Post by King Richius on Aug 27, 2018 14:29:10 GMT -5
WFWF El Grito de Dolores RP
For Love and Honor
featuring “The Cleaner” Billy Broom
For Love and Honor
featuring “The Cleaner” Billy Broom
The miles between Pittsburgh and New York ticked away quite pleasantly for Billy. The Beast, as he called his car because of it’s temperamental nature, was on it’s best behavior. The stereo played a mix of Billy and Jenny’s favorites so that neither one of them had to go too long listening to something they didn’t like.
Jenny was still basking in the afterglow of the trip to Tokyo. To hear her describe it, they were the best five days of her entire life and nothing could ever top it. She gushed endlessly about the Babymetal concert, meeting Mesh, and getting to see her father put the boots to KC Jones.
Especially meeting Mesh. The selfie she got with Mesh was now her desktop picture on all her electronic devices and she refused to take off the necklace Mesh had given her. Jenny had even tried to dye her hair blue but Billy had talked some sense into her. They compromised on a single blue braid hanging down the left side of her face.
Jenny: I had so much fun in Tokyo. Are you sure I can’t go to Mexico City with you too?
Billy: I’d love to take you but your mother already gave up one visit. Two in a row and she might call her lawyers.
Jenny: I doubt it.
Billy wished Jenny was wrong about her mother, that there was a strong loving bond between the two but he knew better. Vicki hadn’t fought very hard during the divorce for custody. As soon as they decided to end the marriage, Jenny became Billy’s “problem”. The years apart hadn’t made Vicki’s heart grow any fonder for her only child.
Rather than press the point, Billy went back to driving silently, enjoying his daughter’s company and the scenic view on the back roads he preferred to travel instead of the interstate highways. Best to enjoy the drive as much as possible before they hit the New York traffic and he had to engage in vehicular combat.
***
The doorman managed to look down his nose at Billy in his t-shirt and jeans and Jenny in her brightly colored Mesh inspired outfit, quite a feat given he was all of five foot six, a hundred fifty pounds soaking wet and Billy literally towered over him.
They rode the elevator almost all the way to the top of the building, getting off two floors below the penthouse and making the short walk down the hallway to the apartment door. Billy shivered involuntarily - as nice as it was the entire complex felt cold and impersonal, completely lacking in any personality.
He rang the doorbell. The door opened almost immediately. Billy was positive the doorman had called ahead with a warning that a rather seedy looking man and his unruly child were on their way up, probably adding a snide comment to keep them away from the other residents.
Victoria: William! Jennifer! Come in, come in. We’ve been waiting for you.
Always with the full names.
Billy: Hello Vicki.
Jenny: Hi Mom.
His ex-wife is not as good aa Billy about hiding her displeasure, her face crinkling in disapproval at being called by the informal form of her name. That’s the entire reason Billy does it. It’s a silly test of wills but it and Jenny are all they have in common anymore.
Victoria takes Jenny’s bag from Billy, wraps an arm around Jenny almost affectionately, and leads her towards the back of the apartment.
Victoria: It’s so good to see you dear. You’re going to love the changes I made to your room. It’s so cute!
Translation: a four poster bed draped in pink chiffon. Porcelain dolls. Lots of bows. Probably looks like a kid’s room straight out of Cosmo or Better Homes & Gardens but much like the building it is completely lacking in personality.
To her credit, Jenny puts on her happy face, hugs her mother, and skips along at her side.
Charles: Hello William. Got time for a beer?
Billy: Hiya Chuck. I never say no to a cold beer.
Chuck is not playing the name game. He was raised in an upper class family where formality and manners were paramount. Over the years since Vicki had remarried, Billy had developed a begrudging respect for the hard working man who just happened to be a little on the stuffy side, a respect Charles reciprocated because they had the shared experience of military service - Billy as enlisted man and Chuck as ROTC in college and officer in the reserves who served a tour in the Middle East.
They head to the kitchen, the opposite direction Vicki and Jenny had gone. Chuck pulls two bottles out of the fridge, pops the tops off, and passes one to Billy.
