Friday December 31, 2010
Thompson Family Residence- Living Room
Indianapolis, Indiana
6:59 PM Local Time
“4...3...2...1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Even on the television, the sights of thousands of fireworks suddenly exploding around the River Thames was impressive enough to give me goosebumps. CNN hadn’t even bothered with the commentary, just let the sound of exploding shells tell the story. Through the rare breaks in the ‘rat-tat-tatting’ of the pyrotechnics, I could hear the throng of jubilant revelers on the shore screaming in celebration. Twenty-Eleven had come to the United Kingdom, and the British knew how to throw a party as good as any other nation in the world.
For just a second, I wished I was there, instead of my cozy suburban house in Indianapolis.
“You ready, hon?”
The voice of my husband caused me to turn my attention away from the television screen, and I smiled as Terrence walked into the room, sparing a casual glance at the television as he did so. I didn’t even bother trying to hide my surprise at his appearance. I’ve always thought my husband a handsome man, but Terrence wasn’t the kind of person who took much stock in his appearance. On most occasions, a NASCAR T-shirt and a pair of jeans suited him just fine. But this evening, he had donned a brown dress shirt and slacks, and had even bothered with a tie. It was a rare treat to see Terrence looking so debonair.
“Well, you look nice,” I commented, a clear understatement.
“As do you,” Terrence replied, quickly sweeping towards me, and grabbing me in his arms. Our lips met, for just a few seconds, and Terrence pulled away. “The only problem is, anytime I see a dress that shade of green on you, I want to rip it off.”
I gave him a reproving look, and lightly swatted him on the arm. “Well, I would appreciate some restraint in that matter. I just bought this dress, and I’d hate to ruin it my first evening in it.”
Terrence shot me that grin he always got when he knew that he was up to no good, and leaned over, stealing a kiss on my cheek. He turned towards the television, where the finale of the London celebration was playing out in specatcular fashion. “Pollaski’s late,” he remarked.
I had noticed the tardiness of my manager as well, although I hadn’t exactly felt concern over it. As great a manager as Pollaski had been for us over the years, punctuality and time management had never exactly been strong points for him. If he said he was going to be there at 7, he’d be there sometime around 7:05.
The flash of two headlights pulling into our driveway drew both of our attention to our front bay window. A turquoise 2002 Saturn LS had just pulled up into our driveway.
“Ah, there he is,” Terrence remarked, then left my side to go open the door to admit Pollaski entrance.
With our holiday vacations taking us in seperate directions, I hadn’t seen Pollaski since a couple days before Christmas, and I was surprised to see that he had changed just a bit. The most obvious change was his hair, which had been shorn close to his scalp, to the point where it was almost sticking straight up. He also looked like he had lost a bit of weight- a remarkable feat considering the amount of food one customarily ate over the Holidays.
“How was your Christmas?” he was asking Terrence as he entered the living room.
“It was good,” my husband replied, although not enthusiastically. Spending Christmas in Pennsylvania in an Amish Community hadn’t been the most appealing prospect to Terry. Nevertheless, my Auntie Margaret had been a tremendous hostess, and we had a wonderful Christmas, at least as far as I was concerned.. “How was yours?” Terrence continued, more to change the subject than out of curiosity.
“No homicides or suicides,” Pollaski grinned. “That generally amounts to a successful family gathering. Anyways, hang on, before you guys go anywhere...”
Daniel was also carrying a Rubbermaid storage container, and even from across the room, I could see the corner of a brightly wrapped package sticking up just a little over the lip of the box. Pollaski grinned at me as he set the tub down, and pulled out two, identical packages. He tossed one to me, which I barely caught. It was heavier than I had expected. The other one, he handed to Terrence.
“Merry belated Christmas,” he said.
Curious, Terrence and I quickly tore into the wrapping paper, both of us revealing small, white cardboard boxes underneath. With a quick glance at each other, we opened the box, a slight smile on my face as I wondered what might be inside.
That smile immediately disappeared, although I couldn’t tell if I was more disappointed, or just confused.
