Post by biggs on Jul 1, 2011 16:33:58 GMT -4
University of Washington Medical Center
Surgery Specialties Center
Tuesday, June 14th
9:20 am
I look around the examination room as I wait for the doctor to arrive. It's exactly like the room I was in two short weeks ago, with the same yellowish wall and off-white floor tiles, the same pink counter top with speckles, even the same poster reminding the doctors to wash their hands when they come in. The only difference is the art, which is labeled as a Chilean scarf. The room I was in two weeks ago had a painting from somewhere in Europe, but I'm having trouble remembering just where from. Not that it matters. I'm here today to discuss the results of an MRI the doctor ordered two weeks ago, to analyze how far down a mysterious bump on my back went. I didn't think it was a big deal, and the doctor didn't seem to think so either during the initial diagnosis of it being a sub-dermal hematoma, which is merely a pocket of blood beneath the skin. He said it would require minor surgery at worst, he just wanted to know what he was going up against before slicing me open.
As I sit there waiting for my doctor, twiddling my thumbs, my mind goes back to the MRI that was performed last week. I remember distinctly how uncomfortable it was to lay on my belly for an hour with my arms above my head, how my nostrils felt like they dried out completely as I was enveloped in the magnetic field for sixty minutes. I was told to be perfectly still for the entirety of the scan, which was easier said than done, especially considering the loud humming of the machine. They tried to mask the loud noise by allowing me to listen to music, but the machine was so loud that it was difficult to focus on said music, even though they had set up a play list made exclusively of songs by The Killers. I can still feel the burning sensation I had in my fingers shortly after they injected the contrast dye. The nurse told me afterward that she'd never heard anybody say that they had that kind of a reaction to the contrast dye.
I look back up at the clock. It's been a half an hour since the doc went to go check the results of my scans, and while I'm bored, I'm not too concerned about the results. After all, we already know what caused the weird bump in the first place. It was blunt trauma to the back of my right shoulder, nothing more, nothing less. This is just a minor inconvenience on my way to facing Level-One at Test for the Best. I'm going to talk with the doctor about doing the surgery after the pay per view where we get a two week break until the next show. That should be plenty of time to recover after a minor surgery.
A few moments later, the doctor comes back in with a nurse in tow. ”Sorry that took so long, Gary,” he says in a thick Australian accent. I see his name stitched into his white coat, Dr. Gary Mann. I don't know how I missed that the first time I saw him.
”Your parents have good taste in naming you,” I quip.
Dr. Mann chuckles a bit, responding, ”So do yours. Now I have taken a look at the results of your MRI, and I've sent a nurse to bring your wife in from the waiting room.”
”Wait a moment! Is it really serious? Why else would you have them bring Ellie back here?!”
”Now please remain calm, Gary. We just felt it would be best if your wife was here to get the news when you did,” Dr. Mann calmly states, almost coldly, like this kind of thing is routine for him, which I guess it is, but still, I want him to tell me now.
”C'mon, doc, just give it to me straight, it is what we thought it was, just a sub-dermal hematoma, right?! Right?” I ask, a little agitated that he's making me wait. I have no idea what else it could be, because it literally popped up right away. I can't think of anything else that would make this kind of bump so quickly.
There's a knock on the door. ”Come in,” Dr. Mann says, and another nurse comes in with Ellie. My wife has a concerned look on her face.
”Is everything okay, doctor? What's going on?” Ellie asks with a very worried tone in her voice. She looks absolutely terrified.
”You may want to take a seat next to your husband, Mrs. Biggerstaff,” Dr. Mann instructs. Ellie follows his directions, and sits next to me, grabbing a hold of my hand.
”I'm going to be okay, baby. It's going to be nothing...” I whisper in her ear, trying to comfort her.
Dr. Mann looks me in the eyes, and puts an arm on my shoulder. ”Gary, the reason we called your wife back here is because as we were analyzing the results of your MRI, we found evidence that suggests you may have a very rare form of cancer. Now it's a very small chance, but we're concerned enough about it that I would like to do a biopsy.”
Ellie's face just drops, and she begins to sob, while I just bust out laughing. ”Really, Dr. Mann? You think I may have a very rare form of cancer?” I say between the chuckles. One of the nurses is trying to comfort Ellie while I just sit there laughing to myself.
”Yes. A small chance, but yes.”
”Well then, if it's a small chance, there's nothing to worry about. Let's get rolling on the biopsy!”
”I must say, Gary, you seem very chipper for somebody who just found out they may have cancer,” Dr. Mann notes, with his voice as serious as ever. By this point, Ellie is crying uncontrollably.
I put my arm around her. ”Don't worry about it, babe. He said it was a very small chance. There's nothing to be worried about. He's just doing the biopsy to be absolutely sure,” I tell her, trying to convince her that it's no big deal.
”Well, I will be right back. I've got to order the biopsy, and get the local anesthesia Nurses, please stay with them here,” Dr. Mann plainly tells us as he exits the room. I sit there, cuddling Ellie, trying to calm her down. She hasn't said a word yet since Dr. Mann's news, and I know she's just coping with it the way that's best for her, but I continue to try and reassure her that it's no big deal.
After a few moments, she manages to cough out, ”Are you telling me this for my sake or yours...”
”It really isn't a big deal, hon. I'm going to be just fine. Dr. Mann said it was a very little, miniscule chance. I'm going to be just fine. Believe me.”
At this point, one of the nurses butts in. ”Excuse me please, but Mrs. Biggerstaff, if you could please take a seat in one of the chairs, we need to prepare your husband for the biopsy.”
Ellie is slow to follow their directions, but eventually, she takes a seat across from the examination table. ”If you could please remove your shirt, Mr. Biggerstaff.”
”Please, just call me Gary. Mr. Biggerstaff is my father,” I joke as I pull my shirt off. I then lay on my belly, just like I did in the MRI, machine, although this time, they direct me to just let my arms fall to either side of the table.
”Now we're going to clean the area around your bump. You will feel a cooling sensation, followed by a warm one,” the nurse explains in a very forced, soothing tone.
They're right, as they wipe down the wounded area, it feels intensely cold, like the inside of a freezer, before warming up to the point where it feels like I have a sunburn on my back. As they're cleaning the area, there's a knock on the door, and Dr. Mann comes back in with three other people. ”Alright, Gary, I have the anesthesiologist with me to deliver the local anesthesia, as well as a couple of colleagues who will assist with the biopsy.”
”Sounds good to me.”
I turn my head away as they prepare the syringe. I've always had a problem with shots, especially if I see them go in. The last time I had a shot, I remember passing out for some time. I feel the prick of the needle, but thankfully, this time, I keep my head about me. I feel another warming sensation on my bump as the anesthesia starts to take effect. I hear Dr. Man's voice from above me as he describes the process of a biopsy.
”Now we're going to make a small incision into your back, and use what we call, for lack of a better term, a biopsy gun. It'll draw matter from your bump, which we'll send to the lab to analyze. You'll hear a loud click when we draw the samples, but otherwise, it should be painless. Ellie, you may want to look away,” Dr. Mann explains. ”Okay, Gary, we're now going to make the incision Do you feel anything?”
”No sir, I don't,” I reply. It's the weirdest thing, because I don't feel the cut at all, even though I feel like there's something inside me.
”Now we're going to stick the biopsy gun in the incision, and draw our first sample. You'll hear a loud click, but you shouldn't feel a thing.”
”Fire at will!” I joke, trying to keep the mood light.
Suddenly, I hear a loud clicking noise, not even realizing that they had stuck the biopsy gun inside my bump.
”Okay, that was the first sample. Did you feel anything?”
”Not at all...”
I don't see what's going on, as I'm staring directly into the wall, but I hear Ellie gasp as I assume the biopsy gun is going back in. I hear another loud click to confirm this.
”Dr. Mann told you not to look babe! It must be disgusting to see! Is it?!”
Dr. Mann cuts me off, ”It would be best for you to not egg her on. This is a very serious matter, Gary. And for the record, it's not too disgusting.” There's a slight chuckle in his voice as I hear another loud clicking noise, signifying the drawing of the third sample. ”Alright, nurses, if you could please apply a bandage to the open wound. It shouldn't be bleeding very much, Gary, but we're putting a bandage on it so you won't bleed on your shirt.”
Almost immediately, I crack a joke. ”My wife will appreciate that! She's the one who normally does laundry!” I feel pressure around my bump, but not on it as they put the bandage on.
”Okay, you can sit up and put your shirt back on,” the nurse instructs me.
