Post by biggs on Jul 2, 2012 14:56:06 GMT -4
My legs are cramping up as I get a sudden Charlie-Horse that jars me from my sleep. It's the fourth time in five nights, but it's become a common occurrence for me since I started sleeping on the couch. After my actions on Overdrive, Ellie will have hardly anything to do with me, and while admittedly, most of it is my own darn fault, she's holding onto her grudge a lot more tightly than normal. I've been on the wrong end of “Happy Wife, Happy Life,” for the better part of two weeks now.
I rub my leg to try and ease the pain, but it's slow going. This isn't working, this whole sleeping on the couch thing. I sit up and gingerly place my feet on the floor, with sharp sensations of not exactly pain, but something close to is shooting through my calf. I make my way up the stairs to the bedroom, and knock on the door.
There's no response immediately, so I knock again. I can hear Ellie's breathing as I slowly open the door and tip toe in, trying not to wake her up. I peel up the covers ever so slowly in the hopes that I won't disturb her, but right as I'm about ready to lie down in the bed, I hear her grumpily speak.
”What are you doing in here?”
”I had a nightmare, and I think there's a monster under the couch! Can I please sleep with you!?” I joke.
”It's far too late for that kind of humor. I'm still mad at you.”
”Well, can we at least talk about it! I mean I've admitted to you several times over these past two weeks that I was in the wrong when I went off on you in front of a world wide audience. I was in the wrong when I accused you of having an emotional affair with C.J. Gates. I apologized for all that already, and I've been spoiling the heck out of you, buying you chocolates and clothes and anything you've wanted! Can't we just get to the part where all of this is worked out, and get back to being in a healthy husband and wife relationship?”
Ellie sits up in the bed and turns on her reading lamp. She has a look of disdain on her face as she looks me directly in the eyes.
”You hurt me, Gary. You hurt me really bad. The fact is that I do not think that you should go through with this match with C.J. Gates, and yet you've been too stubborn to listen! We have enough money to where you can retire comfortably, more comfortably than either our parents! The only reason you want to go through with this match is because of your ego! You can't stand the fact that you haven't beaten C.J. Gates, and you've let your obsession with this fact affect our marriage!”
Her voice starts to rise as she continues. I can see tears beginning to form, tears which she's desperately trying to hold back.
”The fact that you accused me of cheating on you, on national television, well, that's just asinine, and deeply hurtful, especially considering our past. I've already made that mistake once, I will never make it again! We had to go to therapy for me to get to the point where I could forgive myself for what I had done and for you to get to where you wouldn't hold it over me any time we had a disagreement, and you wasted no time reopening that wound! You ripped the bandage right off, and now, you're wondering why it's taking so long for me to 'get over' it!? There's no just getting over this, Gary, this is going to take time to heal. I want it to be all better, but the fact is, right now it is not, and you're going to have to respect that fact. I want to be able to work things out between us right now, but I'm just not ready to!”
By this point, she's practically screaming at me, and I just stand there, and take it. I know that she's right about how deeply I hurt her. I got carried away. But the fact is she started it. After a few more minutes of her yelling at me, I want to say my piece, but I don't. I know it will hurt her even more if I say what I really want to say to her.
”I'm going back down to the couch...”
With that, I leave the room, not even looking back at my wife. I don't need to, I already know the look of disappointment and sadness she will have on her face. This is what my life has devolved to, sleeping on the couch and disappointing my wife.
This house has been my home for many years, but it doesn't really seem that inviting as of late. As I walk down the hall, looking at the pictures and decorations that adorn the walls, I can't help but feel like I am unwelcome in my own home. When I get back down to the living room, I do the same thing I've done every night after I try to talk to Ellie, and that's say what I wanted to say to her out loud, with nobody there.
”Ellie, listen, to quote Red Green, 'I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.' I know that I took things too far, but you are not innocent in this matter either. The only reason I said what I said in public was because you decided to bring our private business public. Was I wrong? Yes! But so were you. I know you don't like to hear that, and it'll probably just be another excuse for you to drag out this grudge you're having, but I'm just being honest. I love you, Ellie, but sometimes, you don't make it easy.”
