Post by biggs on May 21, 2011 17:37:37 GMT -4
Saturday, May 14
2:34 am
Biggerstaff Residence
Seattle, Washington
>CRASH!<
I awake with a start as I hear a loud crash coming from downstairs. I slip on my Chewbaca slippers and rush downstairs towards the kitchen, with a baseball bat in my good hand. The light is on in the kitchen, and as I turn around the corner, I see Ellie's father, John, on the floor, cleaning up some ice cream off the floor, as well as picking up shards of a broken bowl.
”Let me help you with that,” I say, as I put down the bat and get down to my knees to try and help. It's a bit difficult with the cast, but I focus on cleaning up the glass while John works on the ice cream.
”I'm really sorry about this, Gary. It's just that Ellie really wanted some ice cream, and considering the circumstances, I felt it best to get her some ice cream. I guess I was just really clumsy about it.” John explains, sounding sincere in his apology, as well as a bit worried.
”Don't worry about the bowl, John, it can be replaced. How's Ellie doing?”
It's been about two days since Ellie was released from the hospital, as the doctors felt that she was no longer a danger to herself. But despite this good news, Ellie has remained very distant from her parents and myself, almost as if she's too ashamed to interact with us. She's gotten to a point to where she'll let her mom and dad talk with her, give her hugs, and the like, but she doesn't want to talk with me quite yet. Carol says that it's probably because Ellie feels like she hurt me the most, and is too overcome with grief to want to face that fact at this time.
”Well, she did say please when asking for the ice cream, so that's a step in the right direction. I personally feel like she probably could have used another week or two under the supervision of the doctors,” John replies with a sigh in his voice. ”On the one hand, I'm grateful that we're getting to spend actual time with her, but on the other, she's just so distant and out of touch, it's almost like she's not even here.”
At this point, the floor is clean, and we stand up. I toss the glass in the garbage can while John tosses the dishrag into the sink and leans on the counter.
”Well, the doctors did say it could be a while before she feels like she can face us for what she's done. That's why we have the twice-a-week counseling sessions. Still, I'm just grateful for the fact that she hasn't tried anything rash since we brought her home. Also, thanks again for staying up here with us, John. Without you and Carol up here, I don't know how we'd be able to make this adjustment.”
”One of the advantages of being retired, I guess. But all kidding aside, Carol and I are more than happy to be up here to support not only our daughter, but you as well. We can stay as long as we're needed. It's just a shame that your folks aren't being more supportive in this situation.”
”Tell me about it. My mom was never too happy about the fact that I got back together with Ellie after what happened in Tokyo last year. She thinks I'm a fool to stand by Ellie through all this. I never told her that Ellie was hitting me, just because I didn't want to add fuel to her fire, so to speak.”
”As much as I shouldn't be encouraging you to keep secrets from your mother, that's probably for the best that she doesn't know. I haven't told Carol, either. There's no need to hurt her perception of Ellie that way. You're a very strong man, Gary, going through all this, and yet still being resolved to try and make this marriage work. I'm proud of you,” John says as he gives me a pat on the back.
”Hey, I didn't take the vows for better or worse lightly. The fact is, I love Ellie so much that I'd be willing to go through just about anything to stay with her. Sure, it seems like it's been mostly bad times as of late, but I'll be honest, the good times are so great, that it's worth going through all this mess to get there. I've never loved anyone the way that I love Ellie, and I hope that throughout everything, she at least knows that...”
”I'm sure that she does. That's probably why she's having such a hard time looking you in the face at this time. I don't know how long it's going to take, but just know that Carol and I are more than willing and able to be here as long as it takes, because we love both of you. That being said, I should probably be getting back with some ice cream! Don't want to make my little princess wait too much longer!” he laughs.
I can't help but smile as I reply, ”Yeah, you probably shouldn't. Thanks again, John.”
”No problem at all,” John says as he grabs another bowl, and makes a second go at preparing ice cream. I give him a pat on the back with my good hand before heading back to the stairs. As I round the corner, I notice Ellie standing a few feet away. She must have been listening in on us. She immediately looks away and scurries off without saying a word.
”I love you,” I say towards her, hoping that she heard me. ”And I miss you...”
Monday, May 16
Sweat is dripping down my face as I'm running on my elliptical machine in my home gym. I use my good arm to grab the towel on the handle bar to wipe my brow. I've been running for the better part of 10 miles, and am nearing the completion of my hour long run on the machine. As I'm running, Carol comes downstairs with a tray that has a sandwich, baby carrots, and a bottle of orange Gatorade on it. There's about 10 seconds left on my run, and once the machine powers off, Carol chimes in, ”I thought you could use some lunch.”
I sit down on the ring apron, still wiping my face, as Carol takes a seat next to me, setting the tray beneath the ropes. ”Thank you kindly, Carol! You read my mind!” At this point, my stomach growls quite loudly. ”And my stomach!” I grab a hold of the turkey sandwich and bite in, eating it very quickly.
”How's your training going?” My mouth is full, so I give Carol a thumbs up with my casted hand. ”That's good to hear.”
”How's Ellie doing? Is she ready to talk with me yet?”
”I don't think so, yet. It's really sad to see, but she just needs time.”
”I know. It' just so hard to have to wait. The only positive I can see is that I'm getting plenty of time to train for my match this Sunday, but I'll tell you what, I'd give it all up just for a chance to sit down with her and actually talk. To be able to tell her that I don't care what's happened in the past, just that I want to be able to work towards our future. Things are going so great for me career wise as of late that it just makes the troubles in my personal life all the more pronounced, I guess...”