Inside the box, admist a small pile of packing peanuts, lay one of the PWX Tag Team Championships.
“Wow, Dan.. you got us title belts we already have from a now deceased company. Just what we always wanted.” The sarcasm dripping from my husband’s voice was an obvious indication that he was just as unimpressed as I was.
Pollaski was nothing if not melodramatic, and he gave a pout that would have made Heidi Montag jealous. “Those belts were merely symbolic. But fine, be ungrateful. And after all the strings I pulled to get you in, too.”
The glance that Terrence and I exchanged was a mixture of curiosity and alarm. “Get us into what?” my husband finally asked.
Pollaski beamed as if he had just discovered the cure for cancer. “Why, you’re the fourth team in the Four Store War for the Teaming Panda’s Championship!” he announced.
I didn’t understand half of what my manager had just said, and judging by my husband’s face, Terrence was likely in the same boat.
“Couldn’t you have just gotten me a new video game or something?” he muttered.
“Terrence,” I growled in a warning tone. A present was a present, and it didn’t serve to be ungrateful. Even though we weren’t entirely sure what it was that we had just received.
Terrence seemed to suddenly figure it out though, and he looked up from the box he was holding, over at Pollaski, a sudden expression of revulsion on his face.
“Wait... Teaming PANDAS? As in... Catholic PANDA Wrestling?”
Pollaski nodded, that beaming smile returning. My husband wasn’t quite so jovial about his revelation though.
“Owned by Valerie Belmont.”
Another nod. “Well, co-owned, really. With Camilla Pazzini.”
Who Valerie’s partner in crime was seemed to be little concern to Terrence. “The same Valerie Belmont who hates us?”
Pollaski paused for just a second, and a funny feeling entered my stomach. Like Terrence, I wasn’t too certain about the prospect of suddenly having Valerie Belmont as my boss.
“I wouldn’t say she HATES you. I think she actually kinda likes and respects Wendy over here, although I’m sure she still has a tough time swallowing the end of the tag title match back in PWX. She thinks YOU’RE an arrogant toerag who needs to be taken down a couple notches. But I wouldn’t call that hate.”
“Great, and what better way to take us down a couple notches than by having us as her subordinates,” Terrence grumbled.
“Valerie wouldn’t do that,” I broke in, setting the box down on an end table. “Whatever she feels about us , Val’s an honorable person.”
Terrence looked as if he was about to argue with me, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he looked at the television, where CNN had gone back to its normal broadcasting schedule. “Crap, we’re late! You ready to go, hon?”
I nodded, and Terrence reached into his pockets for his keys, only to come up empty. “Dammit. They’re in my jeans upstairs. I’ll be right back.”
Terrence quickly ran out of the room, and I turned back to Pollaski. “You sure about this?” I asked him.
Pollaski shrugged. “I was there for a couple months. It’s a good place. And whatever Val feels about you personally, she definitely knows and respects what both of you can do in the ring. And how many companies are going to give you a shot at the tag team titles in your very first match?”
I couldn’t really argue with those points. But even so, a feeling of nervousness engulfed me. It was always difficult just starting out in a new company, and I knew that I needed to badly make a strong first impression, against what would be undoubtedly the finest tag teams CPW had to offer. It was going to be a tough debut.
Pollaski broke into my thoughts. “Hey, where’s Theresa? I have a present for her too.”
“Upstairs,” I replied. “I put her down for a nap. There’d be no way she’d make it until midnight otherwise. Thanks for watching her tonight, by the way.”
“No problem,” Daniel responded with a shrug. “Really had nothing better to do anyways. And you guys need to have a fun night just to yourselves once in a while. Don’t worry about us. Should I go wake her up?”
I shrugged. “She’s been asleep for almost a couple hours now, I’m sure she’ll wake up soon anyways. But please don’t give her a present until we get back. I want to watch her open it.”
“No prob,” my manager replied. “I actually got have one for you, two. The tag title thing was just kind of a joke.”
I smiled in return, but at that moment, Terrence came bounding down the stairs, the keys to his 1971 Dodge Charger in his hands. “Okay, we REALLY need to get going now. Come on, hon!”