I do so immediately, and once I'm seated and clothed again, I invite Ellie to sit next to me on the examination table.
”So doc, what's going to be the next step from here?” I ask while holding Ellie's hand tight, more for her sake than mine. She seems to be taking this whole thing really hard, while I'm not too concerned at all. The doctor said it was a very small chance, and that if it was cancer, it would be a very rare form. I like my odds at this point.
”Well, we won't have the results from the biopsy back for a week, so if you don't hear from us by next Wednesday, please give us a call back, because that means the results are probably late coming in. From there, if it is cancer, we'll discuss the next steps of that process then,” Dr. Mann explains as he looks me directly in the eyes. There's a more concerned tone in his voice than earlier, which I can tell is upsetting Ellie. ”Regardless of the results, we will be performing surgery to remove the tissue. Somebody will be in shortly to discuss scheduling the surgery with you in a few moments. Obviously, if it is indeed cancer, we'll speed up the timetable.”
Dr. Mann gives me a hearty handshake, and waves to Ellie before leaving the room. The nurses continue to clean up the table where the tools were set. It isn't long before they leave, reminding me that someone will be in shortly to talk with me about scheduling surgery. As soon as they leave, Ellie and I begin to talk.
”How are you handling this, honey?” I ask her in a soft tone, trying to be as comforting as possible.
She just looks at me for a moment, with tears beginning to well up in her eyes. ”I'm scared...” she replies meekly.
I pull her in to hug her, stroking her hair with my good arm, and talk softly into her ear. ”I'm going to be just fine, baby. I know we've been through a lot lately, but this is just a minor road bump. There's nothing to worry about...”
I let her cry onto my shoulder, continuing to do the best I can in calming her down. About five minutes later, there's a knock on the door, and a short lady with light brown hair and thick glasses enters the room.
”Hi, my name is Victoria, although you can call me Vic, and I'm here to discuss the surgery scheduling process here at UW Medical Center.”
She gives us the spiel about scheduling, highlighting information in the packet before handing it to me. ”Somebody will be calling you to set up your surgery about a month before the operation. Obviously, we're waiting for the results of your biopsy before we'll make the call. Still, let's hope that we won't have to rush you in!” Vic says with an almost uneasy smile. She extends her hand out for a hand shake, and although it feels odd to shake hands with a woman, I oblige.
”Well, thanks for all the information, Vic. I guess we'll see you soon. Hopefully not too soon, mind you, but yeah, there you go...” I blurt out as Ellie and I stand up.
”The exit is just down the hall to the right. Hopefully it'll be a while before we have to see you again, and I mean that in the best way possible!” she chirps as Ellie and I head to the door.
As we head down the hall, Ellie leans towards me, and whispers, ”That lady sure was strange.”
”Yeah,” I laugh, ”What she did there was a text book example of how not to lighten the mood!”
We both laugh a bit, but Ellie's giggle doesn't last for very long. As we get back to the lobby, she grabs me by the arms and looks me in the eyes. ”This is a very serious situation, honey, and I know that joking around about things is just your way of coping with bad news, but please, I need you to be even just a little bit worried about this. I know that things are just getting better for us, but I'm absolutely scared to death about the prospect of losing you to cancer. So please, if not for your sake, then for mine, please try to take this somewhat seriously.”
”I'll try...”
”Please promise me that you'll do more than try,” she tells me, with a whimper in her voice. The concern on her face is evident.
I don't want to just blow her off, but the fact is that the doctor only said there was a chance that it was cancer, and a small one at that. ”Honey, we don't know anything yet. And worrying isn't going to help us get the results any faster. So I figure why worry about something I can't control. Believe me, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't even a little bit scared myself, but I can't let the possibility of having cancer paralyze me when it's just that, only a possibility.”
”Sometimes it's just hard to tell what you're actually thinking, because you never take anything seriously, except for your wrestling, but that's the furthest thing from my mind right now, Gary. Even though Dr. Mann said it was a small possibility, the fact is that you could possibly have cancer, and that means I could possibly lose you. And I don't want that to happen...” Ellie tells me, as she continues to try and hold back the tears. I pull her in for another hug.
”It's okay, honey, if you need to cry. Just let it all out. If that's what you need to do to cope with this news, than by all means, please cry,” I tell her. The fact is, we're kind of making a scene in the lobby of the Surgery Specialties Center, and there is a part of me that's a little bit embarrassed by the attention we're drawing to ourselves. However, it's over ridden by the part of me that's willing to do absolutely anything for my wife. Between her mental issues, and my recent health woes, I really do feel like it's bound us together, forcing us to work with one another to deal with our issues, and grow stronger for it. I know that we still have a ways to go in our marriage, but we've really learned to take things a day at a time, and I know that's what I'll have to do with this situation I'm in. I won't know for a week if it's cancer or not, so until that time, I've just got to focus on each day. ”Hey babe, why don't we head to the car so I can give my mom a call and tell her the news?”
Ellie lets out a sniffle as she wipes her eyes, and we head to the parking lot. We decide that Ellie's going to drive, because even thought it was just local anesthesia the doctor applied, Ellie is worried about the prospect of me operating a heavy machine like the car. Once we're on the road, I whip out my cell phone, put it on speaker phone, and use the voice activation.
”Call mom.”
The phone rings a couple of times before my mom answers the phone.
”Hi Gary! Did you just get out of your doctor's appointment?” Mom asks, getting right to the point.
”Yep. Got the results of my MRI back, the doctor said it could possibly be cancer, so he did a biopsy,” I tell her nonchalantly.
”Whoa, wait up! Cancer!? The doctor said that you could possibly have cancer, and you're acting all nonchalant about it like it isn't a big deal! What kind of cancer could it be?” Mom sounds a bit hysterical on the other end.
”Some rare form of skin cancer. I don't remember what he called it, but the fact is that he said it was really rare, and a small chance, so I'm not too worried.”
”Well, if you're not going to worry, than I am! It's my job as your mom!”
”If you feel that way, go for it, mom. I just don't see the point of worrying until I get the results of the biopsy back. It's no big deal, not yet at least,” I try to reassure her.
My attempts at reassurance are for naught, as my mom starts to talk to me in a lecturing tone, ”You need to call your grandma, and have her put you on her church's prayer list! You're going to call your Grandma right as soon as you're done talking with me!”
”Alright, mom. I love you. Didn't mean to worry you,” I reply, trying to end the conversation. I don't really enjoy it when my mom gets into these kind of moods, because it's impossible to talk with her. Her idea of a conversation when she's like this is talking at me rather than talking to me.
”Well, I'm glad you called, Gary. I'll tell your father when he gets home. Keep us updated.”
”Sure thing mom. Love you,” I tell her impatiently.
”I love you too. Bye!”
”Bye mom.” I hit the button to end the call as we reach a red light. Ellie looks over at me.
”Your mom's right, you know. And you know it's saying something when I say that your mom is right about anything...”
”I'll call my grandma when we get home. It's been a while, anyways, and I think I'd like to have a nice long chat with her. It would be rude of me to ignore you while we're in the car,” I say.
Ellie furrows her eyebrows, looking more than a bit irritated with me. ”Not about that, about the fact that you should be taking this a bit more seriously. You said that you'd try!”
”Ellie, the fact is that I'm not there yet. I might not even get to a point where I'm concerned about this unless the doctor says that it actually is cancer. Until then, it's not as big a deal as you're making it out to be.”
Ellie rolls her eyes, and looks back at the road. ”I guess you're the one it's happening to, so if you don't want to worry about it, I guess that's your right,” The irritation in her voice is evident.
”Listen, Ellie, I'm not acting this way to irritate you or my mom, it's just how I'm responding to the circumstances around me. Believe me, I'm not just blowing this off, but until there's some concrete evidence one way or another, I shouldn't be too concerned about this.”
We ride in silence for much of the ride home. Once we're inside, Ellie says that she's going to go out the guest house to tell her parents, who are still staying with us, the news, while I'll give my grandma a call. I give Ellie a kiss on the forehead before she heads out to her folks. I casually pull my phone from my pocket, and dial up my grandma.
”Hello.”
”Hi Grandma! It's Gary!”
”Oh hi, sweetie! How's grandma's favorite grandson? By the way, don't tell your brother I said that!”
”Don't worry Grandma, I won't!” I play along, even though I know she says the same thing to my brother. ”Anywho, Grandma, I actually have a very important reason to call you to today, and it's to tell you that I went to the doctor's today to get the results of that MRI I had done last week.”
She interrupts, ”I remember your mom saying something about that. How'd it go, sweetie?”