Carol puts her hands on my shoulders, and looks me right in the eyes. ”Gary, don't you dare wish bad luck on yourself. Be grateful that at least something is going right in your life! Just imagine how much harder all of this would be if you didn't have something positive going on in your life, work related or otherwise! You have been given a gift to be able to provide for you and Ellie by doing something that you absolutely love doing.”
”I know, I get to live out my dream each and every week in front of thousands of fans, but as great as it is, I just feel guilty that I have to be away from Ellie so much, especially at this time when she needs me to be here. I know that she's not talking to me yet, but I feel like just being available for her is what she needs from me right now. I've been hopping back and forth from Australia all month now, and while she's been in the hospital for most of that, this is the first time I've got to go since she came home. And it's not like I can take her with me in the condition she's in. I feel almost like I'm abandoning her...”
”But you aren't. You're just doing what you have to do to be able to take care of her. Plus, John and I are going to be here...” Carol stops mid sentence as we both notice Ellie standing in the door way. ”Hi Ellie! How are you doing, sweetie?”
Ellie just kind of looks towards us, but not directly at us. It's slightly eerie, to be honest, almost as if she doesn't want to cross eyes with us. She stands there for a moment before turning back and walking up the stairs without saying a word.
”She did that the other night, when John and I were talking in the kitchen,” I tell Carol. ”I don't know how to describe it, other than it feels like she's watching me, but that while she wants to be near me, she doesn't want to be with me. It doesn't make much sense...”
Carol notices how upset I'm becoming, and gives me a comforting hug. ”No, it doesn't make much sense, and it might not for a while, but give it time.”
Thursday, May 19
”Hey John, have you seen Ellie anywhere? I want to say good bye before I head to the airport,” I shout down the hall as I try to zip my suitcase. I'm trying to hold the flap down with my left arm, while zipping it up with my right, but the cast is making it hard to apply the kind of pressure I need.
”She's down in the garden with Carol. Can't say I blame them with the kind of weather we've been having this week! It feels almost like California with all the sun we've been getting!” he replies as he walks into my room. ”Let me help you with that.” John comes over and helps me zip the suitcase closed. ”I'll take these to the car for you while you go down to say good bye.”
”That's not necessary. I can take care of it. It's not like my private jet will leave without me...” I joke, eliciting a chuckle from John.
”Please, I insist. You should get down there and say good bye.”
”Okay, okay! If you insist. Thanks.”
”No problem at all.”
John gathers up my bags as I head out of the room and downstairs. I make my way to the back porch window, and look out at Ellie and Carol. They're seated on the patio swing bench, talking. Ellie seems to be opening up a bit more to her parents, which is a good sign. Hopefully it's not too much longer before she starts talking with me. They don't notice me as I just look out the window, thinking how the in the sun, Ellie's beauty is heightened. The sun reflects off of her reddish-brown hair, making her absolutely glow. Part of me is worried that if I go outside, it'll ruin the moment, as Ellie looks to be having a good conversation with her mom. As I just stand there, watching my wife talk with her mother, I hear John bark from behind me, ”Aren't you going to go out there and say good bye?”
”I don't want to ruin the moment. This is the first time I've seen Ellie look happy since we brought her home, and I don't want to cause her to clam up. I'm just fine watching her for now.”
”Do you really think that's for the best? What's worse, breaking up this moment to say good bye, or leaving without saying good bye?”
”You're right, John. Well, here goes nothing.” I open the patio door, and the two women look towards me. Carol smiles and waves, while Ellie reacts the way I was expecting, becoming silent and looking away. I stop in my tracks, not coming any closer, not wanting to upset her more. As I speak to her, I'm extremely nervous, and it's evident in my voice. ”Well, Ellie, unfortunately, I got to get going to Australia for work...Before I went, I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and that I can't wait to get back to be with you again. I understand completely that you still need some time, but I didn't want to leave without saying good bye, so good bye, I guess...”
I stand there awkwardly for a few moments, while Ellie sits there in silence. After a couple of minutes, John puts a hand on my shoulder. ”Come on, I'll drive you to the airport.” I give a slight wave to Ellie and Carol, and turn around to head to the door.
”WAIT!” Ellie pipes up. John and I turn around immediately, and Ellie pops up from the bench, and runs over. She stops right in front of me, and although she's still avoiding eye contact, she gives me a hug. My heart just melts at this moment, and I'll admit, I'm beginning to tear up. I return the hug, and we stand there for what at once seems like an eternity but also mere seconds. When she finally lets go of me, she looks up at me, and says, ”Nobodies signed your cast yet...”
”I guess nobody has...”
”Can I be the first?”
”I would love nothing more. Let's go inside and grab a Sharpie!”
Later on, as I'm sitting in the plane, I think about how much the events earlier today meant to me. I know that Ellie and I still have a lot of things to sort out. While I forgive her for everything, there are some underlying issues that we will have to deal with. But not now. For now, I'm just happy to look down at my cast, see her name scrawled there in purple, in handwriting much better than I could ever muster. She even dotted the “i” in her name with star. Everything I've been through this past month, as horrible as it's been, was worth it. That moment, that one moment, has made everything worth it.
Airing Saturday, April 21
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background. The video switches to Biggs sitting on a beach in Darwin, Australia. He has on blue shorts and a Star Wars tank top, with the Overdrive Championship belt slung over his shoulder.
”Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the #1 Wrestling Webshow on the entire Internet, hosted by the greatest Overdrive Champion of all time, Biggs' First Contact! I'm here in beautiful Darwin, Australia, where in a little over 24 hours, I will be defending my Overdrive Championship against Mr. Meat Head himself, I'm talking about of course, none other than the man named Khaos! Now I know that there are a lot of folks who are wondering just why the heck Mr. Meat Head is getting a shot at my prestigious title, despite the fact that he's accomplished nearly next to nothing since debuting with APW. The fact is that he was simply the first guy to answer my open challenge. Me being the man of my word that I am, I granted him this match, and now, all of you must now suffer having to look at his ugly mug in order to be able to see me wrestle tomorrow night. For this, I'm truly sorry. But what I'm not sorry about is the fact that tomorrow night, I will utterly embarrass Khaos in the ring, defeating him so soundly that he'll have no recourse but to go into hiding for the next several months while he sorts out his new questions and doubts about himself that I will gladly give him.”
“Because, Mr. Meat Head, as I've stated numerous times, the main key in our match up is that I'm simply smarter than you are. And not just barely. The fact that you went to prison in the first place shows not only a lack of self control, but a lack of sound judgment, both of which are incredibly important in the context of a wrestling match. In regards to having sound judgment, it's important in so much that you've got to be able to read your opponent, assess the situation that you find yourself in, and react in a way that gives you the utmost advantage. It's about picking your spots, and taking complete advantage of them when they come. I could go into every match trying to hit either the UFO Frogsplash or Crashing Down to Earth right off the bat, I could go in trying to hit high impact move after high impact move, hoping that it'll be enough to keep my opponent down for the three count, but the fact of the matter is that it's not smart to go for the knock out blow from the get go. No, one must wear their opponent down, and when the time is right, that's when you strike. Now I know this type of thinking is quite frankly beyond you, Khaos, seeing as you're a Meat Head, but the fact that I count on you depleting your arsenal quickly plays heavily into my favor. You're going to come at me with all you've got early on, trying to end the match as quickly as possible, because quite frankly, you can only really see what's right in front of you, unable to see the bigger picture. That's why you broke my arm so long before our title match, because you thought that it would help you in our match. And that would have been the case had you not given me a freakin' month to not only recover, if even only slightly, but to also come up with a game plan for our match with said cast. I've had time to learn how to wrestle with the cast, I've had time to find out that yes, I can still grab a hold of the ropes with this bulky beast of a thing. I've had time to learn how apply my submission holds with the cast. And in actuality, the cast actually helps quite a bit! For example, let's say I manage to get you in the Sharpshooter tomorrow night. Normally, the pressure is predominately located on the back and knees of the person whom the hold is applied to. However, thanks to this little friend you've given me, it also applies pressure to your ankle while I have the hold locked in, thus making the move that much more effective! And if you think that I won't be able to lock my hands as effectively with the cast, well, you didn't break my fingers.”
Biggs gives a sly grin at this point.
“Now as an aside, all of you at home who are worried that I just gave Khaos a sound strategy to try and break my fingers early in the match, I'll be honest, I'm not too worried about it, because I know that he's so simple minded and singularly focused on breaking my arm that he'll just gloss over what I just said, and forget about it come match time. Because what I've seen from you, Khaos, suggests that you aren't the brightest bulb on the tree. In fact, I'm so confident that I'll repeat what I just said, Khaos, you should try and break my fingers during the match.”
Biggs laughs a bit, wiggling his fingers.
”You lack of foresight will be your downfall, Khaos. Any advantage you hoped to gain from breaking my arm has been rendered a moot point, not to mention your copious amount of complaining about the fact that my cast is legal in this match. You gave it to me, you idiot! If you didn't want me to be wrestling with a cast, you should have thought things through, and asked yourself, 'Is it really smart to give a wrestler as intelligent as Biggs a weapon? Is it really smart of me to give him that weapon a month before our match? Is it really smart for me to wear ladies under garments when I wrestle?' Now I can't answer that last question for you, Khaos, because I've never tried it, nor will I, but hey, if it floats your boat, who am I to judge? But I can answer your first two questions with the same answer, no, it wasn't smart. Once you realized the monster that you created, you tried all you could to get President Jeff to force me to wrestle sans cast, but I got to hand it to Jeff, the guy finally decided not to screw me over for once.”
The Overdrive Champion holds up his arm, and points to the cast.
”This is your creation, Khaos. You alone are responsible for me having this. So be a man and accept that fact! I know that you were very much emasculated in prison, considering that you were the 'wide receiver' in prison football, but for once, quit whining and take responsibility for what you have done. And if you're worried that I have such an unfair advantage, you could always go out and break your own arm, and get a cast of your own. And you're just stupid enough that I wouldn't put it past you, haha.”
“As for your self control issues, well, let's just say I plan on exploiting them early and often. Because the more frustrated you get, the more likely you'll be to make a mistake. Even when things aren't going my way, I have enough discipline to ride things out, look for my opening to get back in control, and seize it. From what I've seen from you, Khaos, your MO once your back is against the wall is to overcompensate, and go for the big moves to try and turn the tide. Unfortunately, you do it with such reckless abandon that you make it very easy to avoid your haymakes. You have two settings, off or full steam ahead, without anywhere in the middle for you to gather yourself and recover you bearings. You will lose control of the match, assuming you can even gain control in the first place, and when you do, that's when I'll be able to make my move. I haven't held the Overdrive Championship since late December by being rash or overly aggressive to the point of folly, no, I've held onto this Championship by being smart. I've taken on all comers so far, and when my title is on the line, I've had the same result every time! Each match has ended with me leaving as I entered, and that is with my Overdrive Championship still in my possession!”
