Don Costantino: Hey Antonio…I don’t have all day. You’ve been bugging me out lately. Last night you ran out of the hotel like a mad man when you heard someone at the door. And, it was only maid. I don’t understand you lately. And what are you doing now…are you going in or do you just really like the outside of the building?
Antonio Romano: Shut up Don Costantino. It stinks here…I just got to get ready for the horrible smell and then I’ll go in.
*Truth is Antonio had no idea why he was hesitating to go in. He had no idea why he even had his manager stop here. Antonio is still pissed from what happened at this past Havoc and was given a tip that his brother were staying in this building. Antonio wanted nothing more than to go right in, find the idiot and tear him limb from limb but at the last second he blurted out to Don Costantino to come here. Don Costantino didn’t protest at first. He figured Antonio had a reason and so he went along with it. But now Antonio’s buddy and agent were growing impatient and Antonio couldn’t find the words to explain why he was here. He needed to find something…to hear something but he didn’t know what. Finally Antonio took a deep breath and pushed the big, wooden doors open.*
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*Inside the gym there were very few people still working out. The kid, Kenny that Antonio had met wasn’t on right now and he didn’t recognize any of the patrons. Antonio scanned the area looking for something but he couldn’t find it. Suddenly, it found him. And it walked right up behind him and took him by surprise.*
Gus: So you came back for more kiddo?
Antonio Romano: MERDA! You scared the crap out of me. You should wear a cow bell or something.
Gus: And you shouldn’t be so obvious. I won one hundred smackers by predicting you’d show up again. Still looking for the answers huh?
Antonio Romano: What? What crack have you been smoking? Look I came here because I wanted to thank you for the other night. I have more desire to French kiss a donkey’s ass than I do to see my brother.
Gus: Yeah what was that whole scene about?
Antonio Romano: Don’t ask. Anyway, that’s the only reason I came back.
Gus: HORSE SHYT! I may have been born at night but it sure wasn’t the other night kiddo. You came here for the same reason you use to team with that idiot Bryan Deas. The same reason you are going after the HWA World Heavyweight Championship and the same reason you hunted your opponents like a tiger.
Antonio Romano: Yup...and you’re obviously off your meds. Look I got to go.
Gus: Do you remember what you said before you left? You said that you owe me. Well I’m cashing in right now. I got a steam room right over here. Go and get a towel and get your six-foot one ass inside. I’ll join you in a second. Things become clearer in the steam.
Antonio Romano: Ok but if I catch one glimpse of your naked ass I’m walking.
*Antonio grabs a towel and walks into the room as he pulls off his coat. Gus smiles and then walks over to a thermostat. He cracks the heat up and then follows Antonio inside. We cut to inside the steam room. Both men are sitting there in towels and sweating profusely. Antonio keeps nervously glancing at Gus but Gus doesn’t even open his eyes. With his eyes still tightly shut, he speaks to Antonino.*
Gus: Well, you’ve now had ample time to think it over! Do you blame yourself?
Antonio Romano: Blame myself for what?
Gus: For what happened to Santa! I mean you did manage to put him through hell when you beat the hell out of him, don’t you feel the least bit guilty? You know he isn’t like you. He’s no shark…he was a guppy, a guppy that someone saw no use for any longer. He never swam in the big oceans like the mighty wrestling icon. He is just a kid. A kid who got a taste of too much fame and too soon because someone rushed him up a level he wasn’t ready to play at yet. He was there solely to ensure that you would have a buffer between him and the rest of the HWA guys.
Antonio Romano: OK THAT’S ENOUGH. If you think I’m going to sit here and listen to all this bullshit you’re out of your ####ing mind. I don’t have a conscience. Santa is a jackass...he is a jackass for thinking he is this big badass when really he is a pussy like Buff Bridges. Speaking of that b###h, at Havoc Buff Bridges is going to learn that you DO NOT #### with Antonio Romano.
*Antonio Romano stands up but suddenly falls back down. He gets dizzy and puts his head back against the wall and closes his eyes for a second.*
Antonio Romano: Wow it’s hot in here. I can’t even see straight. You always keep it THIS hot in here?
Gus: Heat is good for cutting through the bullshit and getting to the truth. What is the truth here Antonio? What kind of a man are you? Do you even know yet?
*The words bounced around in Antonio’s head as he struggled to breathe in the heat. Antonio had no idea what kind of a man he was…he was pretty sure he was the wrestling icon and that was enough. Ready to tear the head off Buff Bridges off his shoulders he opened his eyes and was startled. In front of him stood none other than himself in full wrestling gear he stared back at himself.*
Antonio Romano: How....how is this possible? You’re me!