”Well, that's what I'm actually calling about Grandma. The doctor said there were some abnormalities in the results, and he's worried that it could be cancer.”
I can hear my grandma gasp on the other end of the line. ”My gosh! Do they know what kind it is?”
”Well, I don't remember what it was called, but the doctor said that it was a rare type of skin cancer, and that there was a very small chance that it would be that.”
Despite the fact that I told her it was a small chance, my grandma starts asking questions at a rapid fire rate in the concerned tone that only a grandmother can have, ”How much of a chance? Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can help you with?”
I chuckle a bit as I respond, ”Well Grandma, it's just a very small chance, and I'm not too worried...” All of a sudden, I'm hit with a wave of emotion. It feels like I just got hit by a ton of bricks. I don't know what it is, but the weight of the situation seems real to me. Like I had been shrugging it off earlier, but now, as I'm talking to my grandma, for the first time, I'm legitimately worried. I start to get choked up as I try to continue talking with my grandma, ”I'm...going to be...be fine, Grandma. There's... there's no need to worry...” I drop my phone, and begin shaking all over in grief. I try to pick up my phone, but all sense of coordination is gone. I can hear my grandma yelling my name from the phone, asking if I'm okay, but I just can't seem to get a grip on my phone. I'm overwhelmed with emotion, overwhelmed with fear, and I just break down and start crying. I can't even make out what my grandma is saying anymore as I just sit there, knowing that I could have cancer. And I can honestly say, I've never been so scared in my life...
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the screen in big, blue letters across the starry background. The video transitions to Biggs in his personal gym, sitting on the ring apron. He has on a pair of blue exercise shorts and a Seattle Mariners T-Shirt with the sleeves cut off. The cast is still affixed to his left arm.
”Ladies and gentlemen, it has all come down to this! On Sunday, July 3rd, I will be facing the artist formerly known as Level-One, Lester Only, for the APW Undisputed Championship. Now this is my first opportunity at the title, and considering I've been in APW for over two years now, I think it's about freakin' time! I've watched as so many people have leap frogged ahead of me, people like Bryan Payne, Criss Cassidy, Nathaniel Havok, Mark Mania, Sally Talfourd, Ryan Ruckus, and even Young freakin' Mannie all got title shots before me. Not that I'm bitter or anything, it's just satisfying to think about how two plus years of hard work is about to pay off, how after two plus years of bidding my time, being patient, I finally get my chance to ascend to the top of the APW mountain. And believe me, come Test for the Best, I will be crowned the new APW Undisputed Champion!”
“Granted, I realize that I have quite the obsatical to overcome in Lester Only. Believe me, Lester, despite your change of heart, despite forsaking the killer instinct that made you so great in the first place, I know for a fact that your still one of the best wrestlers in the world today. You were right to list off your accomplishments, to toot yourself as one of the most talked about wrestler's in the game today. You've done almost everything there is to do, Lester, and quite frankly, for me to compare my accomplishments to yours thus far, at least those recognized by Experts affiliated feds, would be a losing battle for me. You've won Survive and Conquer, you're a two-time True Experts Champion, and you've held the APW Undisputed Championship four times! Those aren't the kind of accomplishments one thumbs their nose at. You're not just good, Lester Only, you're great.”
“And I know the word legendary seems like it gets thrown around far too easily these days, but the fact of the matter is, Lester, when you eventually decide to hang up the boots for good, there will be no other way to describe your career other than legendary. Because for as much as you've accomplished so far, knowing what type of competitor you are, you're going to want more.”
“But the thing is, Lester, so do I. In the two years I've been in APW, I've done quite a bit myself. Being the only ever three time Overdrive Champion, as well as my run as APW General Manager, and the bottom line is that I haven't been a slouch myself. Sure, I may not have headlined the past three RassleMania's, I may not have been in any pay per view main events, the simple fact of the matter is that we all have to start somewhere. You had an advantage coming into APW, Lester, as you had already established yourself in the Experts Tournament, and you won Survive and Conquer, getting yourself a guaranteed shot at Michael Lively's APW Championship in your first RassleMania. Now I'm not going to go as far as to say that you had everything handed to you like Pence Weatherlight did, because that's the furthest thing from the truth. You have earned everything you have here in APW, Lester, and I don't begrudge you that one bit. The point I'm trying to make is that you took advantage of the opportunities you were given, while I have been given none up until now.”
“Don't get me wrong, I realize that I was nowhere near ready to compete in the upper echelons of APW two years ago. I had a bit of adjusting to do when I first came, had some growing pains, so to speak. Do you remember July 29, 2009, Lester? Because I sure do. It was on that night, at the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, that you and I fought in what has been to date our only one-on-one confrontation inside the ring. You beat me that night, one-two-three, right in the middle of the ring. That was the night where I truly came to respect you, and I believe that was the night you came to respect me as well. And despite what has happened between us over the past two years, despite all your crass words and change of attitude, no matter how much you deride me by calling me a coward and a cheater, I think that deep down inside, you still respect me, because you know what I'm capable of. I took you to the limit that night, Lester Only, and since then, I've only gotten better. And while I'd have to be a fool to think that you haven't improved yourself, the fact of the matter is that on July 29, 2009, I was not ready to be able to defeat you in a one-on-one match, but on July 3, 2011, I am ready.”
“Lester Only, I make it no secret how much I respect you and enjoy watching you wrestle. I may disagree with the way you choose to carry yourself, I may disagree with the fact that you're deciding to fight on the side of angels and suck up to the fans, but what I can't disagree with is how you get things done in the ring. But if you think for one moment that this respect that I have for you, Lester, will somehow translate into me going easy on you, if you think that this respect will somehow prevent me from doing what must be done in order for me to secure the APW Undisputed Championship, then you're sorely mistaken.”
“If anything, Lester, the respect I have for you will drive me to train harder, think smarter, and all in all, up my game to the best of my abilities. And while you may be asking yourself how can a guy who blindsided you with a title belt not once, but twice, possibly say that he respects you, well, Lester, I merely did what I had to do to get my opportunity at your title. As I mentioned before, having been in APW for a little bit more than two years without any APW Undisputed Championship opportunity to speak of, I knew that I had to get the attention of not only the powers that be, but you as well. I had to make a statement at your expense. Am I proud of it?”
At this point, Biggs lets out a cheesy grin.
”You're darn right I am! The simple fact of the matter is that I am a Machiavellian, Lester Only, and I simply do what I need to in order to accomplish my goals. I have no shame in the way I have conducted myself in securing this title opportunity. I've heard your big talk, Lester, how you think that I'm going to try and duck out of this match at the first chance I get because I'm scared of having to pay up for the 'sins' I've committed against you. Like I said earlier, Lester, I have too much respect for you to back out now. And if you think that I'm going to just throw my first, keep in mind first, and only APW Undisputed Championship match away, well, you must be on some very powerful drugs. And by the way, I don't care to partake in your pre-match brownie fest, not that you'd offer, but still.”
“The fact is, Lester, any way that I may have 'sinned' against you in the lead up to our Undisputed Championship match is no different than the multitude of things you've done in the past to not only become champ, but to hold onto it. If I can be clichè for a moment, those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Because, Lester, even though you've tried to distance yourself from your past misdeeds, as much as you try to claim that you're a different man, you are still responsible for your actions, in the past and present. The difference between you and me is that I claim my dark side, I claim my shortcomings, and by acknowledging them, working through them, I become better. You just try to ignore them and hope that the cheers from the fans will be enough to distract you from facing your true self. As much as I hate to say this, Lester, and believe me, it pains me greatly to say what I'm about to say, you're becoming just like Pence Weatherlight.”
“And no, I don't mean that you're becoming a mediocre wrestler who can't make it on time to a show to save his life, I mean that you think that you're entitled to receive a certain response from everyone, be they your peers, the folks in charge, or the fans. You think that because you've accomplished just about all there is to accomplish that I'm going to go into our contest thinking that I don't have a chance! You think that because you've competed at such a high level for the past few years, that because I haven't competed at quite the same level that I'm going to be intimidated by you! You think that because you're a four time APW Undisputed Champion, and that I'm merely a three time APW Overdrive Champion, that you will be able to have your way with me in that ring! You're wrong on all three counts. I have never been more focused leading up to a match. This is what I've wanted since the day I joined APW, Lester Only, a chance to fight you for the APW Undisputed Championship!”