“Now, Mr. Meat Head, I know that you'll cite the fact that you cost me my match against Chris Cyrus on Asylum, or the fact that I tapped out in our Fatal Four way Match with Level-One and Ryan Ruckus as proof that I'm beatable, that you'll cite these matches to try and reassure yourself that you have a fighting chance in our match tomorrow night, but that's simply not the case. Sure, you were the root cause of me suffering my first loss of 2011 at the hands of one of my greatest enemies, and yeah, you broke my arm, which forced me to tap out when Level-One applied that hold, but the simple fact of the matter is that while you may have broken me, you have not beaten me! You had a big chance to do so a couple of weeks ago when you teamed with Sally Talfourd to take on C.J. Gates and myself, but I pinned you then, and I'll pin you again! For all your talk about becoming the new Overdrive Champion tomorrow night, for all your bluster about how you're bigger and more powerful and more vicious than I am, well, you haven't proven it in the ring. All you've proven is that you're very good at being a day late, and a dollar short again and again and again!”
“There are many reasons that I could be afraid of you being able to beat me tomorrow night, Khaos. You're big and strong, you've done hard time, and you broke my arm, not to mention the troubles I've been having at home lately. I'll be the first to admit that my training for this match, while rigorous, hasn't been up to my normal standards. But this...”
Biggs holds up his arm, and motions for the camera to zoom in on it, getting Ellie's signature on his cast in full frame.
”This is motivation enough for me to defeat you! Because despite all you've done to me, despite all you've said about me, Khaos, the fact is that the last thing my wife said to me before I left for Australia was that she wanted me to come home still champion. I don't intend on disappointing her!”
The camera zooms back out.
”Khaos, I'll give it to you that you've been able to get at me in a way that none of my previous opponents have. You've done a lot more with a lot less than a lot of the other men I've faced for this title. But I know for a fact that if I could beat competitors like Chris Cyrus, Terry Marvin, and especially Ryan Ruckus, there's no reason that I should even consider the thought that I could potentially lose my title to you! It's just not going to happen! Like I said on Overdrive, I didn't work this hard and this long to have my reign end with a whimper! I am determined to keep this title at all cost! I don't care if you manage to break my cast again, I don't care if you break my other arm or legs, the fact of the matter is that I am not leaving Darwin without this belt firmly around my waist! If you want it, Khaos, you're going to have to practically kill me to get it. And I know that this may seem like a poor choice of words considering what you went to prison for, but that's how strongly I feel about this! They're going to have to take me out on a stretcher before I relinquish the title to you, you lousy son of a gun!”
“I am not only the fightingest Overdrive Champion of all time, but the undisputed greatest Overdrive Champion in APW history! The fact that the fans are starting to turn towards my side will only give me that much more motivation to pull off an unforgettable performance in that ring! While I still maintain the attitude that it will come down to my skill versus your skill in that ring, I won't lie, the fact that the fans are starting to cheer for me makes dealing with what I have to both with my arm and my troubles at home that much more bearable. Will the fans be able to win the match for me? Of course not, but they will help to keep my spirits high, even if I have to deal with your lackluster skills and ugly mug.”
“When it's all said and done, Khaos, when the dust settles, our match will end the same way it did two weeks ago, with me standing tall over you, raising my Overdrive Title in the sky for all to see. Come APW Mayhem, I'll prove to the world how unworthy you are to even be in the same ring as me! I'll show everyone that you are not the threat that you've tried, and have failed, to build yourself to be! Sure, our match may be a David versus Goliath story truer than the Bible itself, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's remember that David won! And so will I! I have so much more to lose in this match than you do, Khaos, that losing is simply not an option for me! If you lose, you stay where you are, mildly successful, gainfully employed, and kind of stuck in the crowd. If I lose, I lose all the respect and prestige I've built up by being such a fighting champion. And I do a great disservice to the Overdrive Championship by allowing a thug like you to carry it. You simply don't have the character necessary to be Overdrive Champion! I know that I'm hardly a saint myself, but at least I have standards beyond KHAOS SMASH!”
“The bottom line is that tomorrow night, Khaos, I will beat you. And I already know how you'll react. In fact, I think I have a clip of it here!”
The video switches to another clip of Meatwad from Aquateen Hunger Force.
When it cuts back to Biggs, he's laughing a bit to himself, and composes himself quickly before continuing to speak.
”That's right, Khaos, you'll be crying like a little girl when I beat you this Sunday, because you will finally realize just how pathetic you really are! All of your not so well laid out plans will be for naught, because I will embarrass you. And you only have yourself to blame. Because, Khaos, before you cost me my match against Cyrus, before you tried to put me on the shelf by carelessly breaking my arm, I could have cared less about fighting you. You were simply the opponent whom I was scheduled to defend my title against, nothing more and nothing less. But you made the decision to make me want to not only beat you, but to do it in a humiliating fashion. Because I want to make you pay for what you've done to me, Khaos. Hammurabi's Code states an eye for an eye, but breaking your arm would be to simple, too easy. No, Khaos, I intend on breaking your spirit. I intend on deflating your unreasonably inflated ego. I intend on bringing you Crashing Down to Earth! Why? Because I'm quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
FIRST CONTACT comes to a close with “Spacewalker” playing again and the screen fading the black. The APW logo and copyright flash across the bottom of the screen.