“No....I would never want to be you, you ####ing coward. Thank god Buff Bridges is going to tear you up at Havoc.”
Antonio Romano: That b###h, I am so ####ing sick of hearing about him. I’ll show the world who the best there is..... Buff Bridges will fall before me just like the others have. I’m better than he is; I’m the best of all time. Everything I do is too good to be true.
“Are you trying to convince me or yourself?”
Antonio Romano: I wasn’t trying to convince anyone. I was stating a fact to you-you crazy b###h.
“Am I crazy? You’re the one talking to yourself! So why target Buff Bridges? Trying to get under his skin....trying to take him out? You know you aren’t good enough as you are to beat him without help! And you want to win the precious HWA World Championship.”
Antonio Romano: That’s crap! I can easily beat Buff Bridges and I will. He is the one that wants to #### with me and I am going to show him that is the worst thing that he could EVER do.
“So I’ve been hearing since you got the match. You keep telling yourself that you are going to maim him but that isn’t the only thing you want, there must be something else you want. What is it?”
Antonio Romano: I....I don’t know!
“You’re an evil man but even you feel guilt. You hurt from the burden of responsibility. Your friend died in no small part due to you. And you can’t bring yourself to shed a tear. Would you have done anything differently if you had it to do over again? If your agent dies next will it matter as long as you keep surviving? In the silence of your mind what does your heart cry out when the heat of battle is upon you? What is in your eyes when you stare back at yourself in the mirror? Isn’t your fellow roster members simply tools you use to get to the top?”
Antonio Romano: NO! It’s not like that!
“Yes it is...you don’t care about them. You hype them up with that charisma of yours and lead them like a lamb to the slaughter. You only care about you and that stupid pipe. Who talks to a pipe Antonio? What kind of a man are we? You know you can use the HWA roster until they become useless to you, you are going to run them all ragged until they are dead.”
Antonio Romano: Hell no, they aren’t just my roster mates...they are my friends. Besides, I would never do that to them or anyone for that matter.
“But does it matter who it is as long as it isn’t you? In the end who you are is who you are. It’s time you figure it out! And if you want to be destined for greatness then isn’t it about time you reached for it. Don’t be scared of Buff Bridges, embrace the challenge. It’s only the first of a road, which is about to open before you. It’s time for a change. And Antonio…you should really wake up kiddo!”
*Antonio’s head is spinning. He is lying on the floor of the steam room but the heat is off. Gus is shaking his shoulders and he wakes up.*
Gus: You should really wake up kiddo too much soul searching in one day isn’t too good for you, so how you feeling?
Antonio Romano: What did you do to me?
Gus: Nothing really! Just a little soul searching in the heat is all. Find the answers you needed?
Antonio Romano: I think so. But I also found a whole new set of questions.
Gus: Yeah life’s a b###h like that. So now you go and you take the fight to Buff Bridges and you remember what you truly are, a survivor and a warrior. And a cutthroat!
Antonio Romano: Look, why are you helping me?
Gus: Well, let’s just say I got my reasons.
*Before Antonio can protest he hears a familiar scream. His brother has found him again. He’s inside the gym and screaming his name. He stares at Gus.*
Gus: I guess you’re going to owe me again. I’ll go and cut him off. When you hear me say... "Let’s look over here", then you run out of here like mad man.
*Antonio nods and Gus heads outside. Antonio listens and finally hears the code and takes off like a bat out of hell. He runs so fast that his towel flies off and he is naked. His ass shakes behind him as he takes off through the doors. He runs towards Don Costantino.*
Don Costantino: There you are! What took so long…where the hell are your clothes?
Antonio Romano: No time....drive.....just ####ing drive!
Don Costantino: Just don’t let your balls touch the leather seats dammit!
*Don Costantino starts the car and Antonio hops onto the hood as it peels off. Antonio is hanging on for dear life and they fly by a little girl standing with her mom.*
Little Girl: Mommy...why was there a naked man on top of a car with some guy driving fast?
Mother: I don’t know. I guess Brokeback Mountain is shooting a sequel here!
*Antonio is hanging on but at least he feels a little peace. He has some answers and for the first time Buff Bridges seems like a first step rather than the last curtain call. Now all that remains is to defeat him and work his way to a shot at winning the HWA World Championship. Well, that and to stay away from his damned brother.*
TO BE CONTINUED…
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