I grabbed my purse from the couch, and turned one last time to Pollaski. “Help yourself to whatever we have for dinner, or you can order a pizza. Terry and I will pay you back when we get home. Just… for the love of God, don’t let Theresa drink any Mountain Dew. I don’t need my daughter up all night completely wired.”
Pollaski returned a sheepish grin, and shrugged. “I won’t. Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine. You guys have a good time.”
I smiled. “Thanks, Dan.” Then I hurried after my husband into the chilly New Years Evening air.
=================Ya’ll Ready for this?=================
Wednesday January 5, 2011
Thompson Family Residence- Living Room
Indianapolis, Indiana
7:01 PM Local Time
[So, anyone know if vampires are capable of getting indigestion?]
[‘Cause if they are, Val Belmont’s probably swigging Maalox straight from the bottle right now. One can only guess just how big a gasket the co-owner of CPW blew when she found out that her longtime nemeses from Pro-Wrestling X just signed up in her company.]
[And really, considering the scene just opened with the smirking visage of one Terrence Thompson, you can’t really blame her.]
[Anyways, we’re in what has come to be a familiar sight for fans of the WhirlyBirdz- the living room of the Thompson family residence, colloquially referred to as The Nest (y’know, cause that’s where The Birdz live). The Nest is a lovely two-story, four bedroom, three bath suburban dwelling located in the northwestern corner of Indianapolis. Terrence Thompson is sitting on the right side of the couch (as we face it), looking fairly relaxed as he smirks into the camera.]
Terrence: “So... Catholic.. Panda... Wrestling. Actually has a nice ring to it.”
[There is definite amusement in Terrence’s voice as he utters the words. It’s not really mocking, although one could probably misconstrue it as such.]
Terrence: “Ever since I found out that my manager has signed me up for this ‘Four Store War’, I’ve been taking a peek around the company. Y’know, watching old show tapes and promos, the like. And I have to say, you guys have got a pretty nice thing going on here in the CPW. Some decent talent’s been hopping in and out of the Catholic Panda ring, and I’ve got to hand it to Valerie and Cammie, they seem to have a head for this business.”
[Terrence gives a respectful nod, a silent message intended for Val and Cammie.]
Terrence: “In fact, there only seems to be one thing that CPW seemed to be missing. Something that the signing of Wendy and I will bring to the company almost immediately.”
[Small pause]
Terrence: “A sense of legitimacy.”
Female Voice: “Excuse me?”
[The camera zooms out just a bit, until the entire couch is visable. On the other side of the couch (aka, the left), sits Wendy Briese, her flame-red hair tied back in a bun, making her look even more hyperconservative than she normally is. Heck, with the stern gaze currently leveled at her husband, she’s a pair of glasses short of being a schoolteacher from the 1920’s.]
Wendy: “What exactly do you mean by that, Terrence?”
[Terrence doesn’t look all that happy to be interrupted; a mixture of chagrin and irritation, perhaps. Nevertheless, he merely shrugs, and glances over at his wife.]
Terrence: “Well, I mean, look at who they have representing them as champions. Their ‘Undisputed Panda’, so to speak, is a spazzed-out midget with a hair-dye fetish. And the ‘International Bamboo Champion’ is a cracked-out Australian who-”
Wendy: [interrupting] “New Zealander.”
[A couple beats of silence]
Terrence: “Wait.. what?”
Wendy: “Aoraki is from New Zealand, not Australia.”
Terrence: “There’s a difference?”
[Wendy looks like she’s trying valiantly to keep herself from facepalming. Or slapping her husband. Or both.]
Wendy: “Terrence, with all due respect to our northern neighbors, let me put it this way. How would you feel if someone mistakenly referred to you as a Canadian?”
[Terrence bursts out laughing]
Terrence: “Don’t be silly, Wendy. It would take a colossal idiot to mistake me for one of those vinegar-licking, syrup-sucking...”
[Wendy finally gives into her impulse to facepalm. Unfortunately, she still doesn’t slap Terrence]
Wendy: “Never mind...”