Charles: This is a really good micro brew, a honey pale ale with just a hint of orange. Cheers!
They clink the bottles together and take a long swig.
For all the hype over expensive micro brews with their special ingredients and unique flavors, Billy is not impressed. It’s beer so he’s not going to complain but he would be just as happy with a Budweiser.
Charles: This isn’t a social drink William. You’re going to need it.
Billy: Am I?
Charles: Indeed. I wanted to warn you. Victoria is not happy with you.
Billy: That’s nothing new.
Charles: She’s more upset than usual and she is looking for a fight. Please don’t let it get ugly.
Billy: I’ll try but I can’t make any promises. She’s a stubborn woman used to having her way.
A cleverly disguised insult that implies Chuck is bit of a doormat when it comes to his wife. If it bothers Chuck, he doesn’t let it show.
Charles: Yes she is. And I have to live with her. So please, for my sake and for Jenny’s, please don’t get into a big fight. It could ruin the entire weekend.
Charles really does care about his step-daughter, something Jenny remarks on after almost every visit. Charles spends time with her, shares stories of his life, and augments her education with tips and tricks he’s learned in his time as a Wall Street banker.
He’s a good influence on Jenny and because of that, Billy will try not to fight with Vicki.
Billy: For you and Jenny…
They clink bottles again and take another swig.
Vicki comes swaggering into the kitchen, the happy to see you smile gone, replaced by the look a librarian gives you when you make too much noise.
Victoria: Charles, would you mind going to Jenny’s bedroom? She doesn’t like how I arranged the furniture. Maybe you can get it right.
Charles give Billy a sidewise glance, a final warning before he places his beer on the counter and leaves the room.
Victoria stands in front of Billy, hands on hips and a full scowl on her face now.
Victoria: Not even five minutes and you’re drinking a beer.
Billy: Chuck offered. I accepted.
Victoria: His names is Charles.
Billy: Chuck doesn’t mind.
Victoria: I do. Would it kill you to do just one thing I want?
Billy wants to answer with a resounding “It might” but takes a pass.
Billy: I’m raising our daughter so you can live the good life in New York City. Isn’t that enough?
Billy should have gone with “It might”. Vicki doesn’t even have to reply to his answer for the temperature in the room to drop ten degrees.
Victoria: You’re not doing a very good job of it.
Billy: Oh really?
Now it’s Billy who causes the temperature in the room to drop another ten degrees.
Victoria: Yes, really. What were you thinking taking her to Tokyo so she could be assaulted by one of your wrestler friends?
Billy: KC Jones is not my friend and he didn’t assault Jenny. He assaulted her popcorn.
Victoria: Same difference. You put our daughter in danger. Why? So she could see you act like a fool.
Billy: Jenny was never in danger. I had my boys watching her. if Jones had laid so much as a finger on Jenny, they would have eviscerated him.
Victoria: Like that makes it better! I don’t want our daughter to grow up into some ruffian who enjoys violence. Why are you even wrestling? It’s so… degrading. I thought you were doing well as middle management. You don’t need to act like a fool.
Billy smirks. Victoria equates being WFWF road crew chief with middle management? That’s like trying to put lipstick on a pig and call it prom queen.
It doesn’t help that she made the most hurtful insult possible to Billy. He’s fed up with being treated like a joke. He gets enough of that from Daniel Knight. What happened to respecting veterans?
Billy: I’m wrestling for Jenny. The money I’m making will put Jenny through college. I’ve made enough so that she can choose any school she wants.
Victoria: Oh William. You don’t have to do that. Charles and I can pay for Jennifer’s college. It won’t be a problem.
Billy: I’m sure you can but you would do it because it’s an obligation. I’m doing it out of love. I love Jenny and I’m going to make damn sure she gets the best.
Victoria: William Saturn Broome! Don’t you dare.
Billy: I do. You didn’t fight for custody. You take her for one weekend a month where you let Chuck or the nanny do most of the parenting. Jenny tells me everything. It makes me sick how you treat her.