“I messed up big time, I get that. And I know that I'm being selfish in risking my health just to get another crack at C.J. Gates. But I'm simply not one of those people who could be happy with a big 'what if' left hanging in my life. I understand financially that there's no need for me to take this match. I know that my legacy is well set, being a former APW Undisputed Champion and three time Overdrive Champion, as well as my accolades in other leagues. I know all of these things, and yet, it's not enough. Logically, you're right, there's no need for me to step into the ring with C.J. Gates one more time, but then again, logic said that I shouldn't have married you either, Ellie. We can't seem to go a week without fighting, there's always an issue between us, but when things are going well, well they're just so gosh darn great that it makes all the hard times worth it, and more. And the risk I'm taking, it will be more than worth it when I pin C.J. Gates in the middle of the ring. I wish that you could understand that, that's all...”
From upstairs, I hear Ellie's voice.
”Who are you talking to?”
I look down at my bare feet, not answering. I hear her coming down the stairs.
”Gary, who are you talking to?”
”Nobody. Just myself.”
”I can hear you from upstairs. Could you please keep it down?”
”Sure thing, dear. Sorry”
Keep it down. Little does she realize just how much I'm keeping down inside myself. I'm reverting to old habits of keeping things held back inside me, and I know it. I'm reminded of the saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over, and expecting a different result. I know better than to expect a different result, so what does it say about me that I continue to do the same things over and over, knowing what the result will always be the same, and yet I end up doing it anyways?
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background in bold, blue letters. The video switches to Biggs in his personal gym, sitting on the apron of the ring. He forgoes the normal pleasantries, and starts speaking immediately.
”203 days. That is how long I will have been out of action by the time that Test for the Best rolls around. Well, technically 202 days, accounting for my misguided attempt at a comeback in March, but still, it has been over half a year since I've been involved in serious competition. And it's 202 days too long...”
“And there is only one person responsible for all the grief, all the suffering that I was made to go through over those 203 days, his name being C.J. Gates. For those of you who's memory of Christmas Chaos is hazier than mine is, at that very event, C.J. Gates and I wrestled in a One Hour Iron Man Match for the APW Undisputed Championship that was rightfully declared the best match of 2011. At the end of the One Hour time limit, C.J. and I were tied at 3 falls apiece, and like the coward he is, C.J. was going to accept the draw and keep his belt. I was able to convince him to give me just five more minutes, in which I should have been able to reclaim the title as my own! However, it was not to be, as C.J. Gates purposefully launch me over the ropes, causing me to land face first into the steel ramp. I'll be honest, from that point on, I do not remember the match at all, in fact, I don't really remember the day after that particularly well either, but I do know that C.J. Gates showed his true colors by taking advantage of the fact that I received a concussion, and pinned me in that ring 1...2...3.”
“But I guess it's appropriate, C.J., for you to have retained the title in that manner against me. People can talk all they want about how I have yet to defeat you in a one-on-one match, they can say that you have my number all they want, the bottom line is that each and every time we have squared off, you have defeated me, but there's always an asterisk next to each one in the record books! At Shockwave, you needed the help of Kurt Noble to defeat me, taking not only his interference, but accepting his unauthorized three count as a basis for you to claim the APW Undisputed Championship! At One Night in Hell, the only reason you defeated me was because you handcuffed me to the bottom rope, preventing me from stopping your ascent up the ladder! And at Christmas Chaos, you knew the only way that you could get me out of your hair for good was to try and end my career!”
“Well I got news for you, C.J., you did not finish the job! Because, C.J. Gates, on Sunday, July 8th, in Chicago, Illinois, I get to make my comeback to professional wrestling! I get the chance to step in the ring with you and avenge these past six-plus months which you have cost me! And believe me, C.J., you have cost me so very much! Because of you, C.J., I was unable to participate in this year's Survive and Conquer, a match which I had intended on competing in for the very first time this year! Because of you, C.J., I had to make my living settling for being a manager instead of an active competitor! Do you realize how much it sucks to get to walk through those curtains night in and night out, and not be able to step into that ring to compete? I may have had the best seat in the house, watching the Studmuffins at ringside every night, but the whole entire time, all I could think about was how much I wanted to be able to wrestle, but that I was not medically cleared to do so!”