2:34 am
Biggerstaff Residence
Seattle, Washington
>CRASH!<
I awake with a start as I hear a loud crash coming from downstairs. I slip on my Chewbaca slippers and rush downstairs towards the kitchen, with a baseball bat in my good hand. The light is on in the kitchen, and as I turn around the corner, I see Ellie's father, John, on the floor, cleaning up some ice cream off the floor, as well as picking up shards of a broken bowl.
”Let me help you with that,” I say, as I put down the bat and get down to my knees to try and help. It's a bit difficult with the cast, but I focus on cleaning up the glass while John works on the ice cream.
”I'm really sorry about this, Gary. It's just that Ellie really wanted some ice cream, and considering the circumstances, I felt it best to get her some ice cream. I guess I was just really clumsy about it.” John explains, sounding sincere in his apology, as well as a bit worried.
”Don't worry about the bowl, John, it can be replaced. How's Ellie doing?”
It's been about two days since Ellie was released from the hospital, as the doctors felt that she was no longer a danger to herself. But despite this good news, Ellie has remained very distant from her parents and myself, almost as if she's too ashamed to interact with us. She's gotten to a point to where she'll let her mom and dad talk with her, give her hugs, and the like, but she doesn't want to talk with me quite yet. Carol says that it's probably because Ellie feels like she hurt me the most, and is too overcome with grief to want to face that fact at this time.
”Well, she did say please when asking for the ice cream, so that's a step in the right direction. I personally feel like she probably could have used another week or two under the supervision of the doctors,” John replies with a sigh in his voice. ”On the one hand, I'm grateful that we're getting to spend actual time with her, but on the other, she's just so distant and out of touch, it's almost like she's not even here.”
At this point, the floor is clean, and we stand up. I toss the glass in the garbage can while John tosses the dishrag into the sink and leans on the counter.
”Well, the doctors did say it could be a while before she feels like she can face us for what she's done. That's why we have the twice-a-week counseling sessions. Still, I'm just grateful for the fact that she hasn't tried anything rash since we brought her home. Also, thanks again for staying up here with us, John. Without you and Carol up here, I don't know how we'd be able to make this adjustment.”
”One of the advantages of being retired, I guess. But all kidding aside, Carol and I are more than happy to be up here to support not only our daughter, but you as well. We can stay as long as we're needed. It's just a shame that your folks aren't being more supportive in this situation.”
”Tell me about it. My mom was never too happy about the fact that I got back together with Ellie after what happened in Tokyo last year. She thinks I'm a fool to stand by Ellie through all this. I never told her that Ellie was hitting me, just because I didn't want to add fuel to her fire, so to speak.”
”As much as I shouldn't be encouraging you to keep secrets from your mother, that's probably for the best that she doesn't know. I haven't told Carol, either. There's no need to hurt her perception of Ellie that way. You're a very strong man, Gary, going through all this, and yet still being resolved to try and make this marriage work. I'm proud of you,” John says as he gives me a pat on the back.
”Hey, I didn't take the vows for better or worse lightly. The fact is, I love Ellie so much that I'd be willing to go through just about anything to stay with her. Sure, it seems like it's been mostly bad times as of late, but I'll be honest, the good times are so great, that it's worth going through all this mess to get there. I've never loved anyone the way that I love Ellie, and I hope that throughout everything, she at least knows that...”
”I'm sure that she does. That's probably why she's having such a hard time looking you in the face at this time. I don't know how long it's going to take, but just know that Carol and I are more than willing and able to be here as long as it takes, because we love both of you. That being said, I should probably be getting back with some ice cream! Don't want to make my little princess wait too much longer!” he laughs.
I can't help but smile as I reply, ”Yeah, you probably shouldn't. Thanks again, John.”
”No problem at all,” John says as he grabs another bowl, and makes a second go at preparing ice cream. I give him a pat on the back with my good hand before heading back to the stairs. As I round the corner, I notice Ellie standing a few feet away. She must have been listening in on us. She immediately looks away and scurries off without saying a word.
”I love you,” I say towards her, hoping that she heard me. ”And I miss you...”
~~~~~~
Monday, May 16
Sweat is dripping down my face as I'm running on my elliptical machine in my home gym. I use my good arm to grab the towel on the handle bar to wipe my brow. I've been running for the better part of 10 miles, and am nearing the completion of my hour long run on the machine. As I'm running, Carol comes downstairs with a tray that has a sandwich, baby carrots, and a bottle of orange Gatorade on it. There's about 10 seconds left on my run, and once the machine powers off, Carol chimes in, ”I thought you could use some lunch.”
I sit down on the ring apron, still wiping my face, as Carol takes a seat next to me, setting the tray beneath the ropes. ”Thank you kindly, Carol! You read my mind!” At this point, my stomach growls quite loudly. ”And my stomach!” I grab a hold of the turkey sandwich and bite in, eating it very quickly.
”How's your training going?” My mouth is full, so I give Carol a thumbs up with my casted hand. ”That's good to hear.”
”How's Ellie doing? Is she ready to talk with me yet?”
”I don't think so, yet. It's really sad to see, but she just needs time.”
”I know. It' just so hard to have to wait. The only positive I can see is that I'm getting plenty of time to train for my match this Sunday, but I'll tell you what, I'd give it all up just for a chance to sit down with her and actually talk. To be able to tell her that I don't care what's happened in the past, just that I want to be able to work towards our future. Things are going so great for me career wise as of late that it just makes the troubles in my personal life all the more pronounced, I guess...”
