Post by Cameron Stone on Feb 3, 2017 18:44:23 GMT -5
OOC: Sorry again about mixing up the deadline and promo dates. Was going to do a bit more, but not much, so figured I would just post now to minimize my lateness. And didn't really think I'd ever legitimately challenge Trace anyways. But I actually enjoyed writing this, so quality aside, that makes me happy, because it's the first time I can actually say that about something I have done since my match with Crowe.
No monologue either, which is strange for me.
No monologue either, which is strange for me.
Sitting at a table in the only bar in Bonnyville, Hugh Jass and Jack are each sipping their beers, Molson Canadians, and sitting in silence. The bar is quiet, as it's only noon. The whirling of the fan blades and the clinking of glasses being cleaned behind the bar counter sound like they're amplified, and the only other patron in the bar, an elderly man playing on one of the video lottery machines, is paying the two no mind. Jass looks stunned, and Jack looks a strange mix of bemused and resigned. After finishing off his beer, Jack finally breaks the silence.
Jack: Well, you're in.
Hugh nods, taking another sip of his beer, and looks almost like he might be sick.
Jack: This is what you wanted, right?
Hugh: Yeah. But now that it's happened, it's a lot to take in though.
Jack: Are you scared?
Hugh: No, not scared. More nervous if anything.
Jack: What happened to the just having fun attitude, and not caring how you do or what people think of you?
Hugh: It's still there Jack. But it doesn't mean I can't be a little nervous. I didn't think I was going to be the only person to show up for the battle royal.
Jack: It says a lot about your work ethic.
Hugh: Weren't you trying to talk me out of this before I did it?
Jack: Kind of. But you're my friend, I support you. And just because I thought it was a silly idea, doesn't mean you shouldn't take some pride in it.
Hugh drains the rest of his beer, and the bartender comes by to collect the bottles and bring them new ones.
Jack: It shows your work ethic, and the type of guy you are. Why do you think nobody else entered the battle royal?
Hugh: I don't know, maybe because looking at the field, they knew they didn't stand a chance, so it was pointless to try?
Jack: Exactly. But not you. You, someone who has never stepped foot into a WFWF ring before, flew out there and entered because you wanted the opportunity.
Hugh: I always did say I'd like to wrestle in the big leagues, even if it was just once.
Jack: Damn right. And you could have gone pro years ago if you really wanted to. But you took pride in your commitments here and decided to just stay local, and do it for your enjoyment. I don't know what this town would do without you. You help organize all the events through the community centre, you own the mechanic shop, hell, you even help plow the parking lots in winter. You are too selfless to have ever gone pro permanently.
Hugh: But then why did I do it now?
Jack: You just decided to do something for yourself this time. And that is fine.
Hugh: You still hate the name though, am I right?
Jack: Yes! What is wrong with your real name? Joseph Salter is fine. You even have a small following wrestling under that name, it makes sense to use it.
Hugh: I wanted to do something different. I wanted to bring some fun to the WFWF, and not to try to coast on any small pre concieved notions there might be about my independent career. I want to forge a new path for myself.
Jack: I still can't believe you called yourself that though.
Hugh: If you want, I could always bring you in as my manager, Jack Doff?
Jack: I swear to god I will hit you. And you'll be wrestling in HD, people will see the shiner.
Laughing, Hugh gets up and makes his way over to the jukebox. After browsing for a few moments, he pops in a dollar, and Eye of the Tiger begins playing loudly across the bar. The old man at the lottery machine shoots the two a dirty look, before turning back to his machine. Hugh falls back down into his chair and after seeing the look that Jack gives him, the pair burst out laughing.
Jack: Trace Demon for your first match though huh?
Hugh: Yep.
Jack: Do you have a gameplan?
Hugh: Try not to die.
Jack: He is probably going to kick your ass man. And badly.
Hugh: So what? It's not like I've never gotten my ass kicked before. You know I spent virtually every day of elementary school and junior high getting bullied and beaten up. I know how to take a beating. I'll get my licks in too. If Trace thinks this is going to be a squash, he's going to be in for a rude awakening.