“Because of you, C.J., I had to sit out of the biggest show in APW history, RassleMania VIII! This year would have been my best opportunity to be able to headline RassleMania, because I know that they don't just hand out RassleMania main events. I know that title shots and headlining slots on shows are things that do not come easy here in APW. Had it not been for the concussion you gave me, C.J. Gates, I know for a fact that the RassleMania Main Event this year would have been C.J. Gates versus Johnny Rebel versus Kurt Noble versus Biggs, not Blade! You cost me that, C.J. You cost me my shot at immortality by denying me the privilege of being able to headline the absolute biggest show of the year!”
“Because of you, C.J., my wife and I are currently on the outs with one another! Because, C.J., had you not selfishly given me that concussion so you could win one match, Ellie would not be so gosh darn worried about me stepping into that ring! She's afraid that when I go into this match with you, that you will put me right back on the shelf with another concussion. And sure, these fears have some basis in reality considering that you did just that to me this past March, but the fact of the matter is that at that time, C.J. Gates, I was so depressed about the fact that I was going to miss RassleMania that I lied about being physically cleared to compete. I never expected Reginald Schmidt to have the guts to invite you to Asylum. I was just trying to make you look bad at the time, and I got caught. But make no mistake about it, C.J. Gates, this time, I am not only ready to compete, but I am physically able to!”
“But back to my point about the rift you have created between Ellie and I. Each and every time I will walk out to the ring from here on out, I know that she's going to worry about me. And while there's a part of me that appreciates her concern, the fact is, C.J. Gates, your actions, your decision to dump me over the ropes in such a way to give me a concussion has only served to create a reason for dissent between me and my wife! Had you not given me the concussion, Ceej, then my wife would not have gone behind my back to try and talk you out of the match by spreading lies about my condition. I know that she doesn't want me to get hurt again, but your actions brought about a desperation in her that gave her the idea that it was okay for her to lie! And had she not gone behind my back, then I would have had no reason to yell at her the way that I did on Overdrive!”
“Looking back on that night, C.J., it's easy for me to see how I took things too far. I take responsibility for that fact. I should not have talked to my wife that way. But you are the one who instigated things, who pushed things along to the point where I made the mistake that I did! Without you, C.J., things would have not even come close to escalating between Ellie and I like they did!”
“And what's worse, C.J., is you sticking your nose in mine and Ellie's business, having to play the hero! What was happening between Ellie and I on Overdrive, while it did get out of hand, it was our business, not yours! You sticking your gosh darn nose into things just to play the White Knight, like you always do, well, it served no purpose other than to make things even worse than they already were!”
“I know that in recent weeks, Ellie's kind of taken a shine on you. She thinks you're a swell guy. Thing is, she doesn't know you the way that I do, C.J. You're playing her just like you play all of the fans who adore you, C.J. You know the right time to say the right things that make people love you. You have the fans convinced that you are the White Knight of APW, that you are the paragon of virtue by which all other members of the APW roster are measured! You have the fans convinced, and you have Ellie convinced. Don't think that the significance of you coming out to 'rescue' her on Overdrive was lost on me! You know my wife's weakness for other men. You know that she has fallen victim to the seductions of a man other than myself before, and you are exploiting that fact by presenting yourself to be the kind of man she 'deserves.' You are driving a wedge between me and my wife, C.J. Gates, for the very same reason that you gave me a concussion at Christmas Chaos, so you can get the advantage in a match!”