Billy pauses to take a deep breath while Victoria stares at him looking indignant.
Billy: Why is it so hard for you to show your own flesh and blood a little love?
Victoria teeters between screaming and crying. Neither is something a proper woman would do so she paces silently until she regains her composure.
Victoria: You can be a real bastard William. Just because I don’t show my love the same way you do doesn’t mean I don’t care. I want the best for Jenny too and I don’t think dragging her into the wrestling world is good for her. She’s taken that silly Mesh girl as a role model and now look… she has blue hair! BLUE HAIR!
Billy wishes he had let Jenny dye all of her hair blue now, not just a small streak. That would show Victoria that Jenny isn’t going to grow up to be a Stepford wife. She’s a bright young lady who can think for herself.
Billy: You’re worried about blue hair? So I let Jenny have a little freedom. It’s not like she’s staying out late giving hand jobs for crack. Loosen up.
Victoria: Are you serous? It’s not becoming of a proper young lady. Blue Hair! My God! What will the neighbors think?
The argument is interrupted by Jenny, standing in the doorway. She looks at her parents with disappointment and disgust.
Jenny: STOP IT!
As the old saying goes, the silence is deafening. Victoria is shocked. Billy’s shoulders slump and he blushes from embarrassment.
Jenny: Who cares what the neighbors will think? Who cares who pays for my college? Can’t you two just get along?
Jenny runs from the kitchen back towards her bedroom, practically knocking Charles over as she runs past him.
Charles makes his way into the kitchen.
Charles: Good job you two. [to Billy] Why don’t you finish your beer and hit the road? [to Victoria] And you can go apologize to your daughter. She has blue hair. So what? She’s a teenager. That’s what teenagers do. I spent a rebellious summer with orange hair. It didn’t ruin my life.
Victoria harrumphs and storms out of the kitchen presumably to mend affairs with her daughter, but first a quick stop in the bathroom to check her hair and make up.
Billy: Sorry Chuck. I tried but the woman brings out the worst in me.
Charles: It’s not all your fault. It takes two to tango and Victoria can dance with the best of them. Please leave before she comes back for round two. I’ll take care of damage control. Jenny will be fine. I promise.
Billy: I don’t know how you put with Vicki.
Charles: I love her. Maybe you can’t understand but it’s true.
Billy: Actually I can. I loved her once too. *sigh* Thanks for the beer.
A sunken Billy leaves Charles to the hefty job of putting a smile back on Jenny’s face. He wants to go to Jenny himself but that would only do more damage. Better to wait until she returns to him in a few days. Time heals all wounds… or so Billy hopes.
He doesn’t even realize it, but when he gets into the Beast he is shaking. He bangs his forehead into the steering wheel and slams his fists into the roof until he has released his frustrations and feels okay to get on with the next long drive ahead of him.
He take out his phone and sends two texts.
To Jenny: I’m sorry. I’m an ass. Please try to have a good time with Chuck and Vicki. I’ll see you soon.
To Frank Lynn: I’m on my way. Should be there around 8 pm.
Billy fires up the Beast and hits the road again. The second half of his marathon drive would be much less pleasant without Jenny at his side.
***
Billy couldn’t help but be impressed with Frank Lynn’s estate. Sure, Frank asked him not to call it that but what else would Billy call it. A big two story ranch house, a huge barn that he had converted into a state of the art gym, and three or four football fields worth of land. Frank had made the most of his GFL and WFWF earnings, as well as his stake in Legacy Pro Wrestling.
Plus he had a beautiful fiancé and baby girl.
The man was living the good life.
So why was Frank always so miserable? Billy could only wonder because Frank wasn’t opening up about his personal life. Around Billy he was all business.
Billy was staying with Frank in Framingham because he had taken him up on his offer from last year. It was time to get some real training from one of the best in the WFWF. Not to avoid getting hurt, as Frank had put it, but because he was taking the tournament seriously. Billy believed he had a chance and he wanted to make the most of it. It was time to put an end to the f***ing janitor jokes.