[Terrence grins at his wife. It’s a grin you’ll come to see from him often- a grin that indicates that he’s just giving his ever-rigid wife a bit of a hard time]
Terrence: “Look, hon. All I’m trying to say is that CPW is lacking that ‘it’ factor. You know, the household name that everyone can get behind. That wrestler that everyone can point to and say ‘but CPW has THEM. They’re awesome!’”
[Wendy manages to pry her hand from her face just long enough to look at her husband incredulously.]
Wendy: “And that ‘it’ is you, I assume?”
[Terrence shrugs]
Terrence: “Well, us. And why not? I mean, you don’t see any other Wrestling Channel Tag Teams of the Year signing up for this place, do you?”
[Oh come on, you knew that award was gonna be brought up sooner or later.]
Wendy: “I think maybe we should be focused on how grateful we are that we’re getting this opportunity in our very first match...”
[Terrence snorts]
Terrence: “What, between you and I, how many times have we beaten Valerie Belmont over the past eight months? She’d have to be an idiot to leave us out of this title match. She knows where the future of Catholic Panda Wrestling lies. And sticking us in a Four Store War. This match is MADE for the WhirlyBirdz, hon! They might as well hand us the belts right now because there’s no way in HELL we’re going to be losing this!”
[A short pause]
Wendy: “Do you even have any idea what a Four Store War is?”
[Another pause. For the first time, Terrence looks a little squeamish]
Terrence: “Well, um...”
[Wendy rolls her eyes, and grabs a piece of paper off the end table next to her. She begins reading from it.]
Wendy: “It’s a match taking place in four adjacent rooms set up in a square. Each team takes a room, and decides what kind of ‘store’ they want their room to be, and the rooms are set up in that fashion. As for the match itself, each team starts in their own store, but once it begins, we’re free to move from rooom to room. It’s a standard no-disqualification match, fought to a single fall.”
[Terrence pauses, for just a second, some weird expression on his face.]
Terrence: “That’s... actually... a really cool idea.”
[Wendy shrugs. It’s no secret that she’d much prefer a straight up match in the ring. Nevertheless, she doesn’t fail to see the appeal in this]
Terrence: “Auto-parts store.”
Wendy: “Pardon?”
Terrence: “Our store. I want it to be an auto-parts shop. Like NAPA. Or O’Reilly’s. One of those!”
[Terrence picking something to do with cars. There’s the shock of the century.]
[Nevertheless, Wendy doesn’t appear too happy about this]
Wendy: “Don’t you think we should talk about this before deciding?”
Terrence: “Well, what would you care? It’s not like you’d use anything as a weapon anyways.”
[This is said as a simple statement of fact, not judgmental at all. Although Terrence has tried, on several occasions, to try and get Wendy over her aversion to using weapons in matches where they’re allowed.]
Wendy: “I know. It’s just... coming from you, that seems a little cliche.”
[Terrence shrugs, then reaches over, and grabs Wendy’s hand, taking it in his.]
Terrence: “Just trust me on this, hon. I already have a plan forming in my mind. But it’s only gonna work if we go with my idea. So, let’s just do it, okay?”
[Wendy pauses for just a second, then nods, acquiescing the decision to her husband. In truth, Terrence was right, as far as the match went, whatever store it would be would be irrelevant to her. She’ll win this match relying on the three things she always does- her wits, her skills, and her heart.]
Wendy: “Okay, we’ll go with that. What’s your plan?”
[Terrence grins, and points over at the camera.]
Terrence: “Probably shouldn’t tell you with that thing on. Again, you just have to trust me, hon. What I have in mind is going to make the twelfth episode of Zoo a good night for us. A VERY good night for us.”
[Wendy arches an eyebrow, and crosses her arms over her chest, looking both amused and bemused]
Wendy: “Should I be worried?”
[Terrence smirks evilly, and turns his head ever so slightly to look back at the camera.]
Terrence: “Hon... EVERYONE should be worried.”
[And with that, and for now, we fade to black]
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