Carol puts her hands on my shoulders, and looks me right in the eyes. ”Gary, don't you dare wish bad luck on yourself. Be grateful that at least something is going right in your life! Just imagine how much harder all of this would be if you didn't have something positive going on in your life, work related or otherwise! You have been given a gift to be able to provide for you and Ellie by doing something that you absolutely love doing.”
”I know, I get to live out my dream each and every week in front of thousands of fans, but as great as it is, I just feel guilty that I have to be away from Ellie so much, especially at this time when she needs me to be here. I know that she's not talking to me yet, but I feel like just being available for her is what she needs from me right now. I've been hopping back and forth from Australia all month now, and while she's been in the hospital for most of that, this is the first time I've got to go since she came home. And it's not like I can take her with me in the condition she's in. I feel almost like I'm abandoning her...”
”But you aren't. You're just doing what you have to do to be able to take care of her. Plus, John and I are going to be here...” Carol stops mid sentence as we both notice Ellie standing in the door way. ”Hi Ellie! How are you doing, sweetie?”
Ellie just kind of looks towards us, but not directly at us. It's slightly eerie, to be honest, almost as if she doesn't want to cross eyes with us. She stands there for a moment before turning back and walking up the stairs without saying a word.
”She did that the other night, when John and I were talking in the kitchen,” I tell Carol. ”I don't know how to describe it, other than it feels like she's watching me, but that while she wants to be near me, she doesn't want to be with me. It doesn't make much sense...”
Carol notices how upset I'm becoming, and gives me a comforting hug. ”No, it doesn't make much sense, and it might not for a while, but give it time.”
~~~~~~
Thursday, May 19
”Hey John, have you seen Ellie anywhere? I want to say good bye before I head to the airport,” I shout down the hall as I try to zip my suitcase. I'm trying to hold the flap down with my left arm, while zipping it up with my right, but the cast is making it hard to apply the kind of pressure I need.
”She's down in the garden with Carol. Can't say I blame them with the kind of weather we've been having this week! It feels almost like California with all the sun we've been getting!” he replies as he walks into my room. ”Let me help you with that.” John comes over and helps me zip the suitcase closed. ”I'll take these to the car for you while you go down to say good bye.”
”That's not necessary. I can take care of it. It's not like my private jet will leave without me...” I joke, eliciting a chuckle from John.
”Please, I insist. You should get down there and say good bye.”
”Okay, okay! If you insist. Thanks.”
”No problem at all.”
John gathers up my bags as I head out of the room and downstairs. I make my way to the back porch window, and look out at Ellie and Carol. They're seated on the patio swing bench, talking. Ellie seems to be opening up a bit more to her parents, which is a good sign. Hopefully it's not too much longer before she starts talking with me. They don't notice me as I just look out the window, thinking how the in the sun, Ellie's beauty is heightened. The sun reflects off of her reddish-brown hair, making her absolutely glow. Part of me is worried that if I go outside, it'll ruin the moment, as Ellie looks to be having a good conversation with her mom. As I just stand there, watching my wife talk with her mother, I hear John bark from behind me, ”Aren't you going to go out there and say good bye?”
”I don't want to ruin the moment. This is the first time I've seen Ellie look happy since we brought her home, and I don't want to cause her to clam up. I'm just fine watching her for now.”
”Do you really think that's for the best? What's worse, breaking up this moment to say good bye, or leaving without saying good bye?”
”You're right, John. Well, here goes nothing.” I open the patio door, and the two women look towards me. Carol smiles and waves, while Ellie reacts the way I was expecting, becoming silent and looking away. I stop in my tracks, not coming any closer, not wanting to upset her more. As I speak to her, I'm extremely nervous, and it's evident in my voice. ”Well, Ellie, unfortunately, I got to get going to Australia for work...Before I went, I just wanted to tell you that I love you, and that I can't wait to get back to be with you again. I understand completely that you still need some time, but I didn't want to leave without saying good bye, so good bye, I guess...”
I stand there awkwardly for a few moments, while Ellie sits there in silence. After a couple of minutes, John puts a hand on my shoulder. ”Come on, I'll drive you to the airport.” I give a slight wave to Ellie and Carol, and turn around to head to the door.
”WAIT!” Ellie pipes up. John and I turn around immediately, and Ellie pops up from the bench, and runs over. She stops right in front of me, and although she's still avoiding eye contact, she gives me a hug. My heart just melts at this moment, and I'll admit, I'm beginning to tear up. I return the hug, and we stand there for what at once seems like an eternity but also mere seconds. When she finally lets go of me, she looks up at me, and says, ”Nobodies signed your cast yet...”
”I guess nobody has...”
”Can I be the first?”
”I would love nothing more. Let's go inside and grab a Sharpie!”
~~~~~~
Later on, as I'm sitting in the plane, I think about how much the events earlier today meant to me. I know that Ellie and I still have a lot of things to sort out. While I forgive her for everything, there are some underlying issues that we will have to deal with. But not now. For now, I'm just happy to look down at my cast, see her name scrawled there in purple, in handwriting much better than I could ever muster. She even dotted the “i” in her name with star. Everything I've been through this past month, as horrible as it's been, was worth it. That moment, that one moment, has made everything worth it.
***
Airing Saturday, April 21
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background. The video switches to Biggs sitting on a beach in Darwin, Australia. He has on blue shorts and a Star Wars tank top, with the Overdrive Championship belt slung over his shoulder.
”Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the #1 Wrestling Webshow on the entire Internet, hosted by the greatest Overdrive Champion of all time, Biggs' First Contact! I'm here in beautiful Darwin, Australia, where in a little over 24 hours, I will be defending my Overdrive Championship against Mr. Meat Head himself, I'm talking about of course, none other than the man named Khaos! Now I know that there are a lot of folks who are wondering just why the heck Mr. Meat Head is getting a shot at my prestigious title, despite the fact that he's accomplished nearly next to nothing since debuting with APW. The fact is that he was simply the first guy to answer my open challenge. Me being the man of my word that I am, I granted him this match, and now, all of you must now suffer having to look at his ugly mug in order to be able to see me wrestle tomorrow night. For this, I'm truly sorry. But what I'm not sorry about is the fact that tomorrow night, I will utterly embarrass Khaos in the ring, defeating him so soundly that he'll have no recourse but to go into hiding for the next several months while he sorts out his new questions and doubts about himself that I will gladly give him.”
“Because, Mr. Meat Head, as I've stated numerous times, the main key in our match up is that I'm simply smarter than you are. And not just barely. The fact that you went to prison in the first place shows not only a lack of self control, but a lack of sound judgment, both of which are incredibly important in the context of a wrestling match. In regards to having sound judgment, it's important in so much that you've got to be able to read your opponent, assess the situation that you find yourself in, and react in a way that gives you the utmost advantage. It's about picking your spots, and taking complete advantage of them when they come. I could go into every match trying to hit either the UFO Frogsplash or Crashing Down to Earth right off the bat, I could go in trying to hit high impact move after high impact move, hoping that it'll be enough to keep my opponent down for the three count, but the fact of the matter is that it's not smart to go for the knock out blow from the get go. No, one must wear their opponent down, and when the time is right, that's when you strike. Now I know this type of thinking is quite frankly beyond you, Khaos, seeing as you're a Meat Head, but the fact that I count on you depleting your arsenal quickly plays heavily into my favor. You're going to come at me with all you've got early on, trying to end the match as quickly as possible, because quite frankly, you can only really see what's right in front of you, unable to see the bigger picture. That's why you broke my arm so long before our title match, because you thought that it would help you in our match. And that would have been the case had you not given me a freakin' month to not only recover, if even only slightly, but to also come up with a game plan for our match with said cast. I've had time to learn how to wrestle with the cast, I've had time to find out that yes, I can still grab a hold of the ropes with this bulky beast of a thing. I've had time to learn how apply my submission holds with the cast. And in actuality, the cast actually helps quite a bit! For example, let's say I manage to get you in the Sharpshooter tomorrow night. Normally, the pressure is predominately located on the back and knees of the person whom the hold is applied to. However, thanks to this little friend you've given me, it also applies pressure to your ankle while I have the hold locked in, thus making the move that much more effective! And if you think that I won't be able to lock my hands as effectively with the cast, well, you didn't break my fingers.”
Biggs gives a sly grin at this point.
“Now as an aside, all of you at home who are worried that I just gave Khaos a sound strategy to try and break my fingers early in the match, I'll be honest, I'm not too worried about it, because I know that he's so simple minded and singularly focused on breaking my arm that he'll just gloss over what I just said, and forget about it come match time. Because what I've seen from you, Khaos, suggests that you aren't the brightest bulb on the tree. In fact, I'm so confident that I'll repeat what I just said, Khaos, you should try and break my fingers during the match.”
Biggs laughs a bit, wiggling his fingers.
”You lack of foresight will be your downfall, Khaos. Any advantage you hoped to gain from breaking my arm has been rendered a moot point, not to mention your copious amount of complaining about the fact that my cast is legal in this match. You gave it to me, you idiot! If you didn't want me to be wrestling with a cast, you should have thought things through, and asked yourself, 'Is it really smart to give a wrestler as intelligent as Biggs a weapon? Is it really smart of me to give him that weapon a month before our match? Is it really smart for me to wear ladies under garments when I wrestle?' Now I can't answer that last question for you, Khaos, because I've never tried it, nor will I, but hey, if it floats your boat, who am I to judge? But I can answer your first two questions with the same answer, no, it wasn't smart. Once you realized the monster that you created, you tried all you could to get President Jeff to force me to wrestle sans cast, but I got to hand it to Jeff, the guy finally decided not to screw me over for once.”
The Overdrive Champion holds up his arm, and points to the cast.
”This is your creation, Khaos. You alone are responsible for me having this. So be a man and accept that fact! I know that you were very much emasculated in prison, considering that you were the 'wide receiver' in prison football, but for once, quit whining and take responsibility for what you have done. And if you're worried that I have such an unfair advantage, you could always go out and break your own arm, and get a cast of your own. And you're just stupid enough that I wouldn't put it past you, haha.”
“As for your self control issues, well, let's just say I plan on exploiting them early and often. Because the more frustrated you get, the more likely you'll be to make a mistake. Even when things aren't going my way, I have enough discipline to ride things out, look for my opening to get back in control, and seize it. From what I've seen from you, Khaos, your MO once your back is against the wall is to overcompensate, and go for the big moves to try and turn the tide. Unfortunately, you do it with such reckless abandon that you make it very easy to avoid your haymakes. You have two settings, off or full steam ahead, without anywhere in the middle for you to gather yourself and recover you bearings. You will lose control of the match, assuming you can even gain control in the first place, and when you do, that's when I'll be able to make my move. I haven't held the Overdrive Championship since late December by being rash or overly aggressive to the point of folly, no, I've held onto this Championship by being smart. I've taken on all comers so far, and when my title is on the line, I've had the same result every time! Each match has ended with me leaving as I entered, and that is with my Overdrive Championship still in my possession!”