“During your little tirade, Lester, you mentioned that anybody who has been able to defeat you for the APW Undisputed Championship made it a point that they beat YOU for the title. And in all honesty, that's the way it should be. You're right to say that you're a big deal, Lester, because it's the truth. And that's why I wanted to face YOU for the APW Undisputed Championship. Winning it against anyone else just wouldn't mean as much. I've already shown that I can beat Pence Weatherlight by defeating him to start my third, and dare I say greatest, Overdrive Title reign. Bryan Payne was hardly here long enough to make a name for himself, winning the belt and then leaving so quick hardly anyone remembers he was even here! And Sally Talfourd, well, actually, it would be a satisfying to beat her, as I unfortunately have yet to accomplish that, but that's more on a personal level. The fact is, Lester Only, defeating you is a big deal. Winning the APW Undisputed Championship is a big deal. To win the APW Undisputed Championship while defeating you to do so, well, that just makes the accomplishment all the sweeter.”
“But enough of the love fest, Lester. I'm not here to be the president of your fan club, I'm here to win championships! You can talk all you want about how I'm boring, how I'm a coward, how I've got a small penis, which I've got to ask why you'd even care if that were the case, it doesn't change the fact that come Test for the Best, you will be standing across the ring from me with your title on the line. When we lock up, the words that we've spoken thus far won't matter. What matters is who has the greater skill, and who wants to win more. I know that I'll say that I want to win more than you do, and you'll say that you want to win it more, the fact is that when it's all said and done, we'll each have to prove our point in the ring. My skill against yours. Plain and simple. All of your insults directed towards my wife, all of your attempts at character assassination towards me, they will be rendered meaningless this Sunday night, because I intend on leaving Halifax with both my Overdrive Championship and soon to be my APW Undisputed Championship, one slung over each shoulder.”
“And speaking of my Overdrive Championship, Lester, you took me to task for not vacating this prestigious title before facing you, saying that apparently, any time somebody holding the secondary title challenges for the main title, they vacate it. Give me a concrete example of that happening. Just one, that's all I ask. I mean other than Pence Weatherlight faking an injury so he could get greedy and go after your belt. You say that me not dropping my Overdrive Title before our match this Sunday equates to me being afraid of losing to you. You equate it to cowardice and surrender. But maybe you didn't think about the fact that maybe I wanted to make history on Sunday, July 3rd by becoming the first ever double champion in APW history! At no point has any one person held two championships concurrently in Action Packed Wrestling, and certainly not the top two titles.”
“Because as much as you like to deride and mock my Overdrive Championship, you cannot deny the fact that I have brought a level of prestige and respectability to this title! I've been a fighting champion, defending it successfully five Overdrives in a row, followed up by winning the Overdrive Championship Scramble at RassleMania! And I didn't do it against some no name slouches either. Okay, two of them were no name slouches in AJ King and that weasel Chris Cyrus, but by defeating Ryan Ruckus and Terry Marvin not only in one-on-one competition, but also in the context of a match where I had four men gunning for me, well, that's just a testament to how great I've been since winning this belt. Not to mention the fact that I beat Khaos, which in and of itself may not seem like much, but that I did so with a broken arm! Now my arm isn't quite fully healed yet, but my doctor has been saying it's nearly there. The fact of the matter is that I am in the middle of the greatest Overdrive Championship reign in the history of APW, and to forfeit the title now would just be a grave disservice to the title. I have worked too hard and too long to just let the Overdrive Championship fall by the way side. Even you have to admit, Lester, that in terms of prestige, the Overdrive Championship is second only to the APW Undisputed Championship. That, and I really want to be able to call myself the APW Undisputed Overdrive Champion! I'm just being honest!”
“It's funny, Lester, how you spend so much time questioning my heart, questioning my abilities heading into this match, only to end up saying in the end that you won't underestimate me. You spent so much time saying I wasn't worthy of this title match, saying that I was too much of a coward to actually show up, saying that you are so much better than me, just to negate all of you big talk by saying that you won't underestimate me. That is the most telling thing you had to say during your whole overlong, overwrought speech, because what it comes down to, Lester, is that you think that I am capable of defeating you. And I can use that to my advantage. You made a point to mention that I think I know you pretty well inside and out of the ring, and I would venture to say that I feel like you think you know me pretty good as well. And because you know me well, because you believe that I am capable of pinning your shoulders to the mat for the one-two-three, that gives me all sorts of leverage in playing mind games with you in that ring that you simply don't have over me. I don't have to question the fact whether you can beat me or not, because I already know that the answer is yes. But you have doubt in your mind. Can he beat me? What would he do to be able to beat me? These are surely questions you're asking yourself heading into our match. Sure, your doubt may be directed towards me and not yourself, but it's still doubt, and I specialize in capitalizing on any and all doubt my opponents may have.”
Biggs pauses a bit to itch his arm right beneath the cast, before continuing to speak.
“If my last point seemed a little obtuse to you, Lester, well, it's meant to be. Because Lester, you said it yourself, I'm very intelligent, and I do kind of have a weakness for spelling out my game plans well before the match. The fact is, Level-One, I know that I'm going to have to wrestle the match of my life to be able to beat you, but I'm going to make sure that you'll have to wrestle the match of yours to be able to beat me!”
“Now I know earlier that I said I wasn't going to toot my own horn and list off my accomplishments, but the fact of the matter is, Lester Only, I think you need to hear them again! This may be my first time headlining an APW pay-per-view, but it's certainly not the first time I've wrestled for the top belt in an organization! I am a former CJMB Million Dollar Champion, a former GWE Tag Team Champion, the current and greatest APW Overdrive Champion, a former AWE World Heavyweight Champion, and a former GWE Heavyweight Champion! I know that these accomplishments mean little or nothing to you, Lester, but I bring them up to remind you that I do have what it takes to be the top guy! And since you made it a point to mention the Experts Extreme Tournament: Siberia, bringing up the fact that supposedly more people were talking about the fact that you lost out in the first round than my unexpected run to the top 8, let me remind you of the fact that I beat not just one, but two World Champions enroute to the Quarter Finals! The fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter how many more people may have talked about you, especially considering that what they were saying wasn't very nice, what matters is that I made it further than you did that particular year. Sure, you may have won it all a few years back, I don't take that away from you at all. But please, don't try and discount what I was able to accomplish just to assuge your ego in regards to what is thus far the second biggest failure of your career!”
At this point, Biggs cups his mouth and leans in towards the camera, like he's telling a secret.
”The biggest failure, in case you're wondering, is dropping the APW Undisputed Championship, not once, but twice to Pence Weatherlight. I mean, you must still be horribly embarrassed by both those losses, Lester.”
Biggs sits back up to normal.
“Also, I think you've probably noticed the fact that I've spent very little time acknowledging your rather crass remarks about me and my wife, it's because, quite frankly, I've decided not to respond to the stuff that just makes you sound stupid. Remember when you came over to my place to train prior to RassleMania? Remember all the kind words you had to say to my wife, remember how you complimented her for the amazing sandwiches she made for us? I don't want to think that all of that was just a lie on your part, Lester. I'd really like to think that you're a better man than that. I know your fans sure hope are. Because otherwise, they'll will have been cheering a fraud, who is only using their support and adulation for his own personal gain. Although I guess I've already kind of established this point when I said you were becoming the next Pence Weatherlight.”
“Whether you're truly looking out for the fans or yourself, it doesn't really matter, what matters is that very shortly, you and I will be facing off for the biggest prize in all of wrestling! You may tell yourself that I don't stand a chance, but we already know that you think differently. I know that my margin of error in our contest is razor thin. I realize that I must be on the very top of my game come Test for the Best, but the fact is that I have waited for far too long to be denied becoming the Undisputed Champion on July 3rd! You derided me for waiting so long, but the fact is that I had to press the issue! I wasn't be given any opportunities, so I had to make my own. Was it brash? Yes. Was it underhanded? You bet. But did I have to do what I did in order to get a shot at the proverbial brass ring? The answer to that question is absolutely, without a doubt, yes! And you can bet that I will do absolutely anything that I must in order to gain possession of the APW Undisputed Championship. Just remember, Lester, when it's all said and done, you asked for this.”
“You've been saying for a long time that you wanted me to face you in the Main Event of a pay-per-view, that you wanted me to challenge you for your title, which doesn't quite mesh with your earlier statements of me not being worthy of a title shot, but that's beside the point. Up until now, my hands have been tied, as there were other contenders, but now that I get my chance, I can guarantee I'll make the most of it. Because Sunday, July 3rd is the Test for the Best, and once I pass the test that is defeating you, you will have no choice but to call me the Best!”
First Contact fades to black, with the APW logo and copyright flashing across the bottom of the screen.
