Post by Dave D-Flipz on Jun 14, 2020 17:40:18 GMT -5
: "Thanks for getting back to me so quickly Barbara. I know this whole spring has been a huge hassle for everyone. Especially home in Seattle."
*The scene opens with Death Trap sitting in the American Airlines Arena lobby for SWAT Battleground #28 in Dallas. He is on the phone with someone. Apparently Barbara.*
: "Yes I was a little concerned about the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in the city center. But you guys are far enough away and the people of Seattle are generally classy citizens. I’m sure everything there will work out fine despite what he federal government is spitting out of their machine at people."
*He pauses again and then smiles*
: "Oh it’s really no problem, I know money is an issue for lots of folks in the pandemic. But as an XHF and MCCW employee doing extra shows recently I felt I could give back by sending in the money for the spring and summer rent and fees up front and then donate to a few causes as well. Trying to do my part to give back and actually put my money where my mouth is. Can’t be a champion for the people and not help the people. I assume pops is doing ok?"
*As DT listens to the response he is shining up his MCCW World Heavyweight title belt.*
: "That’s fantastic, I’m glad you guys were able to get him and momma to stop pestering me about that sarcastic stuff I used to mock that Zoran guy. And yes I can reassure you he is NOT related to me. He’s not even Italian. I just wish my ... ahem … nephew … Tony had been more forthcoming with you. He has always been the black sheep of the family. Bit of a nuisance, but you know every Italian American family knows going in that when you name your child Anthony, you are asking for problems. They are ALL troublemakers."
*He sits back and looks like he is taking in what Barbara is saying*
: "Yes I’m SURE his heart was in the right place and it did allow me to get my parents to Quail Park of Lynnwood. I just wish Anthony was a little less loose with his words and actions. He could have really caused problems with that stunt. I’m just glad he didn’t do anything malicious! He has a history of that you know."
*He smiles as the reply comes*
: "Haha yes of course, we truly can’t choose our family can we? Ok thanks for the update, glad the check got to you in all this craziness. Just uh … don’t let momma into the kitchen … it would ruin the diets of all the clients. She doesn’t know the meaning of low fat … or low carb … or healthy. It’ll taste great though! Ok thanks again … yes buh bye."
*He pushes the end call button and then spins on the bench to face the camera. He pockets the phone and then puts his hands together as if in thought*
: "It’s funny, I was going to come here to SWAT and try to convince everyone that Caffrey is still the same Caffrey as he always has been. You’ve been here a few years now, actively competing in the network longer than I have since my return. And the entire time it’s always … ALWAYS been about furthering Anthony Caffrey. And you have no problem being equally as loud-mouthed as I am to make sure everyone knows to pay attention to Anthony Caffrey. There seemed to be nothing you held sacred other than being on top if for no other reason than to stick it to those beneath you. And so I poked the bear. Let’s be frank I’ve made a career off of somehow making dumb decisions into entertainment gold. Sometimes at my own expense. So what risk was there? You were not going to be my friend in the rumble anyway. And I got out exactly what I expected. I got the predictable Anthony Caffrey. With the added bonus of finding a fantastic retirement community for my parents! Who AREN’T ZORAN! I can’t stress that enough. Thanks to that psychopath I’ll be picking Lego out of my back and wrist for years. Thankfully his attempts to maim me were as reliable as he was. No permanent injuries, no career ending wrist explosion syndrome. Just a week of soreness and a prescription for aloe vera burn cream."
*He rubs his left wrist which is still red but seems no worse for wear.*
: "Caffrey, right. Caffrey gave me exactly what I thought I would get when I goaded his reply to me. I was convinced he had no scrap of decency within him. I mean he missed the chance to CALL me a joke instead of just insulting my … refined … sense of humor."
*The cameraman coughs*
: "Hey no comments from the peanut gallery. You don’t know me SWAT camera guy. *he straightens up* I dug into the past and found some funny images that I thought showed a grand juxtaposition between what Caffrey puts out when he is reliant on public opinion and what he actually was when he didn’t need to care. Is he the dude in a human chocolate fondue fountain eating a mop? Or is he the bile filled, vengeful, arrogant violent asshole who tried to shatter Syberus’s legs for no reason other than pride … and cost himself a title in the process? I assumed the ol’ Cup of Caffrey shit was the anomaly. It was the façade."
