacrilegious, of course). The camera pans the parking lot, and off in the distance a large U-Haul truck can be seen taking up a good six parking spaces while also poking its nose slightly in to a lane for traffic to pass through, inconveniencing patrons just enough to be a headache.

The camera slowly makes its way left from the truck as a trail of empty cigarette boxes and Diet Coke bottles lay in a not-so-straight line. This trail continues all the way to the APlus convenience store off in the distance. To the side of the convenience store, a dumpster sits, filled to the brim, with two black trash bags piled on top of the rest of the waste, the remnants of a day long trip from Boston to New Jersey (there's been a lot of stopping) strewn all over the ground. More Diet Coke bottles, some cigarette boxes, a few lighters, tissue paper, and other random household items. For two people, Santos and Shannon tend to cause quite the mess.

Off to the left, an employee of APlus can be seen, standing outside of the front entrance, yelling at a customer while violently thrusting his finger both in the customer's chest, as well as toward the right entrance door. The reason for this outburst soon becomes apparent: the bottom pane of glass on the right door was shattered by said customer...

Obviously Tony Santos

...and now lays, just a sea of glass shards, on the concrete sidewalk as well as within the store. The employee, a scruffy, built military veteran in his mid-50s, knew that this was no harmless accident, but rather the doings of a reckless customer who now did not want to take responsibility. The man's veins in his neck pulsate, his large, hairy arms bulge at the fists being clenched by this man. Most people would act, if not contrite, then cautiously, while in the midst of such a burly, unhappy man. However, Tony wasn't having it.

Employee: You shattered my damn door, you moron, and you're going to pay for it!

Santos: Who the hell do you think you are? Who the hell do you think you're talking to? It was a god damn accident, and only because you pieces of shit decided it was a genius idea to place a big ass concrete pole like a foot from the door! How the fuck is someone supposed to open this damn thing without hitting that pole?

The man looks at the pole, then the door... then back at the pole. Tony's reasoning hasn't convinced him.

Employee: That pole is ten feet from the freaking door, you fool! You shattered the door with your knee! Are you really that dumb that you're trying to convince me that that isn't what happened? Really?

Tony, elbows cupped in his hands, looks down at the ground, silent for the moment as he contemplates his retort. Nothing really seems to be registering.

Santos: Well, um, yes. Because it's... um, not a lie? Yeah, not a lie!

Tony has managed to rile himself up again.

Santos: I was going in, just wanting a damn Twix and a Mountain Dew, and lo and behold, the effing door swings open upon my pulling it, hitting the pole! It was, like...

Fuck it!

Tony takes his hands and starts gathering the glass, scratching up his hands in the process. He takes the glass shards and starts throwing them at the employee. A scene has built outside of the store, with people slowly moving toward the confrontation from their cars... but not trying to help, no, no, just gawking and taking photos and videos like they're watching two zoo animals fight one another over a mate.

Shannon, standing off to the side the whole time, has no intention of joining in on the fun, so she simply stands and stares at the ground in the way that a child does when they want to believe that, by not focusing on something, it seems like it's not actually happening.

It wasn't working.

Santos: Here! You want your glass back on the door? Put it back yourself, you big ol' ball of douche! Since it's the store's fault, you damn well have to!

Tony storms inside the store, grabs a handful of Twix bars, ripping down bags of beef jerky and sunflower seeds in the process. He heads for the fridge, yanks out a Mountain Dew and three Diet Cokes, and heads for the door. The employee, enraged at the showing outside, makes a beeline for Tony and, completely disregarding any sort of corporate policy mumbo jumbo, hits Tony in the jaw with a hard right hand. Tony, having taken a good bitch slap or two from Jessie Diaz, isn't fazed. Tony jolts his head forward and headbutts the employee, which forces him backward. Seizing the opportunity, Tony throws the drinks in the man's face, then follows it up with a swift roundhouse kick, knocking the man out cold.

Tony smiles as he watches, well, a military veteran, lay motionless on the ground in front of him. Tony smiles, picks up his belongings, and struts over to the counter. He places his items gently on the counter, then reaches for his wallet. He pulls out a $20 bill and places it on the table. With no bags in sight, Tony wraps his arms around his soda and candy and makes his way for the door. But, before doing so, Tony walks over to the employee.

Upon reaching the man, Tony bends over, smiles, and kisses him on the forehead.

Santos: Tony Santos, bitch. Remember the name.

Tony stands upright and heads for the door. The bell above the entrance door rings as Tony opens it, ready to throw the items in his car and hope that none of the frightened onlookers make any moves... or that the cops happen to arrive before he can make it back to the U-Haul and get back on the New Jersey Turnpike. However, Tony does a double-take, turning his head back to the counter. Tony thinks for a moment, his eyes bouncing like tennis balls from left to right. Tony turns and walks back toward the counter. Looking around (as if anyone would just now alert the authorities for him doing anything suspicious), Tony bends forward, grabs his $20 bill, and scurries out of the store. Shannon, to his left, pulls a Diet Coke from his grasp.

Shannon: You know you'll likely get some sort of charges pressed for this, right?

Santos: Come on, tooty fruity, it's not like anyone in this here lot is going to do anything. This is America darling. People don't actually take action around here. They'll just text about this to their friends, maybe post it on Facebook, maybe a Tweet or two. Nothing to worry about, my dear. Nothing at all. Plus, that jerk had it coming to him.

Shannon: You broke his door.

Santos: The pole broke that door. I just happened to hit an unfortunate gust of wind.

Shannon shakes her head.

Shannon: God, you're delusional.

Tony just smiles.

Santos: Just... beautiful honey. A fucking dynamo ready to take the world by storm.

Shannon: And an idiot. Fantastic. Let's just get back on the road and try not to end up in state prison.

Tony flips his hair back, smiles for the crowd (with a slight head nod to boot), and confidently strolls down the concrete as the scene fades to black.

September 2013 and May 2019 Star of the Month
1x Hart Champion
1x Television Champion
1x Xtreme Champion