Surgery Specialties Center
Tuesday, June 14th
9:20 am
I look around the examination room as I wait for the doctor to arrive. It's exactly like the room I was in two short weeks ago, with the same yellowish wall and off-white floor tiles, the same pink counter top with speckles, even the same poster reminding the doctors to wash their hands when they come in. The only difference is the art, which is labeled as a Chilean scarf. The room I was in two weeks ago had a painting from somewhere in Europe, but I'm having trouble remembering just where from. Not that it matters. I'm here today to discuss the results of an MRI the doctor ordered two weeks ago, to analyze how far down a mysterious bump on my back went. I didn't think it was a big deal, and the doctor didn't seem to think so either during the initial diagnosis of it being a sub-dermal hematoma, which is merely a pocket of blood beneath the skin. He said it would require minor surgery at worst, he just wanted to know what he was going up against before slicing me open.
As I sit there waiting for my doctor, twiddling my thumbs, my mind goes back to the MRI that was performed last week. I remember distinctly how uncomfortable it was to lay on my belly for an hour with my arms above my head, how my nostrils felt like they dried out completely as I was enveloped in the magnetic field for sixty minutes. I was told to be perfectly still for the entirety of the scan, which was easier said than done, especially considering the loud humming of the machine. They tried to mask the loud noise by allowing me to listen to music, but the machine was so loud that it was difficult to focus on said music, even though they had set up a play list made exclusively of songs by The Killers. I can still feel the burning sensation I had in my fingers shortly after they injected the contrast dye. The nurse told me afterward that she'd never heard anybody say that they had that kind of a reaction to the contrast dye.
I look back up at the clock. It's been a half an hour since the doc went to go check the results of my scans, and while I'm bored, I'm not too concerned about the results. After all, we already know what caused the weird bump in the first place. It was blunt trauma to the back of my right shoulder, nothing more, nothing less. This is just a minor inconvenience on my way to facing Level-One at Test for the Best. I'm going to talk with the doctor about doing the surgery after the pay per view where we get a two week break until the next show. That should be plenty of time to recover after a minor surgery.
A few moments later, the doctor comes back in with a nurse in tow. ”Sorry that took so long, Gary,” he says in a thick Australian accent. I see his name stitched into his white coat, Dr. Gary Mann. I don't know how I missed that the first time I saw him.
”Your parents have good taste in naming you,” I quip.
Dr. Mann chuckles a bit, responding, ”So do yours. Now I have taken a look at the results of your MRI, and I've sent a nurse to bring your wife in from the waiting room.”
”Wait a moment! Is it really serious? Why else would you have them bring Ellie back here?!”
”Now please remain calm, Gary. We just felt it would be best if your wife was here to get the news when you did,” Dr. Mann calmly states, almost coldly, like this kind of thing is routine for him, which I guess it is, but still, I want him to tell me now.
”C'mon, doc, just give it to me straight, it is what we thought it was, just a sub-dermal hematoma, right?! Right?” I ask, a little agitated that he's making me wait. I have no idea what else it could be, because it literally popped up right away. I can't think of anything else that would make this kind of bump so quickly.
There's a knock on the door. ”Come in,” Dr. Mann says, and another nurse comes in with Ellie. My wife has a concerned look on her face.
”Is everything okay, doctor? What's going on?” Ellie asks with a very worried tone in her voice. She looks absolutely terrified.
”You may want to take a seat next to your husband, Mrs. Biggerstaff,” Dr. Mann instructs. Ellie follows his directions, and sits next to me, grabbing a hold of my hand.
”I'm going to be okay, baby. It's going to be nothing...” I whisper in her ear, trying to comfort her.
Dr. Mann looks me in the eyes, and puts an arm on my shoulder. ”Gary, the reason we called your wife back here is because as we were analyzing the results of your MRI, we found evidence that suggests you may have a very rare form of cancer. Now it's a very small chance, but we're concerned enough about it that I would like to do a biopsy.”
Ellie's face just drops, and she begins to sob, while I just bust out laughing. ”Really, Dr. Mann? You think I may have a very rare form of cancer?” I say between the chuckles. One of the nurses is trying to comfort Ellie while I just sit there laughing to myself.
”Yes. A small chance, but yes.”
”Well then, if it's a small chance, there's nothing to worry about. Let's get rolling on the biopsy!”
”I must say, Gary, you seem very chipper for somebody who just found out they may have cancer,” Dr. Mann notes, with his voice as serious as ever. By this point, Ellie is crying uncontrollably.
I put my arm around her. ”Don't worry about it, babe. He said it was a very small chance. There's nothing to be worried about. He's just doing the biopsy to be absolutely sure,” I tell her, trying to convince her that it's no big deal.
”Well, I will be right back. I've got to order the biopsy, and get the local anesthesia Nurses, please stay with them here,” Dr. Mann plainly tells us as he exits the room. I sit there, cuddling Ellie, trying to calm her down. She hasn't said a word yet since Dr. Mann's news, and I know she's just coping with it the way that's best for her, but I continue to try and reassure her that it's no big deal.
After a few moments, she manages to cough out, ”Are you telling me this for my sake or yours...”
”It really isn't a big deal, hon. I'm going to be just fine. Dr. Mann said it was a very little, miniscule chance. I'm going to be just fine. Believe me.”
At this point, one of the nurses butts in. ”Excuse me please, but Mrs. Biggerstaff, if you could please take a seat in one of the chairs, we need to prepare your husband for the biopsy.”
Ellie is slow to follow their directions, but eventually, she takes a seat across from the examination table. ”If you could please remove your shirt, Mr. Biggerstaff.”
”Please, just call me Gary. Mr. Biggerstaff is my father,” I joke as I pull my shirt off. I then lay on my belly, just like I did in the MRI, machine, although this time, they direct me to just let my arms fall to either side of the table.
”Now we're going to clean the area around your bump. You will feel a cooling sensation, followed by a warm one,” the nurse explains in a very forced, soothing tone.
They're right, as they wipe down the wounded area, it feels intensely cold, like the inside of a freezer, before warming up to the point where it feels like I have a sunburn on my back. As they're cleaning the area, there's a knock on the door, and Dr. Mann comes back in with three other people. ”Alright, Gary, I have the anesthesiologist with me to deliver the local anesthesia, as well as a couple of colleagues who will assist with the biopsy.”
”Sounds good to me.”
I turn my head away as they prepare the syringe. I've always had a problem with shots, especially if I see them go in. The last time I had a shot, I remember passing out for some time. I feel the prick of the needle, but thankfully, this time, I keep my head about me. I feel another warming sensation on my bump as the anesthesia starts to take effect. I hear Dr. Man's voice from above me as he describes the process of a biopsy.
”Now we're going to make a small incision into your back, and use what we call, for lack of a better term, a biopsy gun. It'll draw matter from your bump, which we'll send to the lab to analyze. You'll hear a loud click when we draw the samples, but otherwise, it should be painless. Ellie, you may want to look away,” Dr. Mann explains. ”Okay, Gary, we're now going to make the incision Do you feel anything?”
”No sir, I don't,” I reply. It's the weirdest thing, because I don't feel the cut at all, even though I feel like there's something inside me.
”Now we're going to stick the biopsy gun in the incision, and draw our first sample. You'll hear a loud click, but you shouldn't feel a thing.”
”Fire at will!” I joke, trying to keep the mood light.
Suddenly, I hear a loud clicking noise, not even realizing that they had stuck the biopsy gun inside my bump.
”Okay, that was the first sample. Did you feel anything?”
”Not at all...”
I don't see what's going on, as I'm staring directly into the wall, but I hear Ellie gasp as I assume the biopsy gun is going back in. I hear another loud click to confirm this.
”Dr. Mann told you not to look babe! It must be disgusting to see! Is it?!”
Dr. Mann cuts me off, ”It would be best for you to not egg her on. This is a very serious matter, Gary. And for the record, it's not too disgusting.” There's a slight chuckle in his voice as I hear another loud clicking noise, signifying the drawing of the third sample. ”Alright, nurses, if you could please apply a bandage to the open wound. It shouldn't be bleeding very much, Gary, but we're putting a bandage on it so you won't bleed on your shirt.”
Almost immediately, I crack a joke. ”My wife will appreciate that! She's the one who normally does laundry!” I feel pressure around my bump, but not on it as they put the bandage on.
”Okay, you can sit up and put your shirt back on,” the nurse instructs me.
I do so immediately, and once I'm seated and clothed again, I invite Ellie to sit next to me on the examination table.