*he nods his head and shrugs*
: "And he comes out and starts ripping on my home fed and our representation in the rumble. Which by the way, sure you won and Zoran … was there … nobody but Bloodied Fox came close to matching what DT did in the rumble. MCCW was there in force. Anyway, he comes out bragging about how people tell him his competition was lackluster but it SO WASN’T only to then turn the same argument on me. Trying to convince everyone that Jason Justice, champion in MCCW and AWF isn’t good competition. That Mistress Discipline who stood up to Hyperion and Jack Diamond alone for far longer than she had any right to is crap. That Leon Chant, trained by Rob Arnold and multi time champ in MCCW is worthless. Hell even that oddball Swann went out and won a world title in another fed you seem to respect. But because Caffrey isn’t there it’s not real wrestling."
*He is getting amped up again as he did at Call to Arms.*
: "And then … then he talked about Philadelphia. And something was different. The cynical old man in me wanted to call it false bravado and false pretense. But it wasn’t was it? Caffrey actually does somehow care about his home town and the people within. Color me shocked because it’s the first crack in the ass we’d seen … no that was definitely intentional. *he winks* It was heartfelt and honest. Only the TRULY blind or evil person could look at that and not see the actual care in your eyes, and hear it in your voice. But one glimmer of light doesn’t illumination make. You fought your ass off in the rumble … and helped Zoran try to screw everyone. And the only reason he didn’t succeed was you backstabbed HIM. Now I’m not gonna be the idiot who says backstabbing Zoran makes YOU the bad guy because let’s face it … Zoran is the epitome of the bad movie villain isn’t he? Goddamn Lego death matches …"
*He stands up and starts to walk back into the performer area of the arena*
: "But as you said yourself you expected to come out at the ANZAC cup after the rumble and be greeted with middle fingers. They weren’t cheering you, they were cheering Zoran failing, they just so happen to hate him more than you somehow. But it’s the sheer delusions that got to me. Winning the rumble just suddenly made you humble and lovable? You can understand how I’d be skeptical. You are after all, the chief asshole, the man behind the AVA (and you rip on my naming abilities), the guy who assaulted a retired wrestler to make a point to another, the guy who sold a man’s pride and joy to Mongo … MONGO OF ALL FUCKING PEOPLE! … just to be an asshole, the man who desecrated the tombstone of your foe’s girlfriend to get in their head, the man who got your former ally kicked out of the fed you loved when it was in need of talent just because he wasn’t quite as good a boot-licker as you’d hoped. Anthony Caffrey pre-2020 rumble was just about the worst human being the XHF Network had ever seen. And we saw Bobby Barratt commit a ‘hate crime’ and Hyperion get hundreds of people to drink the Kool-Aid. LITERALLY!"
*He stops and really lets the literally linger as he looks into the camera.*
: "And suddenly here Caffrey is fresh off of benefitting from an old man bringing a literal army of minions, a literal robot, and an actual knife into the ring to cheat for you and him … thinking we suddenly forgot and he can just play it off as a phase … a lifelong phase … a phase he suddenly snapped out of because he has a title. Because when you had the AXW title you changed SO much right? Uh uh. I ain’t buying it, Caff. You don’t just get to come out and take advantage of a situation where you suddenly are the least horrible option among those presented and claim it makes you a saint."
*DT tosses his hat onto his head and unbuttons his dress shirt to start getting ready for a pre-match routine.*
: "Oh and lay off the hat. It’s stylish and I need SOMETHING to hide the scars and balding. Maybe it was the only hat I could find in the lost and found on my way out of ECF back in the day and it ended up in all my publicity photos and now it’s synonymous with me and I can’t get rid of it …"
*He coughs and regains his composure and fixes the hat on his head*
: "Caff I need you to understand … I get that people can change. But not this much this fast. I don’t … buy … you. You were the scummiest scum of the Earth and suddenly letting Zoran get dumped and then kicking Jack out of the Rumble makes you the great and peaceful Buddha. It’s a tough pill to swallow. When I come out here to cheers from the fans it’s because I spent the last few years of my XHF career making amends for being an insufferable prick. It’s because I gave and I gave and I gave until I gave so much of me I wasn’t even in my right mind for YEARS! The fans got to get to know me and like me and see what the real DT is about. So you can excuse me if I don’t just fall and pray at the house of Caffrey based on you coming out here and acting like the world is a new and different place and you are a new and better man. And you can see the cracks in the persona. The old Caff peeking through. If you want to prove you are a changed man you can’t just be all PR moves and being nice to the camera."