“Your actions are having repercussions outside of the ring for me and my family, C.J. And while one's work will always have some affect on their home life, C.J., your actions have had much more affect on my home life than they should ever have had! And for what? Just so you could pick up a win here, a win there. I know that I am guilty of playing mind games and doing whatever I can to get the upper hand in a match, but C.J., I have never ever taken it beyond the context of professional wrestling. You, my friend, are a home-wrecker, pure and simple. You're playing to Ellie's emotions, and since she's been named Special Guest Referee for our match, I have no doubt that you're going to try and butter her up some more in Chicago. Because, C.J., I think you realize that your only shot at actually defeating me will involve earning yourself another asterisk, because you're going to have to rely on my wife's judgment to secure yourself a victory. You've been turning her against me to benefit yourself, and I'll be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to see her fast count me the first pinfall attempt you make, because she doesn't want me to fight you. But I implore you, C.J., do the honorable thing for once in your life, be the White Knight that you claim to be, and back off of my wife!”
“There is no doubt in my mind that you knew what you were doing when you gave me that ill-fated Back Body Drop over the ropes, that you knew the trajectory would send me face first into the ramp! And you knew that a shot like that wouldn't just give you the advantage for the match, but that it would take me out for some time, if not permanently! But you didn't get the job done, C.J., did you? The fact is, Ceej, you have set yourself up for the mother of all paybacks, because there is no way that I'm going to let you spoil my big return to the ring! You have given me all the motivation I need, and more, to want to utterly embarrass you in that ring! I know that you and many others will undoubtedly question not only my physical well-being, but also my conditioning. After all, six-plus months is an eternity in the wrestling business. There will certainly be some ring-rust on my part.”
“And while it will be 203 days for me between significant matches, C.J., it'll also be 203 days since you had your last victory on pay per view! For somebody who was supposedly the APW Mega Star of 2011, your 2012 has royally sucked! You came up short in Survive & Conquer, Kurt Noble beat you for the APW Undisputed Championship at RassleMania, and when you tried to get the belt back last month at Mayhem, well, you failed at that too! Neither one of us has had a pay per view victory in the year 2012, but only one of us has a legitimate reason for that, C.J., and it's not you! If you hadn't put me out of action for so long, I might just have had it in me to feel somewhat sorry for you! But the fact is, C.J., you're on a backslide, and while I would like to say that I beat you at your peak, I will settle humiliating you even more than you have been thus far this year! Considering my condition, and all.”
Biggs smirks at this point.
”You see, C.J. Gates, this Sunday we aren't fighting for any titles, we aren't participating in Test for the Best, for Stan says 'You're welcome,' by the way, we are simply going out to that ring to settle a score. I'm trying to make a grand comeback, and you're simply trying to quit losing so gosh darn much. Only one of us will be able to achieve our goal this Sunday. I know that everybody seems to think that you have this one in the bag, C.J., seeing as how Ellie's the special guest ref, and 'Stunning' Stan is banned from ringside, but if you come into our match expecting me to somehow hold back, or have a feeling out process to see just how far I can push myself physically, well, I can assure you right now, I won't be giving you that luxury! I don't need Stan out there to defeat you, and I'm sure that my wife will come to her senses and call the match fair and square! Once that bell rings, you can bet that I'll be coming at you with everything I've got C.J., because I cannot afford to lose this match! If I were to lose to you at this level, at the depths that you are currently at, well, it would just speak so poorly of me that I would quite frankly be ashamed to show my face in APW again!”
“The fact is, we have always been so evenly matched, you've just had good luck go your way each and every stinkin' time! Well, C.J., this Sunday at Test for the Best, it's my time to shine! It's my time to prove to the world that I have not lost a step in that ring! I have had nothing but time these past 203 days, and each and every day, I have been envisioning my vengance against you. I will not be denied this one pleasure, this one obsession that I've carried with me on the long road to recovery! But I know it won't be easy.”