Jack: With the amount of chicks I've heard he gets, I think he always has a pretty nice awakening actually.
Hugh lets out a snort of disgust.
Hugh: Don't tell me you're a Trace Demon fan?
Jack: I'm sorry. You know I've always been a sucker for a good bad guy. I'm still pulling for you though, obviously.
Hugh: It's ok. I'm not mad. Hell, I'm undefeated in the WFWF. Trace Demon can't say that.
Jack: Now you're just being silly.
Hugh: Maybe. But that's kind of the point, isn't it? I am here to have fun. Part of that comes with making fun of myself.
Jack: So you're ok with people laughing at you, instead of with you?
Hugh: If it means they're laughing, then absolutely. The world is in a strange place right now. People go to these shows to escape. To have a good time. If someone laughing at me can make them feel better, then what harm does it do to me? I didn't come to WFWF to make enemies or make things personal with anyone. If any of my opponents though this tournament, or even after if I stick around need to knock me down, and make this some grudge, good for them, they can feel free. I might even knock them a bit back, because that's part of the industry. But I didn't come here to have everlasting grudges and hatred. That would be completely against who I am.
Jack: But what if it ends up happening? What if someone angers you that much, or goes too far, and you get pulled into this on a level you didn't imagine possible?
Hugh: That is a risk. You can't say never, not truthfully. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Jack: You think you can take the verbal abuse that's coming your way? I don't think I could. Talk of you being a cinderella story, or of you being the guaranteed win for everyone in your bracket. That would get to me. How do you deal with that?
Hugh: I will deal with that by looking at the paycheck I will be recieving for being in the WFWF for now. By seeing all my friends and family being excited that I am on television. But probably getting my own shirt. By seeing the faces of everyone laughing while I am walking down that aisle. By seeing the tweets people send me on twitter. And everything else like that. People are so cynical these days. Always focusing on the negative, even though it makes you feel terrible. I came here to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
Jack: Oh, by the way, did you hear the town is doing a viewing party for your match in the community centre?
Hugh: No I did not. That's sweet! Who is organizing it? Usually when it's a playoffs party or anything like that it's me who does it.
Jack: I am. Figured why not? I was going to watch you anyway, and the community hall has a bigger television than I do.
Hugh: Glad to see you doing this for me for such unselfish reasons.
The two continue laugh and continue talking as more people begin to filter into the bar, each stopping over to wish Hugh good luck in his match.
Jack: Well, you're in.
Hugh nods, taking another sip of his beer, and looks almost like he might be sick.
Jack: This is what you wanted, right?
Hugh: Yeah. But now that it's happened, it's a lot to take in though.
Jack: Are you scared?
Hugh: No, not scared. More nervous if anything.
Jack: What happened to the just having fun attitude, and not caring how you do or what people think of you?
Hugh: It's still there Jack. But it doesn't mean I can't be a little nervous. I didn't think I was going to be the only person to show up for the battle royal.
Jack: It says a lot about your work ethic.
Hugh: Weren't you trying to talk me out of this before I did it?
Jack: Kind of. But you're my friend, I support you. And just because I thought it was a silly idea, doesn't mean you shouldn't take some pride in it.
Hugh drains the rest of his beer, and the bartender comes by to collect the bottles and bring them new ones.
Jack: It shows your work ethic, and the type of guy you are. Why do you think nobody else entered the battle royal?
Hugh: I don't know, maybe because looking at the field, they knew they didn't stand a chance, so it was pointless to try?
Jack: Exactly. But not you. You, someone who has never stepped foot into a WFWF ring before, flew out there and entered because you wanted the opportunity.
Hugh: I always did say I'd like to wrestle in the big leagues, even if it was just once.
Jack: Damn right. And you could have gone pro years ago if you really wanted to. But you took pride in your commitments here and decided to just stay local, and do it for your enjoyment. I don't know what this town would do without you. You help organize all the events through the community centre, you own the mechanic shop, hell, you even help plow the parking lots in winter. You are too selfless to have ever gone pro permanently.