”So doc, what's going to be the next step from here?” I ask while holding Ellie's hand tight, more for her sake than mine. She seems to be taking this whole thing really hard, while I'm not too concerned at all. The doctor said it was a very small chance, and that if it was cancer, it would be a very rare form. I like my odds at this point.
”Well, we won't have the results from the biopsy back for a week, so if you don't hear from us by next Wednesday, please give us a call back, because that means the results are probably late coming in. From there, if it is cancer, we'll discuss the next steps of that process then,” Dr. Mann explains as he looks me directly in the eyes. There's a more concerned tone in his voice than earlier, which I can tell is upsetting Ellie. ”Regardless of the results, we will be performing surgery to remove the tissue. Somebody will be in shortly to discuss scheduling the surgery with you in a few moments. Obviously, if it is indeed cancer, we'll speed up the timetable.”
Dr. Mann gives me a hearty handshake, and waves to Ellie before leaving the room. The nurses continue to clean up the table where the tools were set. It isn't long before they leave, reminding me that someone will be in shortly to talk with me about scheduling surgery. As soon as they leave, Ellie and I begin to talk.
”How are you handling this, honey?” I ask her in a soft tone, trying to be as comforting as possible.
She just looks at me for a moment, with tears beginning to well up in her eyes. ”I'm scared...” she replies meekly.
I pull her in to hug her, stroking her hair with my good arm, and talk softly into her ear. ”I'm going to be just fine, baby. I know we've been through a lot lately, but this is just a minor road bump. There's nothing to worry about...”
I let her cry onto my shoulder, continuing to do the best I can in calming her down. About five minutes later, there's a knock on the door, and a short lady with light brown hair and thick glasses enters the room.
”Hi, my name is Victoria, although you can call me Vic, and I'm here to discuss the surgery scheduling process here at UW Medical Center.”
She gives us the spiel about scheduling, highlighting information in the packet before handing it to me. ”Somebody will be calling you to set up your surgery about a month before the operation. Obviously, we're waiting for the results of your biopsy before we'll make the call. Still, let's hope that we won't have to rush you in!” Vic says with an almost uneasy smile. She extends her hand out for a hand shake, and although it feels odd to shake hands with a woman, I oblige.
”Well, thanks for all the information, Vic. I guess we'll see you soon. Hopefully not too soon, mind you, but yeah, there you go...” I blurt out as Ellie and I stand up.
”The exit is just down the hall to the right. Hopefully it'll be a while before we have to see you again, and I mean that in the best way possible!” she chirps as Ellie and I head to the door.
As we head down the hall, Ellie leans towards me, and whispers, ”That lady sure was strange.”
”Yeah,” I laugh, ”What she did there was a text book example of how not to lighten the mood!”
We both laugh a bit, but Ellie's giggle doesn't last for very long. As we get back to the lobby, she grabs me by the arms and looks me in the eyes. ”This is a very serious situation, honey, and I know that joking around about things is just your way of coping with bad news, but please, I need you to be even just a little bit worried about this. I know that things are just getting better for us, but I'm absolutely scared to death about the prospect of losing you to cancer. So please, if not for your sake, then for mine, please try to take this somewhat seriously.”
”I'll try...”
”Please promise me that you'll do more than try,” she tells me, with a whimper in her voice. The concern on her face is evident.
I don't want to just blow her off, but the fact is that the doctor only said there was a chance that it was cancer, and a small one at that. ”Honey, we don't know anything yet. And worrying isn't going to help us get the results any faster. So I figure why worry about something I can't control. Believe me, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't even a little bit scared myself, but I can't let the possibility of having cancer paralyze me when it's just that, only a possibility.”
”Sometimes it's just hard to tell what you're actually thinking, because you never take anything seriously, except for your wrestling, but that's the furthest thing from my mind right now, Gary. Even though Dr. Mann said it was a small possibility, the fact is that you could possibly have cancer, and that means I could possibly lose you. And I don't want that to happen...” Ellie tells me, as she continues to try and hold back the tears. I pull her in for another hug.
”It's okay, honey, if you need to cry. Just let it all out. If that's what you need to do to cope with this news, than by all means, please cry,” I tell her. The fact is, we're kind of making a scene in the lobby of the Surgery Specialties Center, and there is a part of me that's a little bit embarrassed by the attention we're drawing to ourselves. However, it's over ridden by the part of me that's willing to do absolutely anything for my wife. Between her mental issues, and my recent health woes, I really do feel like it's bound us together, forcing us to work with one another to deal with our issues, and grow stronger for it. I know that we still have a ways to go in our marriage, but we've really learned to take things a day at a time, and I know that's what I'll have to do with this situation I'm in. I won't know for a week if it's cancer or not, so until that time, I've just got to focus on each day. ”Hey babe, why don't we head to the car so I can give my mom a call and tell her the news?”
Ellie lets out a sniffle as she wipes her eyes, and we head to the parking lot. We decide that Ellie's going to drive, because even thought it was just local anesthesia the doctor applied, Ellie is worried about the prospect of me operating a heavy machine like the car. Once we're on the road, I whip out my cell phone, put it on speaker phone, and use the voice activation.
”Call mom.”
The phone rings a couple of times before my mom answers the phone.
”Hi Gary! Did you just get out of your doctor's appointment?” Mom asks, getting right to the point.
”Yep. Got the results of my MRI back, the doctor said it could possibly be cancer, so he did a biopsy,” I tell her nonchalantly.
”Whoa, wait up! Cancer!? The doctor said that you could possibly have cancer, and you're acting all nonchalant about it like it isn't a big deal! What kind of cancer could it be?” Mom sounds a bit hysterical on the other end.
”Some rare form of skin cancer. I don't remember what he called it, but the fact is that he said it was really rare, and a small chance, so I'm not too worried.”
”Well, if you're not going to worry, than I am! It's my job as your mom!”
”If you feel that way, go for it, mom. I just don't see the point of worrying until I get the results of the biopsy back. It's no big deal, not yet at least,” I try to reassure her.
My attempts at reassurance are for naught, as my mom starts to talk to me in a lecturing tone, ”You need to call your grandma, and have her put you on her church's prayer list! You're going to call your Grandma right as soon as you're done talking with me!”
”Alright, mom. I love you. Didn't mean to worry you,” I reply, trying to end the conversation. I don't really enjoy it when my mom gets into these kind of moods, because it's impossible to talk with her. Her idea of a conversation when she's like this is talking at me rather than talking to me.
”Well, I'm glad you called, Gary. I'll tell your father when he gets home. Keep us updated.”
”Sure thing mom. Love you,” I tell her impatiently.
”I love you too. Bye!”
”Bye mom.” I hit the button to end the call as we reach a red light. Ellie looks over at me.
”Your mom's right, you know. And you know it's saying something when I say that your mom is right about anything...”
”I'll call my grandma when we get home. It's been a while, anyways, and I think I'd like to have a nice long chat with her. It would be rude of me to ignore you while we're in the car,” I say.
Ellie furrows her eyebrows, looking more than a bit irritated with me. ”Not about that, about the fact that you should be taking this a bit more seriously. You said that you'd try!”
”Ellie, the fact is that I'm not there yet. I might not even get to a point where I'm concerned about this unless the doctor says that it actually is cancer. Until then, it's not as big a deal as you're making it out to be.”
Ellie rolls her eyes, and looks back at the road. ”I guess you're the one it's happening to, so if you don't want to worry about it, I guess that's your right,” The irritation in her voice is evident.
”Listen, Ellie, I'm not acting this way to irritate you or my mom, it's just how I'm responding to the circumstances around me. Believe me, I'm not just blowing this off, but until there's some concrete evidence one way or another, I shouldn't be too concerned about this.”
We ride in silence for much of the ride home. Once we're inside, Ellie says that she's going to go out the guest house to tell her parents, who are still staying with us, the news, while I'll give my grandma a call. I give Ellie a kiss on the forehead before she heads out to her folks. I casually pull my phone from my pocket, and dial up my grandma.
”Hello.”
”Hi Grandma! It's Gary!”
”Oh hi, sweetie! How's grandma's favorite grandson? By the way, don't tell your brother I said that!”
”Don't worry Grandma, I won't!” I play along, even though I know she says the same thing to my brother. ”Anywho, Grandma, I actually have a very important reason to call you to today, and it's to tell you that I went to the doctor's today to get the results of that MRI I had done last week.”
She interrupts, ”I remember your mom saying something about that. How'd it go, sweetie?”
”Well, that's what I'm actually calling about Grandma. The doctor said there were some abnormalities in the results, and he's worried that it could be cancer.”