“Even though you've been embroiled in one of the worst slumps in wrestling history, I know that you'll be bringing your all. In fact, I expect you to. But just realize that I'm going to be bringing my all, and more! Not only are we going to give Chicago one heck of a wrestling match, we're going to give them a fight! And believe me, 'White Knight,' I intend to put such a great dent in your armor, to tarnish your already reeling reputation that you will have no choice but to admit that I am the superior competitor! This Sunday, at Test for the Best, I'm going to overcome my health problems, the bias of my wife, and the biggest monkey on my back in my entire career when I defeat you in the center of the ring! And there's nothing you can do about it, C.J. Gates, because you are going to see once again why I am quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
I rub my leg to try and ease the pain, but it's slow going. This isn't working, this whole sleeping on the couch thing. I sit up and gingerly place my feet on the floor, with sharp sensations of not exactly pain, but something close to is shooting through my calf. I make my way up the stairs to the bedroom, and knock on the door.
There's no response immediately, so I knock again. I can hear Ellie's breathing as I slowly open the door and tip toe in, trying not to wake her up. I peel up the covers ever so slowly in the hopes that I won't disturb her, but right as I'm about ready to lie down in the bed, I hear her grumpily speak.
”What are you doing in here?”
”I had a nightmare, and I think there's a monster under the couch! Can I please sleep with you!?” I joke.
”It's far too late for that kind of humor. I'm still mad at you.”
”Well, can we at least talk about it! I mean I've admitted to you several times over these past two weeks that I was in the wrong when I went off on you in front of a world wide audience. I was in the wrong when I accused you of having an emotional affair with C.J. Gates. I apologized for all that already, and I've been spoiling the heck out of you, buying you chocolates and clothes and anything you've wanted! Can't we just get to the part where all of this is worked out, and get back to being in a healthy husband and wife relationship?”
Ellie sits up in the bed and turns on her reading lamp. She has a look of disdain on her face as she looks me directly in the eyes.
”You hurt me, Gary. You hurt me really bad. The fact is that I do not think that you should go through with this match with C.J. Gates, and yet you've been too stubborn to listen! We have enough money to where you can retire comfortably, more comfortably than either our parents! The only reason you want to go through with this match is because of your ego! You can't stand the fact that you haven't beaten C.J. Gates, and you've let your obsession with this fact affect our marriage!”
Her voice starts to rise as she continues. I can see tears beginning to form, tears which she's desperately trying to hold back.
”The fact that you accused me of cheating on you, on national television, well, that's just asinine, and deeply hurtful, especially considering our past. I've already made that mistake once, I will never make it again! We had to go to therapy for me to get to the point where I could forgive myself for what I had done and for you to get to where you wouldn't hold it over me any time we had a disagreement, and you wasted no time reopening that wound! You ripped the bandage right off, and now, you're wondering why it's taking so long for me to 'get over' it!? There's no just getting over this, Gary, this is going to take time to heal. I want it to be all better, but the fact is, right now it is not, and you're going to have to respect that fact. I want to be able to work things out between us right now, but I'm just not ready to!”
By this point, she's practically screaming at me, and I just stand there, and take it. I know that she's right about how deeply I hurt her. I got carried away. But the fact is she started it. After a few more minutes of her yelling at me, I want to say my piece, but I don't. I know it will hurt her even more if I say what I really want to say to her.
”I'm going back down to the couch...”
With that, I leave the room, not even looking back at my wife. I don't need to, I already know the look of disappointment and sadness she will have on her face. This is what my life has devolved to, sleeping on the couch and disappointing my wife.
This house has been my home for many years, but it doesn't really seem that inviting as of late. As I walk down the hall, looking at the pictures and decorations that adorn the walls, I can't help but feel like I am unwelcome in my own home. When I get back down to the living room, I do the same thing I've done every night after I try to talk to Ellie, and that's say what I wanted to say to her out loud, with nobody there.
”Ellie, listen, to quote Red Green, 'I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess.' I know that I took things too far, but you are not innocent in this matter either. The only reason I said what I said in public was because you decided to bring our private business public. Was I wrong? Yes! But so were you. I know you don't like to hear that, and it'll probably just be another excuse for you to drag out this grudge you're having, but I'm just being honest. I love you, Ellie, but sometimes, you don't make it easy.”