Hugh: But then why did I do it now?
Jack: You just decided to do something for yourself this time. And that is fine.
Hugh: You still hate the name though, am I right?
Jack: Yes! What is wrong with your real name? Joseph Salter is fine. You even have a small following wrestling under that name, it makes sense to use it.
Hugh: I wanted to do something different. I wanted to bring some fun to the WFWF, and not to try to coast on any small pre concieved notions there might be about my independent career. I want to forge a new path for myself.
Jack: I still can't believe you called yourself that though.
Hugh: If you want, I could always bring you in as my manager, Jack Doff?
Jack: I swear to god I will hit you. And you'll be wrestling in HD, people will see the shiner.
Laughing, Hugh gets up and makes his way over to the jukebox. After browsing for a few moments, he pops in a dollar, and Eye of the Tiger begins playing loudly across the bar. The old man at the lottery machine shoots the two a dirty look, before turning back to his machine. Hugh falls back down into his chair and after seeing the look that Jack gives him, the pair burst out laughing.
Jack: Trace Demon for your first match though huh?
Hugh: Yep.
Jack: Do you have a gameplan?
Hugh: Try not to die.
Jack: He is probably going to kick your ass man. And badly.
Hugh: So what? It's not like I've never gotten my ass kicked before. You know I spent virtually every day of elementary school and junior high getting bullied and beaten up. I know how to take a beating. I'll get my licks in too. If Trace thinks this is going to be a squash, he's going to be in for a rude awakening.
Jack: With the amount of chicks I've heard he gets, I think he always has a pretty nice awakening actually.
Hugh lets out a snort of disgust.
Hugh: Don't tell me you're a Trace Demon fan?
Jack: I'm sorry. You know I've always been a sucker for a good bad guy. I'm still pulling for you though, obviously.
Hugh: It's ok. I'm not mad. Hell, I'm undefeated in the WFWF. Trace Demon can't say that.
Jack: Now you're just being silly.
Hugh: Maybe. But that's kind of the point, isn't it? I am here to have fun. Part of that comes with making fun of myself.
Jack: So you're ok with people laughing at you, instead of with you?
Hugh: If it means they're laughing, then absolutely. The world is in a strange place right now. People go to these shows to escape. To have a good time. If someone laughing at me can make them feel better, then what harm does it do to me? I didn't come to WFWF to make enemies or make things personal with anyone. If any of my opponents though this tournament, or even after if I stick around need to knock me down, and make this some grudge, good for them, they can feel free. I might even knock them a bit back, because that's part of the industry. But I didn't come here to have everlasting grudges and hatred. That would be completely against who I am.
Jack: But what if it ends up happening? What if someone angers you that much, or goes too far, and you get pulled into this on a level you didn't imagine possible?
Hugh: That is a risk. You can't say never, not truthfully. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Jack: You think you can take the verbal abuse that's coming your way? I don't think I could. Talk of you being a cinderella story, or of you being the guaranteed win for everyone in your bracket. That would get to me. How do you deal with that?
Hugh: I will deal with that by looking at the paycheck I will be recieving for being in the WFWF for now. By seeing all my friends and family being excited that I am on television. But probably getting my own shirt. By seeing the faces of everyone laughing while I am walking down that aisle. By seeing the tweets people send me on twitter. And everything else like that. People are so cynical these days. Always focusing on the negative, even though it makes you feel terrible. I came here to light a candle instead of cursing the darkness.
Jack: Oh, by the way, did you hear the town is doing a viewing party for your match in the community centre?
Hugh: No I did not. That's sweet! Who is organizing it? Usually when it's a playoffs party or anything like that it's me who does it.
Jack: I am. Figured why not? I was going to watch you anyway, and the community hall has a bigger television than I do.
Hugh: Glad to see you doing this for me for such unselfish reasons.
The two continue laugh and continue talking as more people begin to filter into the bar, each stopping over to wish Hugh good luck in his match.