*He pops his MCCW title around his waist now that he’s in his workout pants and a gym shirt. Hiding those money abs.*
: "The minute Linda started talking about her feud with Zoran instead of her match with you suddenly you are going off. Gotta be the center of attention. Hell I’m the Main Attraction and you don’t even see me snap like that. And it sucks because you noticed that slip, you saw the cracks forming in your new porcelain persona. And you apologized … a formulaic political ploy. And here’s the shitty part. The ACTUAL call you made during that apology to make yourself look good? I agree. It’s kinda hard to turn off that side of me that wants justice and for all my many fans to be treated equally. And even there you couldn’t resist the one heckler could you?"
*he clicks his tongue and shakes his head. He shrugs*
: "You can’t turn off the asshole on a whim Caff. You gotta work for it and EARN the respect and own the change. And as far as I can see you haven’t gotten there. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t buy that you reformed into this bastion of justice. Ironic that you suddenly feel the need to be this white knight right before facing a man the fans clearly value more. Gotta be the bigger man right Tony?"
*He starts to stretch*
: "Here’s the simple details Caffrey. You have something I want. And you are not going to get in my head with the nice guy act. You can spout all the wholesome stuff you want, play the same cards every politician looking to be elected says just to get votes, but it is going to take action to prove you have changed. Tonight you can assume I will be expecting you to cheat. You can believe I will be ready for it. So prove me wrong, I dare you, I’d be HAPPY to admit I was wrong if you can just live the change! But until you do more than just ta;k a nice game again, or wax nostalgic for your home and old show … it ain’t enough. Instead you can prove it by being a gracious loser and shaking my hand when I beat you tonight."
*He stops and stands up straight for a last word as the camera fades*
: "OH! And way to bust that wheel you colossal ass! Coulda auctioned that shit off to support those causes you’ve been claiming to support the last two shows. Geez. Such an ass…"
*Fade*
*The scene opens with Death Trap sitting in the American Airlines Arena lobby for SWAT Battleground #28 in Dallas. He is on the phone with someone. Apparently Barbara.*
: "Yes I was a little concerned about the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone in the city center. But you guys are far enough away and the people of Seattle are generally classy citizens. I’m sure everything there will work out fine despite what he federal government is spitting out of their machine at people."
*He pauses again and then smiles*
: "Oh it’s really no problem, I know money is an issue for lots of folks in the pandemic. But as an XHF and MCCW employee doing extra shows recently I felt I could give back by sending in the money for the spring and summer rent and fees up front and then donate to a few causes as well. Trying to do my part to give back and actually put my money where my mouth is. Can’t be a champion for the people and not help the people. I assume pops is doing ok?"
*As DT listens to the response he is shining up his MCCW World Heavyweight title belt.*
: "That’s fantastic, I’m glad you guys were able to get him and momma to stop pestering me about that sarcastic stuff I used to mock that Zoran guy. And yes I can reassure you he is NOT related to me. He’s not even Italian. I just wish my ... ahem … nephew … Tony had been more forthcoming with you. He has always been the black sheep of the family. Bit of a nuisance, but you know every Italian American family knows going in that when you name your child Anthony, you are asking for problems. They are ALL troublemakers."
*He sits back and looks like he is taking in what Barbara is saying*
: "Yes I’m SURE his heart was in the right place and it did allow me to get my parents to Quail Park of Lynnwood. I just wish Anthony was a little less loose with his words and actions. He could have really caused problems with that stunt. I’m just glad he didn’t do anything malicious! He has a history of that you know."
*He smiles as the reply comes*
: "Haha yes of course, we truly can’t choose our family can we? Ok thanks for the update, glad the check got to you in all this craziness. Just uh … don’t let momma into the kitchen … it would ruin the diets of all the clients. She doesn’t know the meaning of low fat … or low carb … or healthy. It’ll taste great though! Ok thanks again … yes buh bye."