“I messed up big time, I get that. And I know that I'm being selfish in risking my health just to get another crack at C.J. Gates. But I'm simply not one of those people who could be happy with a big 'what if' left hanging in my life. I understand financially that there's no need for me to take this match. I know that my legacy is well set, being a former APW Undisputed Champion and three time Overdrive Champion, as well as my accolades in other leagues. I know all of these things, and yet, it's not enough. Logically, you're right, there's no need for me to step into the ring with C.J. Gates one more time, but then again, logic said that I shouldn't have married you either, Ellie. We can't seem to go a week without fighting, there's always an issue between us, but when things are going well, well they're just so gosh darn great that it makes all the hard times worth it, and more. And the risk I'm taking, it will be more than worth it when I pin C.J. Gates in the middle of the ring. I wish that you could understand that, that's all...”
From upstairs, I hear Ellie's voice.
”Who are you talking to?”
I look down at my bare feet, not answering. I hear her coming down the stairs.
”Gary, who are you talking to?”
”Nobody. Just myself.”
”I can hear you from upstairs. Could you please keep it down?”
”Sure thing, dear. Sorry”
Keep it down. Little does she realize just how much I'm keeping down inside myself. I'm reverting to old habits of keeping things held back inside me, and I know it. I'm reminded of the saying that the definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over, and expecting a different result. I know better than to expect a different result, so what does it say about me that I continue to do the same things over and over, knowing what the result will always be the same, and yet I end up doing it anyways?
***
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background in bold, blue letters. The video switches to Biggs in his personal gym, sitting on the apron of the ring. He forgoes the normal pleasantries, and starts speaking immediately.
”203 days. That is how long I will have been out of action by the time that Test for the Best rolls around. Well, technically 202 days, accounting for my misguided attempt at a comeback in March, but still, it has been over half a year since I've been involved in serious competition. And it's 202 days too long...”
“And there is only one person responsible for all the grief, all the suffering that I was made to go through over those 203 days, his name being C.J. Gates. For those of you who's memory of Christmas Chaos is hazier than mine is, at that very event, C.J. Gates and I wrestled in a One Hour Iron Man Match for the APW Undisputed Championship that was rightfully declared the best match of 2011. At the end of the One Hour time limit, C.J. and I were tied at 3 falls apiece, and like the coward he is, C.J. was going to accept the draw and keep his belt. I was able to convince him to give me just five more minutes, in which I should have been able to reclaim the title as my own! However, it was not to be, as C.J. Gates purposefully launch me over the ropes, causing me to land face first into the steel ramp. I'll be honest, from that point on, I do not remember the match at all, in fact, I don't really remember the day after that particularly well either, but I do know that C.J. Gates showed his true colors by taking advantage of the fact that I received a concussion, and pinned me in that ring 1...2...3.”
“But I guess it's appropriate, C.J., for you to have retained the title in that manner against me. People can talk all they want about how I have yet to defeat you in a one-on-one match, they can say that you have my number all they want, the bottom line is that each and every time we have squared off, you have defeated me, but there's always an asterisk next to each one in the record books! At Shockwave, you needed the help of Kurt Noble to defeat me, taking not only his interference, but accepting his unauthorized three count as a basis for you to claim the APW Undisputed Championship! At One Night in Hell, the only reason you defeated me was because you handcuffed me to the bottom rope, preventing me from stopping your ascent up the ladder! And at Christmas Chaos, you knew the only way that you could get me out of your hair for good was to try and end my career!”
“Well I got news for you, C.J., you did not finish the job! Because, C.J. Gates, on Sunday, July 8th, in Chicago, Illinois, I get to make my comeback to professional wrestling! I get the chance to step in the ring with you and avenge these past six-plus months which you have cost me! And believe me, C.J., you have cost me so very much! Because of you, C.J., I was unable to participate in this year's Survive and Conquer, a match which I had intended on competing in for the very first time this year! Because of you, C.J., I had to make my living settling for being a manager instead of an active competitor! Do you realize how much it sucks to get to walk through those curtains night in and night out, and not be able to step into that ring to compete? I may have had the best seat in the house, watching the Studmuffins at ringside every night, but the whole entire time, all I could think about was how much I wanted to be able to wrestle, but that I was not medically cleared to do so!”