He pinned the twenty million dollar kid and ran him out of the business. Billy was sorry to be the reason Jones was gone but not so much that we would take a dive if given a do over. Some people weren’t cut out for the wrestling business. Jones was one of them, too wrapped up in his health and fitness crap to take the WFWF seriously. Don’t let the door hit ya’ in the ass on your way out.
Up next was the semi-finals. Up next was Shuggy.
Frank and Billy were drenched in sweat after a three hour workout. Daphne was around somewhere too, maintaining her distance for reasons Billy couldn’t fathom. Also present were the Dixons, three good ole boys from West Virginia who were big fish in Legacy and served as sparring partners for the day.
Billy quite liked them. Very talented wrestlers with just enough Duck Dynasty in them to be entertaining company. They even invited Billy to join them on a hunting trip in the fall and he was seriously considering it.
Frank: Don’t get too attached to the boys. They’re playing nice today but they can be quite nasty when they want to be. I played paintball with ‘em once. They kept shooting me in the dick.
Billy winces in sympathetic pain.
Billy: Nothing I ain’t seen before. Lots of boys like them in the army. Good people to have watching your six.
Frank: Hmm, you’re right there.
Frank wanders off to let the Dixons know the day is done. They make their exit, giving Billy hugs (of the double back tap manly bro variety) and well wishes for his match. That leaves just Frank and Billy.
Frank: I’m glad you took me up on my offer. You’re good for the WFWF. I’d love to see you win this tournament. We need more wrestlers like you and less like Needles, Casey, or Priceless. Bunch of ultra-violent pricks.
Billy: I’m doing my best. Thanks for the help. I’ve been getting by on luck as much as skill so far.
Frank: Luck won’t get you past Shuggy, Mesh, or Priceless.
Billy: Don’t I know it. I won’t need it as much now that you’ve taught me a bunch of new moves.
Frank: De nada. But we’re not done. After dinner we’re gonna sit down in front of the TV and watch a sh*tload of Shuggy matches. You’re gonna’ know him better than he knows himself. That’s how you win matches. I’m sure you've heard it before. Preparation is half the battle… probably more.
Billy: It sure as sh*t is. Learned that lesson the hard way in Afghanistan. What’s your take on Shuggy? He may be Bish’s friend but he sure don’t wrestle like him.
Frank: Indeed. Joe is a calculating technician. Shuggy is a wild and carefree high flyer. He reminds me of me, back when I first got to the WFWF and wanted to entertain the fans with high risk moves.
Billy: I remember. You were really something. Debuting in a street fight and then taunting Drakz and Joshua Dean with those jobbers. That took balls.
Frank: That’s one way to put it. Got kicked in my balls for it too.
Billy sense an opening and tries to pry a little deeper into the psyche of the reigning International Champion.
Billy: Is that what changed you? You went from carefree adrenaline junkie to brooding revolutionary. It was a drastic change.
Frank: It was part of it but… a lot of sh*t went down. Both in the ring and outside of it. Sh*t that changes a man.
Frank’s tone tells Billy this is not a subject to pursue. Billy is frustrated because he wants to know what makes this man tick. He is a champion. He knows what it takes to get a belt. He knows what it costs too. That’s what Billy needs to learn if he is going to win the tournament.
There’s also the natural curiosity about why Frank turned his back on the revolution. Why did he take his GM for a day role and abuse it? Why did he cash in on an injured David Brennan, ramming a knee into his already broken face to steal the International Championship?
Billy wasn’t as offended by Frank’s actions as others seemed to be. Wrestling is a lot like war. When you go into battle, you give yourself every advantage you can. That’s all Frank did. Drakz made himself the greatest champion in WFWF history doing the same damn thing, albeit to an extreme that rightfully earned him the hatred of his peers and the fans.
Frank was still a good man… right?
You can be a champion and a good man at the same time… right?
Frank: Listen up. You can beat Shuggy. Stick to the basics. Stay alive long enough for him to make a mistake, which he will, and then capitalize. You’re one pop-up power bomb away from the finals.