I can hear my grandma gasp on the other end of the line. ”My gosh! Do they know what kind it is?”
”Well, I don't remember what it was called, but the doctor said that it was a rare type of skin cancer, and that there was a very small chance that it would be that.”
Despite the fact that I told her it was a small chance, my grandma starts asking questions at a rapid fire rate in the concerned tone that only a grandmother can have, ”How much of a chance? Are you doing okay? Is there anything I can help you with?”
I chuckle a bit as I respond, ”Well Grandma, it's just a very small chance, and I'm not too worried...” All of a sudden, I'm hit with a wave of emotion. It feels like I just got hit by a ton of bricks. I don't know what it is, but the weight of the situation seems real to me. Like I had been shrugging it off earlier, but now, as I'm talking to my grandma, for the first time, I'm legitimately worried. I start to get choked up as I try to continue talking with my grandma, ”I'm...going to be...be fine, Grandma. There's... there's no need to worry...” I drop my phone, and begin shaking all over in grief. I try to pick up my phone, but all sense of coordination is gone. I can hear my grandma yelling my name from the phone, asking if I'm okay, but I just can't seem to get a grip on my phone. I'm overwhelmed with emotion, overwhelmed with fear, and I just break down and start crying. I can't even make out what my grandma is saying anymore as I just sit there, knowing that I could have cancer. And I can honestly say, I've never been so scared in my life...
***
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the screen in big, blue letters across the starry background. The video transitions to Biggs in his personal gym, sitting on the ring apron. He has on a pair of blue exercise shorts and a Seattle Mariners T-Shirt with the sleeves cut off. The cast is still affixed to his left arm.
”Ladies and gentlemen, it has all come down to this! On Sunday, July 3rd, I will be facing the artist formerly known as Level-One, Lester Only, for the APW Undisputed Championship. Now this is my first opportunity at the title, and considering I've been in APW for over two years now, I think it's about freakin' time! I've watched as so many people have leap frogged ahead of me, people like Bryan Payne, Criss Cassidy, Nathaniel Havok, Mark Mania, Sally Talfourd, Ryan Ruckus, and even Young freakin' Mannie all got title shots before me. Not that I'm bitter or anything, it's just satisfying to think about how two plus years of hard work is about to pay off, how after two plus years of bidding my time, being patient, I finally get my chance to ascend to the top of the APW mountain. And believe me, come Test for the Best, I will be crowned the new APW Undisputed Champion!”
“Granted, I realize that I have quite the obsatical to overcome in Lester Only. Believe me, Lester, despite your change of heart, despite forsaking the killer instinct that made you so great in the first place, I know for a fact that your still one of the best wrestlers in the world today. You were right to list off your accomplishments, to toot yourself as one of the most talked about wrestler's in the game today. You've done almost everything there is to do, Lester, and quite frankly, for me to compare my accomplishments to yours thus far, at least those recognized by Experts affiliated feds, would be a losing battle for me. You've won Survive and Conquer, you're a two-time True Experts Champion, and you've held the APW Undisputed Championship four times! Those aren't the kind of accomplishments one thumbs their nose at. You're not just good, Lester Only, you're great.”
“And I know the word legendary seems like it gets thrown around far too easily these days, but the fact of the matter is, Lester, when you eventually decide to hang up the boots for good, there will be no other way to describe your career other than legendary. Because for as much as you've accomplished so far, knowing what type of competitor you are, you're going to want more.”
“But the thing is, Lester, so do I. In the two years I've been in APW, I've done quite a bit myself. Being the only ever three time Overdrive Champion, as well as my run as APW General Manager, and the bottom line is that I haven't been a slouch myself. Sure, I may not have headlined the past three RassleMania's, I may not have been in any pay per view main events, the simple fact of the matter is that we all have to start somewhere. You had an advantage coming into APW, Lester, as you had already established yourself in the Experts Tournament, and you won Survive and Conquer, getting yourself a guaranteed shot at Michael Lively's APW Championship in your first RassleMania. Now I'm not going to go as far as to say that you had everything handed to you like Pence Weatherlight did, because that's the furthest thing from the truth. You have earned everything you have here in APW, Lester, and I don't begrudge you that one bit. The point I'm trying to make is that you took advantage of the opportunities you were given, while I have been given none up until now.”
“Don't get me wrong, I realize that I was nowhere near ready to compete in the upper echelons of APW two years ago. I had a bit of adjusting to do when I first came, had some growing pains, so to speak. Do you remember July 29, 2009, Lester? Because I sure do. It was on that night, at the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, that you and I fought in what has been to date our only one-on-one confrontation inside the ring. You beat me that night, one-two-three, right in the middle of the ring. That was the night where I truly came to respect you, and I believe that was the night you came to respect me as well. And despite what has happened between us over the past two years, despite all your crass words and change of attitude, no matter how much you deride me by calling me a coward and a cheater, I think that deep down inside, you still respect me, because you know what I'm capable of. I took you to the limit that night, Lester Only, and since then, I've only gotten better. And while I'd have to be a fool to think that you haven't improved yourself, the fact of the matter is that on July 29, 2009, I was not ready to be able to defeat you in a one-on-one match, but on July 3, 2011, I am ready.”
“Lester Only, I make it no secret how much I respect you and enjoy watching you wrestle. I may disagree with the way you choose to carry yourself, I may disagree with the fact that you're deciding to fight on the side of angels and suck up to the fans, but what I can't disagree with is how you get things done in the ring. But if you think for one moment that this respect that I have for you, Lester, will somehow translate into me going easy on you, if you think that this respect will somehow prevent me from doing what must be done in order for me to secure the APW Undisputed Championship, then you're sorely mistaken.”
“If anything, Lester, the respect I have for you will drive me to train harder, think smarter, and all in all, up my game to the best of my abilities. And while you may be asking yourself how can a guy who blindsided you with a title belt not once, but twice, possibly say that he respects you, well, Lester, I merely did what I had to do to get my opportunity at your title. As I mentioned before, having been in APW for a little bit more than two years without any APW Undisputed Championship opportunity to speak of, I knew that I had to get the attention of not only the powers that be, but you as well. I had to make a statement at your expense. Am I proud of it?”
At this point, Biggs lets out a cheesy grin.
”You're darn right I am! The simple fact of the matter is that I am a Machiavellian, Lester Only, and I simply do what I need to in order to accomplish my goals. I have no shame in the way I have conducted myself in securing this title opportunity. I've heard your big talk, Lester, how you think that I'm going to try and duck out of this match at the first chance I get because I'm scared of having to pay up for the 'sins' I've committed against you. Like I said earlier, Lester, I have too much respect for you to back out now. And if you think that I'm going to just throw my first, keep in mind first, and only APW Undisputed Championship match away, well, you must be on some very powerful drugs. And by the way, I don't care to partake in your pre-match brownie fest, not that you'd offer, but still.”
“The fact is, Lester, any way that I may have 'sinned' against you in the lead up to our Undisputed Championship match is no different than the multitude of things you've done in the past to not only become champ, but to hold onto it. If I can be clichè for a moment, those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Because, Lester, even though you've tried to distance yourself from your past misdeeds, as much as you try to claim that you're a different man, you are still responsible for your actions, in the past and present. The difference between you and me is that I claim my dark side, I claim my shortcomings, and by acknowledging them, working through them, I become better. You just try to ignore them and hope that the cheers from the fans will be enough to distract you from facing your true self. As much as I hate to say this, Lester, and believe me, it pains me greatly to say what I'm about to say, you're becoming just like Pence Weatherlight.”
“And no, I don't mean that you're becoming a mediocre wrestler who can't make it on time to a show to save his life, I mean that you think that you're entitled to receive a certain response from everyone, be they your peers, the folks in charge, or the fans. You think that because you've accomplished just about all there is to accomplish that I'm going to go into our contest thinking that I don't have a chance! You think that because you've competed at such a high level for the past few years, that because I haven't competed at quite the same level that I'm going to be intimidated by you! You think that because you're a four time APW Undisputed Champion, and that I'm merely a three time APW Overdrive Champion, that you will be able to have your way with me in that ring! You're wrong on all three counts. I have never been more focused leading up to a match. This is what I've wanted since the day I joined APW, Lester Only, a chance to fight you for the APW Undisputed Championship!”