“Because of you, C.J., I had to sit out of the biggest show in APW history, RassleMania VIII! This year would have been my best opportunity to be able to headline RassleMania, because I know that they don't just hand out RassleMania main events. I know that title shots and headlining slots on shows are things that do not come easy here in APW. Had it not been for the concussion you gave me, C.J. Gates, I know for a fact that the RassleMania Main Event this year would have been C.J. Gates versus Johnny Rebel versus Kurt Noble versus Biggs, not Blade! You cost me that, C.J. You cost me my shot at immortality by denying me the privilege of being able to headline the absolute biggest show of the year!”
“Because of you, C.J., my wife and I are currently on the outs with one another! Because, C.J., had you not selfishly given me that concussion so you could win one match, Ellie would not be so gosh darn worried about me stepping into that ring! She's afraid that when I go into this match with you, that you will put me right back on the shelf with another concussion. And sure, these fears have some basis in reality considering that you did just that to me this past March, but the fact of the matter is that at that time, C.J. Gates, I was so depressed about the fact that I was going to miss RassleMania that I lied about being physically cleared to compete. I never expected Reginald Schmidt to have the guts to invite you to Asylum. I was just trying to make you look bad at the time, and I got caught. But make no mistake about it, C.J. Gates, this time, I am not only ready to compete, but I am physically able to!”
“But back to my point about the rift you have created between Ellie and I. Each and every time I will walk out to the ring from here on out, I know that she's going to worry about me. And while there's a part of me that appreciates her concern, the fact is, C.J. Gates, your actions, your decision to dump me over the ropes in such a way to give me a concussion has only served to create a reason for dissent between me and my wife! Had you not given me the concussion, Ceej, then my wife would not have gone behind my back to try and talk you out of the match by spreading lies about my condition. I know that she doesn't want me to get hurt again, but your actions brought about a desperation in her that gave her the idea that it was okay for her to lie! And had she not gone behind my back, then I would have had no reason to yell at her the way that I did on Overdrive!”
“Looking back on that night, C.J., it's easy for me to see how I took things too far. I take responsibility for that fact. I should not have talked to my wife that way. But you are the one who instigated things, who pushed things along to the point where I made the mistake that I did! Without you, C.J., things would have not even come close to escalating between Ellie and I like they did!”
“And what's worse, C.J., is you sticking your nose in mine and Ellie's business, having to play the hero! What was happening between Ellie and I on Overdrive, while it did get out of hand, it was our business, not yours! You sticking your gosh darn nose into things just to play the White Knight, like you always do, well, it served no purpose other than to make things even worse than they already were!”
“I know that in recent weeks, Ellie's kind of taken a shine on you. She thinks you're a swell guy. Thing is, she doesn't know you the way that I do, C.J. You're playing her just like you play all of the fans who adore you, C.J. You know the right time to say the right things that make people love you. You have the fans convinced that you are the White Knight of APW, that you are the paragon of virtue by which all other members of the APW roster are measured! You have the fans convinced, and you have Ellie convinced. Don't think that the significance of you coming out to 'rescue' her on Overdrive was lost on me! You know my wife's weakness for other men. You know that she has fallen victim to the seductions of a man other than myself before, and you are exploiting that fact by presenting yourself to be the kind of man she 'deserves.' You are driving a wedge between me and my wife, C.J. Gates, for the very same reason that you gave me a concussion at Christmas Chaos, so you can get the advantage in a match!”
“Your actions are having repercussions outside of the ring for me and my family, C.J. And while one's work will always have some affect on their home life, C.J., your actions have had much more affect on my home life than they should ever have had! And for what? Just so you could pick up a win here, a win there. I know that I am guilty of playing mind games and doing whatever I can to get the upper hand in a match, but C.J., I have never ever taken it beyond the context of professional wrestling. You, my friend, are a home-wrecker, pure and simple. You're playing to Ellie's emotions, and since she's been named Special Guest Referee for our match, I have no doubt that you're going to try and butter her up some more in Chicago. Because, C.J., I think you realize that your only shot at actually defeating me will involve earning yourself another asterisk, because you're going to have to rely on my wife's judgment to secure yourself a victory. You've been turning her against me to benefit yourself, and I'll be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to see her fast count me the first pinfall attempt you make, because she doesn't want me to fight you. But I implore you, C.J., do the honorable thing for once in your life, be the White Knight that you claim to be, and back off of my wife!”