Billy: Yeah, sound strategy. All I have to do is execute it.
Frank: Wait ’til you see the film. Like I told you, I know Shuggy’s type. I was his type. He’ll get caught up in the moment and try some crazy off the top rope flippy move that backfires. That’s all the opening you’ll need to finish him.
Billy: Sounds good to me.
Frank: Why don’t you go back to the house and grab a shower. Tell Sarah we’ll be ready to eat in an hour or so if that’s good for her.
Frank walks away from Billy without waiting for an acknowledgment, heading off towards Daphne. Billy lingers around for a few moments, long enough to see Frank and Daphne get into an argument. It brings back the fight he had with Vicki. Maybe the good life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and that’s why Frank is so brooding?
If brooding is what it takes to be a champion, Billy isn’t so sure he wants it. He’d rather be happy and positive like Mesh. Now that’s a wrestler who is having fun. Too bad there aren’t more like her.
***
”What’s a Shuggy?”
Infamous words from KC Jones, words he won’t get the chance to eat because he will never face Shuggy. I was too much for the kid and now he’s gone, future endeavored for his failure to beat me by the same people who gave him the biggest contract in WFWF history. The WFWF can be mighty fickle.
Trust me, I know what a Shuggy is.
He’s one of the new blood, a fast rising star with unlimited potential.
He’s a chosen one.
Not like the f***ing janitor.
Billy Broom is a joke, one that many seem to feel is no longer funny.
You shouldn’t have been laughing in the first place.
I don’t have all the years of training in combat sports. I don’t have the biggest move set. I don’t have a reputation gained from years of wrestling on the indies. I don’t have much at all.
But I do have something most of the roster doesn’t: military experience.
I’ll put my training to become an Army ranger up against the training anyone else has done to become a wrestler. It ain’t no walk in the park, let me tell you. Did any of you ever crawl through the mud under barbwire while live rounds were fired over your head as part of your wrestler training?
I’ll take my combat experiences over your in the ring experience. Wrestlers love to say “Over my dead body” and “It will be a war” and so on. They don’t know what that really means. I do. I’ve been in fights where it was either win or die.
I ain’t dead. That should tell you something.
So Shuggy, friend of Joe Bishop and rising star in your own right, don’t make the mistake that KC Jones made. Don’t underestimate the f***ing janitor.
I’m not a warm body filling a spot on the card.
I’m here to win.
It’s up to you to stop me.
Yippie kay-aye mother truckers!
”What’s a Shuggy?”
Infamous words from KC Jones, words he won’t get the chance to eat because he will never face Shuggy. I was too much for the kid and now he’s gone, future endeavored for his failure to beat me by the same people who gave him the biggest contract in WFWF history. The WFWF can be mighty fickle.
Trust me, I know what a Shuggy is.
He’s one of the new blood, a fast rising star with unlimited potential.
He’s a chosen one.
Not like the f***ing janitor.
Billy Broom is a joke, one that many seem to feel is no longer funny.
You shouldn’t have been laughing in the first place.
I don’t have all the years of training in combat sports. I don’t have the biggest move set. I don’t have a reputation gained from years of wrestling on the indies. I don’t have much at all.
But I do have something most of the roster doesn’t: military experience.
I’ll put my training to become an Army ranger up against the training anyone else has done to become a wrestler. It ain’t no walk in the park, let me tell you. Did any of you ever crawl through the mud under barbwire while live rounds were fired over your head as part of your wrestler training?
I’ll take my combat experiences over your in the ring experience. Wrestlers love to say “Over my dead body” and “It will be a war” and so on. They don’t know what that really means. I do. I’ve been in fights where it was either win or die.
I ain’t dead. That should tell you something.
So Shuggy, friend of Joe Bishop and rising star in your own right, don’t make the mistake that KC Jones made. Don’t underestimate the f***ing janitor.
I’m not a warm body filling a spot on the card.
I’m here to win.
It’s up to you to stop me.
Yippie kay-aye mother truckers!