*He pushes the end call button and then spins on the bench to face the camera. He pockets the phone and then puts his hands together as if in thought*
: "It’s funny, I was going to come here to SWAT and try to convince everyone that Caffrey is still the same Caffrey as he always has been. You’ve been here a few years now, actively competing in the network longer than I have since my return. And the entire time it’s always … ALWAYS been about furthering Anthony Caffrey. And you have no problem being equally as loud-mouthed as I am to make sure everyone knows to pay attention to Anthony Caffrey. There seemed to be nothing you held sacred other than being on top if for no other reason than to stick it to those beneath you. And so I poked the bear. Let’s be frank I’ve made a career off of somehow making dumb decisions into entertainment gold. Sometimes at my own expense. So what risk was there? You were not going to be my friend in the rumble anyway. And I got out exactly what I expected. I got the predictable Anthony Caffrey. With the added bonus of finding a fantastic retirement community for my parents! Who AREN’T ZORAN! I can’t stress that enough. Thanks to that psychopath I’ll be picking Lego out of my back and wrist for years. Thankfully his attempts to maim me were as reliable as he was. No permanent injuries, no career ending wrist explosion syndrome. Just a week of soreness and a prescription for aloe vera burn cream."
*He rubs his left wrist which is still red but seems no worse for wear.*
: "Caffrey, right. Caffrey gave me exactly what I thought I would get when I goaded his reply to me. I was convinced he had no scrap of decency within him. I mean he missed the chance to CALL me a joke instead of just insulting my … refined … sense of humor."
*The cameraman coughs*
: "Hey no comments from the peanut gallery. You don’t know me SWAT camera guy. *he straightens up* I dug into the past and found some funny images that I thought showed a grand juxtaposition between what Caffrey puts out when he is reliant on public opinion and what he actually was when he didn’t need to care. Is he the dude in a human chocolate fondue fountain eating a mop? Or is he the bile filled, vengeful, arrogant violent asshole who tried to shatter Syberus’s legs for no reason other than pride … and cost himself a title in the process? I assumed the ol’ Cup of Caffrey shit was the anomaly. It was the façade."
*he nods his head and shrugs*
: "And he comes out and starts ripping on my home fed and our representation in the rumble. Which by the way, sure you won and Zoran … was there … nobody but Bloodied Fox came close to matching what DT did in the rumble. MCCW was there in force. Anyway, he comes out bragging about how people tell him his competition was lackluster but it SO WASN’T only to then turn the same argument on me. Trying to convince everyone that Jason Justice, champion in MCCW and AWF isn’t good competition. That Mistress Discipline who stood up to Hyperion and Jack Diamond alone for far longer than she had any right to is crap. That Leon Chant, trained by Rob Arnold and multi time champ in MCCW is worthless. Hell even that oddball Swann went out and won a world title in another fed you seem to respect. But because Caffrey isn’t there it’s not real wrestling."
*He is getting amped up again as he did at Call to Arms.*
: "And then … then he talked about Philadelphia. And something was different. The cynical old man in me wanted to call it false bravado and false pretense. But it wasn’t was it? Caffrey actually does somehow care about his home town and the people within. Color me shocked because it’s the first crack in the ass we’d seen … no that was definitely intentional. *he winks* It was heartfelt and honest. Only the TRULY blind or evil person could look at that and not see the actual care in your eyes, and hear it in your voice. But one glimmer of light doesn’t illumination make. You fought your ass off in the rumble … and helped Zoran try to screw everyone. And the only reason he didn’t succeed was you backstabbed HIM. Now I’m not gonna be the idiot who says backstabbing Zoran makes YOU the bad guy because let’s face it … Zoran is the epitome of the bad movie villain isn’t he? Goddamn Lego death matches …"
*He stands up and starts to walk back into the performer area of the arena*
: "But as you said yourself you expected to come out at the ANZAC cup after the rumble and be greeted with middle fingers. They weren’t cheering you, they were cheering Zoran failing, they just so happen to hate him more than you somehow. But it’s the sheer delusions that got to me. Winning the rumble just suddenly made you humble and lovable? You can understand how I’d be skeptical. You are after all, the chief asshole, the man behind the AVA (and you rip on my naming abilities), the guy who assaulted a retired wrestler to make a point to another, the guy who sold a man’s pride and joy to Mongo … MONGO OF ALL FUCKING PEOPLE! … just to be an asshole, the man who desecrated the tombstone of your foe’s girlfriend to get in their head, the man who got your former ally kicked out of the fed you loved when it was in need of talent just because he wasn’t quite as good a boot-licker as you’d hoped. Anthony Caffrey pre-2020 rumble was just about the worst human being the XHF Network had ever seen. And we saw Bobby Barratt commit a ‘hate crime’ and Hyperion get hundreds of people to drink the Kool-Aid. LITERALLY!"