“There is no doubt in my mind that you knew what you were doing when you gave me that ill-fated Back Body Drop over the ropes, that you knew the trajectory would send me face first into the ramp! And you knew that a shot like that wouldn't just give you the advantage for the match, but that it would take me out for some time, if not permanently! But you didn't get the job done, C.J., did you? The fact is, Ceej, you have set yourself up for the mother of all paybacks, because there is no way that I'm going to let you spoil my big return to the ring! You have given me all the motivation I need, and more, to want to utterly embarrass you in that ring! I know that you and many others will undoubtedly question not only my physical well-being, but also my conditioning. After all, six-plus months is an eternity in the wrestling business. There will certainly be some ring-rust on my part.”
“And while it will be 203 days for me between significant matches, C.J., it'll also be 203 days since you had your last victory on pay per view! For somebody who was supposedly the APW Mega Star of 2011, your 2012 has royally sucked! You came up short in Survive & Conquer, Kurt Noble beat you for the APW Undisputed Championship at RassleMania, and when you tried to get the belt back last month at Mayhem, well, you failed at that too! Neither one of us has had a pay per view victory in the year 2012, but only one of us has a legitimate reason for that, C.J., and it's not you! If you hadn't put me out of action for so long, I might just have had it in me to feel somewhat sorry for you! But the fact is, C.J., you're on a backslide, and while I would like to say that I beat you at your peak, I will settle humiliating you even more than you have been thus far this year! Considering my condition, and all.”
Biggs smirks at this point.
”You see, C.J. Gates, this Sunday we aren't fighting for any titles, we aren't participating in Test for the Best, for Stan says 'You're welcome,' by the way, we are simply going out to that ring to settle a score. I'm trying to make a grand comeback, and you're simply trying to quit losing so gosh darn much. Only one of us will be able to achieve our goal this Sunday. I know that everybody seems to think that you have this one in the bag, C.J., seeing as how Ellie's the special guest ref, and 'Stunning' Stan is banned from ringside, but if you come into our match expecting me to somehow hold back, or have a feeling out process to see just how far I can push myself physically, well, I can assure you right now, I won't be giving you that luxury! I don't need Stan out there to defeat you, and I'm sure that my wife will come to her senses and call the match fair and square! Once that bell rings, you can bet that I'll be coming at you with everything I've got C.J., because I cannot afford to lose this match! If I were to lose to you at this level, at the depths that you are currently at, well, it would just speak so poorly of me that I would quite frankly be ashamed to show my face in APW again!”
“The fact is, we have always been so evenly matched, you've just had good luck go your way each and every stinkin' time! Well, C.J., this Sunday at Test for the Best, it's my time to shine! It's my time to prove to the world that I have not lost a step in that ring! I have had nothing but time these past 203 days, and each and every day, I have been envisioning my vengance against you. I will not be denied this one pleasure, this one obsession that I've carried with me on the long road to recovery! But I know it won't be easy.”
“Even though you've been embroiled in one of the worst slumps in wrestling history, I know that you'll be bringing your all. In fact, I expect you to. But just realize that I'm going to be bringing my all, and more! Not only are we going to give Chicago one heck of a wrestling match, we're going to give them a fight! And believe me, 'White Knight,' I intend to put such a great dent in your armor, to tarnish your already reeling reputation that you will have no choice but to admit that I am the superior competitor! This Sunday, at Test for the Best, I'm going to overcome my health problems, the bias of my wife, and the biggest monkey on my back in my entire career when I defeat you in the center of the ring! And there's nothing you can do about it, C.J. Gates, because you are going to see once again why I am quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