“During your little tirade, Lester, you mentioned that anybody who has been able to defeat you for the APW Undisputed Championship made it a point that they beat YOU for the title. And in all honesty, that's the way it should be. You're right to say that you're a big deal, Lester, because it's the truth. And that's why I wanted to face YOU for the APW Undisputed Championship. Winning it against anyone else just wouldn't mean as much. I've already shown that I can beat Pence Weatherlight by defeating him to start my third, and dare I say greatest, Overdrive Title reign. Bryan Payne was hardly here long enough to make a name for himself, winning the belt and then leaving so quick hardly anyone remembers he was even here! And Sally Talfourd, well, actually, it would be a satisfying to beat her, as I unfortunately have yet to accomplish that, but that's more on a personal level. The fact is, Lester Only, defeating you is a big deal. Winning the APW Undisputed Championship is a big deal. To win the APW Undisputed Championship while defeating you to do so, well, that just makes the accomplishment all the sweeter.”
“But enough of the love fest, Lester. I'm not here to be the president of your fan club, I'm here to win championships! You can talk all you want about how I'm boring, how I'm a coward, how I've got a small penis, which I've got to ask why you'd even care if that were the case, it doesn't change the fact that come Test for the Best, you will be standing across the ring from me with your title on the line. When we lock up, the words that we've spoken thus far won't matter. What matters is who has the greater skill, and who wants to win more. I know that I'll say that I want to win more than you do, and you'll say that you want to win it more, the fact is that when it's all said and done, we'll each have to prove our point in the ring. My skill against yours. Plain and simple. All of your insults directed towards my wife, all of your attempts at character assassination towards me, they will be rendered meaningless this Sunday night, because I intend on leaving Halifax with both my Overdrive Championship and soon to be my APW Undisputed Championship, one slung over each shoulder.”
“And speaking of my Overdrive Championship, Lester, you took me to task for not vacating this prestigious title before facing you, saying that apparently, any time somebody holding the secondary title challenges for the main title, they vacate it. Give me a concrete example of that happening. Just one, that's all I ask. I mean other than Pence Weatherlight faking an injury so he could get greedy and go after your belt. You say that me not dropping my Overdrive Title before our match this Sunday equates to me being afraid of losing to you. You equate it to cowardice and surrender. But maybe you didn't think about the fact that maybe I wanted to make history on Sunday, July 3rd by becoming the first ever double champion in APW history! At no point has any one person held two championships concurrently in Action Packed Wrestling, and certainly not the top two titles.”
“Because as much as you like to deride and mock my Overdrive Championship, you cannot deny the fact that I have brought a level of prestige and respectability to this title! I've been a fighting champion, defending it successfully five Overdrives in a row, followed up by winning the Overdrive Championship Scramble at RassleMania! And I didn't do it against some no name slouches either. Okay, two of them were no name slouches in AJ King and that weasel Chris Cyrus, but by defeating Ryan Ruckus and Terry Marvin not only in one-on-one competition, but also in the context of a match where I had four men gunning for me, well, that's just a testament to how great I've been since winning this belt. Not to mention the fact that I beat Khaos, which in and of itself may not seem like much, but that I did so with a broken arm! Now my arm isn't quite fully healed yet, but my doctor has been saying it's nearly there. The fact of the matter is that I am in the middle of the greatest Overdrive Championship reign in the history of APW, and to forfeit the title now would just be a grave disservice to the title. I have worked too hard and too long to just let the Overdrive Championship fall by the way side. Even you have to admit, Lester, that in terms of prestige, the Overdrive Championship is second only to the APW Undisputed Championship. That, and I really want to be able to call myself the APW Undisputed Overdrive Champion! I'm just being honest!”
“It's funny, Lester, how you spend so much time questioning my heart, questioning my abilities heading into this match, only to end up saying in the end that you won't underestimate me. You spent so much time saying I wasn't worthy of this title match, saying that I was too much of a coward to actually show up, saying that you are so much better than me, just to negate all of you big talk by saying that you won't underestimate me. That is the most telling thing you had to say during your whole overlong, overwrought speech, because what it comes down to, Lester, is that you think that I am capable of defeating you. And I can use that to my advantage. You made a point to mention that I think I know you pretty well inside and out of the ring, and I would venture to say that I feel like you think you know me pretty good as well. And because you know me well, because you believe that I am capable of pinning your shoulders to the mat for the one-two-three, that gives me all sorts of leverage in playing mind games with you in that ring that you simply don't have over me. I don't have to question the fact whether you can beat me or not, because I already know that the answer is yes. But you have doubt in your mind. Can he beat me? What would he do to be able to beat me? These are surely questions you're asking yourself heading into our match. Sure, your doubt may be directed towards me and not yourself, but it's still doubt, and I specialize in capitalizing on any and all doubt my opponents may have.”
Biggs pauses a bit to itch his arm right beneath the cast, before continuing to speak.
“If my last point seemed a little obtuse to you, Lester, well, it's meant to be. Because Lester, you said it yourself, I'm very intelligent, and I do kind of have a weakness for spelling out my game plans well before the match. The fact is, Level-One, I know that I'm going to have to wrestle the match of my life to be able to beat you, but I'm going to make sure that you'll have to wrestle the match of yours to be able to beat me!”
“Now I know earlier that I said I wasn't going to toot my own horn and list off my accomplishments, but the fact of the matter is, Lester Only, I think you need to hear them again! This may be my first time headlining an APW pay-per-view, but it's certainly not the first time I've wrestled for the top belt in an organization! I am a former CJMB Million Dollar Champion, a former GWE Tag Team Champion, the current and greatest APW Overdrive Champion, a former AWE World Heavyweight Champion, and a former GWE Heavyweight Champion! I know that these accomplishments mean little or nothing to you, Lester, but I bring them up to remind you that I do have what it takes to be the top guy! And since you made it a point to mention the Experts Extreme Tournament: Siberia, bringing up the fact that supposedly more people were talking about the fact that you lost out in the first round than my unexpected run to the top 8, let me remind you of the fact that I beat not just one, but two World Champions enroute to the Quarter Finals! The fact of the matter is that it doesn't matter how many more people may have talked about you, especially considering that what they were saying wasn't very nice, what matters is that I made it further than you did that particular year. Sure, you may have won it all a few years back, I don't take that away from you at all. But please, don't try and discount what I was able to accomplish just to assuge your ego in regards to what is thus far the second biggest failure of your career!”
At this point, Biggs cups his mouth and leans in towards the camera, like he's telling a secret.
”The biggest failure, in case you're wondering, is dropping the APW Undisputed Championship, not once, but twice to Pence Weatherlight. I mean, you must still be horribly embarrassed by both those losses, Lester.”
Biggs sits back up to normal.
“Also, I think you've probably noticed the fact that I've spent very little time acknowledging your rather crass remarks about me and my wife, it's because, quite frankly, I've decided not to respond to the stuff that just makes you sound stupid. Remember when you came over to my place to train prior to RassleMania? Remember all the kind words you had to say to my wife, remember how you complimented her for the amazing sandwiches she made for us? I don't want to think that all of that was just a lie on your part, Lester. I'd really like to think that you're a better man than that. I know your fans sure hope are. Because otherwise, they'll will have been cheering a fraud, who is only using their support and adulation for his own personal gain. Although I guess I've already kind of established this point when I said you were becoming the next Pence Weatherlight.”
“Whether you're truly looking out for the fans or yourself, it doesn't really matter, what matters is that very shortly, you and I will be facing off for the biggest prize in all of wrestling! You may tell yourself that I don't stand a chance, but we already know that you think differently. I know that my margin of error in our contest is razor thin. I realize that I must be on the very top of my game come Test for the Best, but the fact is that I have waited for far too long to be denied becoming the Undisputed Champion on July 3rd! You derided me for waiting so long, but the fact is that I had to press the issue! I wasn't be given any opportunities, so I had to make my own. Was it brash? Yes. Was it underhanded? You bet. But did I have to do what I did in order to get a shot at the proverbial brass ring? The answer to that question is absolutely, without a doubt, yes! And you can bet that I will do absolutely anything that I must in order to gain possession of the APW Undisputed Championship. Just remember, Lester, when it's all said and done, you asked for this.”
“You've been saying for a long time that you wanted me to face you in the Main Event of a pay-per-view, that you wanted me to challenge you for your title, which doesn't quite mesh with your earlier statements of me not being worthy of a title shot, but that's beside the point. Up until now, my hands have been tied, as there were other contenders, but now that I get my chance, I can guarantee I'll make the most of it. Because Sunday, July 3rd is the Test for the Best, and once I pass the test that is defeating you, you will have no choice but to call me the Best!”
First Contact fades to black, with the APW logo and copyright flashing across the bottom of the screen.