*He stops and really lets the literally linger as he looks into the camera.*
: "And suddenly here Caffrey is fresh off of benefitting from an old man bringing a literal army of minions, a literal robot, and an actual knife into the ring to cheat for you and him … thinking we suddenly forgot and he can just play it off as a phase … a lifelong phase … a phase he suddenly snapped out of because he has a title. Because when you had the AXW title you changed SO much right? Uh uh. I ain’t buying it, Caff. You don’t just get to come out and take advantage of a situation where you suddenly are the least horrible option among those presented and claim it makes you a saint."
*DT tosses his hat onto his head and unbuttons his dress shirt to start getting ready for a pre-match routine.*
: "Oh and lay off the hat. It’s stylish and I need SOMETHING to hide the scars and balding. Maybe it was the only hat I could find in the lost and found on my way out of ECF back in the day and it ended up in all my publicity photos and now it’s synonymous with me and I can’t get rid of it …"
*He coughs and regains his composure and fixes the hat on his head*
: "Caff I need you to understand … I get that people can change. But not this much this fast. I don’t … buy … you. You were the scummiest scum of the Earth and suddenly letting Zoran get dumped and then kicking Jack out of the Rumble makes you the great and peaceful Buddha. It’s a tough pill to swallow. When I come out here to cheers from the fans it’s because I spent the last few years of my XHF career making amends for being an insufferable prick. It’s because I gave and I gave and I gave until I gave so much of me I wasn’t even in my right mind for YEARS! The fans got to get to know me and like me and see what the real DT is about. So you can excuse me if I don’t just fall and pray at the house of Caffrey based on you coming out here and acting like the world is a new and different place and you are a new and better man. And you can see the cracks in the persona. The old Caff peeking through. If you want to prove you are a changed man you can’t just be all PR moves and being nice to the camera."
*He pops his MCCW title around his waist now that he’s in his workout pants and a gym shirt. Hiding those money abs.*
: "The minute Linda started talking about her feud with Zoran instead of her match with you suddenly you are going off. Gotta be the center of attention. Hell I’m the Main Attraction and you don’t even see me snap like that. And it sucks because you noticed that slip, you saw the cracks forming in your new porcelain persona. And you apologized … a formulaic political ploy. And here’s the shitty part. The ACTUAL call you made during that apology to make yourself look good? I agree. It’s kinda hard to turn off that side of me that wants justice and for all my many fans to be treated equally. And even there you couldn’t resist the one heckler could you?"
*he clicks his tongue and shakes his head. He shrugs*
: "You can’t turn off the asshole on a whim Caff. You gotta work for it and EARN the respect and own the change. And as far as I can see you haven’t gotten there. So you’ll excuse me if I don’t buy that you reformed into this bastion of justice. Ironic that you suddenly feel the need to be this white knight right before facing a man the fans clearly value more. Gotta be the bigger man right Tony?"
*He starts to stretch*
: "Here’s the simple details Caffrey. You have something I want. And you are not going to get in my head with the nice guy act. You can spout all the wholesome stuff you want, play the same cards every politician looking to be elected says just to get votes, but it is going to take action to prove you have changed. Tonight you can assume I will be expecting you to cheat. You can believe I will be ready for it. So prove me wrong, I dare you, I’d be HAPPY to admit I was wrong if you can just live the change! But until you do more than just ta;k a nice game again, or wax nostalgic for your home and old show … it ain’t enough. Instead you can prove it by being a gracious loser and shaking my hand when I beat you tonight."
*He stops and stands up straight for a last word as the camera fades*
: "OH! And way to bust that wheel you colossal ass! Coulda auctioned that shit off to support those causes you’ve been claiming to support the last two shows. Geez. Such an ass…"
*Fade*