“Now, Mr. Meat Head, I know that you'll cite the fact that you cost me my match against Chris Cyrus on Asylum, or the fact that I tapped out in our Fatal Four way Match with Level-One and Ryan Ruckus as proof that I'm beatable, that you'll cite these matches to try and reassure yourself that you have a fighting chance in our match tomorrow night, but that's simply not the case. Sure, you were the root cause of me suffering my first loss of 2011 at the hands of one of my greatest enemies, and yeah, you broke my arm, which forced me to tap out when Level-One applied that hold, but the simple fact of the matter is that while you may have broken me, you have not beaten me! You had a big chance to do so a couple of weeks ago when you teamed with Sally Talfourd to take on C.J. Gates and myself, but I pinned you then, and I'll pin you again! For all your talk about becoming the new Overdrive Champion tomorrow night, for all your bluster about how you're bigger and more powerful and more vicious than I am, well, you haven't proven it in the ring. All you've proven is that you're very good at being a day late, and a dollar short again and again and again!”
“There are many reasons that I could be afraid of you being able to beat me tomorrow night, Khaos. You're big and strong, you've done hard time, and you broke my arm, not to mention the troubles I've been having at home lately. I'll be the first to admit that my training for this match, while rigorous, hasn't been up to my normal standards. But this...”
Biggs holds up his arm, and motions for the camera to zoom in on it, getting Ellie's signature on his cast in full frame.
”This is motivation enough for me to defeat you! Because despite all you've done to me, despite all you've said about me, Khaos, the fact is that the last thing my wife said to me before I left for Australia was that she wanted me to come home still champion. I don't intend on disappointing her!”
The camera zooms back out.
”Khaos, I'll give it to you that you've been able to get at me in a way that none of my previous opponents have. You've done a lot more with a lot less than a lot of the other men I've faced for this title. But I know for a fact that if I could beat competitors like Chris Cyrus, Terry Marvin, and especially Ryan Ruckus, there's no reason that I should even consider the thought that I could potentially lose my title to you! It's just not going to happen! Like I said on Overdrive, I didn't work this hard and this long to have my reign end with a whimper! I am determined to keep this title at all cost! I don't care if you manage to break my cast again, I don't care if you break my other arm or legs, the fact of the matter is that I am not leaving Darwin without this belt firmly around my waist! If you want it, Khaos, you're going to have to practically kill me to get it. And I know that this may seem like a poor choice of words considering what you went to prison for, but that's how strongly I feel about this! They're going to have to take me out on a stretcher before I relinquish the title to you, you lousy son of a gun!”
“I am not only the fightingest Overdrive Champion of all time, but the undisputed greatest Overdrive Champion in APW history! The fact that the fans are starting to turn towards my side will only give me that much more motivation to pull off an unforgettable performance in that ring! While I still maintain the attitude that it will come down to my skill versus your skill in that ring, I won't lie, the fact that the fans are starting to cheer for me makes dealing with what I have to both with my arm and my troubles at home that much more bearable. Will the fans be able to win the match for me? Of course not, but they will help to keep my spirits high, even if I have to deal with your lackluster skills and ugly mug.”
“When it's all said and done, Khaos, when the dust settles, our match will end the same way it did two weeks ago, with me standing tall over you, raising my Overdrive Title in the sky for all to see. Come APW Mayhem, I'll prove to the world how unworthy you are to even be in the same ring as me! I'll show everyone that you are not the threat that you've tried, and have failed, to build yourself to be! Sure, our match may be a David versus Goliath story truer than the Bible itself, but before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let's remember that David won! And so will I! I have so much more to lose in this match than you do, Khaos, that losing is simply not an option for me! If you lose, you stay where you are, mildly successful, gainfully employed, and kind of stuck in the crowd. If I lose, I lose all the respect and prestige I've built up by being such a fighting champion. And I do a great disservice to the Overdrive Championship by allowing a thug like you to carry it. You simply don't have the character necessary to be Overdrive Champion! I know that I'm hardly a saint myself, but at least I have standards beyond KHAOS SMASH!”
“The bottom line is that tomorrow night, Khaos, I will beat you. And I already know how you'll react. In fact, I think I have a clip of it here!”
The video switches to another clip of Meatwad from Aquateen Hunger Force.
When it cuts back to Biggs, he's laughing a bit to himself, and composes himself quickly before continuing to speak.
”That's right, Khaos, you'll be crying like a little girl when I beat you this Sunday, because you will finally realize just how pathetic you really are! All of your not so well laid out plans will be for naught, because I will embarrass you. And you only have yourself to blame. Because, Khaos, before you cost me my match against Cyrus, before you tried to put me on the shelf by carelessly breaking my arm, I could have cared less about fighting you. You were simply the opponent whom I was scheduled to defend my title against, nothing more and nothing less. But you made the decision to make me want to not only beat you, but to do it in a humiliating fashion. Because I want to make you pay for what you've done to me, Khaos. Hammurabi's Code states an eye for an eye, but breaking your arm would be to simple, too easy. No, Khaos, I intend on breaking your spirit. I intend on deflating your unreasonably inflated ego. I intend on bringing you Crashing Down to Earth! Why? Because I'm quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
FIRST CONTACT comes to a close with “Spacewalker” playing again and the screen fading the black. The APW logo and copyright flash across the bottom of the screen.
