NOW WE GET TO MEET THE REAL YOU
From one backstage area, we cut to… another area backstage.
Eddie Cross: There you are, you crooked smile prick!
Eddie Cross had been searching for most of the show, and finally found his target. Tony Gamble, 100% That Son of a Bitch, saw EC coming and narrowed his eyes.
Tony Gamble: You sound upset, was the princess in another castle?
Eddie Cross: You know damn well why I am upset, you sucker punching asshole. Couldn’t resist getting into it after my match could you?
Eddie gets so close to Tony he can smell the pastrami on rye that he ate for lunch. Notably absent is Dave Gibson.
Eddie Cross: I have to admit that I really want to settle this right here right now, but I think that’s exactly what you want. If I take you out, you can slink around and play this game of being a victimized thorn in my side, but that’s not the Tony Gamble I want to fight.
Tony nods, then crosses his arms and leans back against the wall.
Tony Gamble: You’d rather fight the Ukulele player, am I right? I mean, of all the Tony Gamble’s in the world, that’s the one I’d want to fight. Guy looks like a total loser, and everyone knows only overweight Samoans play the ukulele.
Eddie wrinkles his nose.
Eddie Cross: I am going to let that cultural insult go, this time. No, Tony, I want the original bastard of PRIME. The multi-time champion. The Hall of Famer.
He looks Gamble up and down.
Eddie Cross: When I heard you were back I was pretty excited. When I was a kid, I thought you were pretty awesome and I told myself if I ever did this for a living, I wanted a shot at that guy. But now that you’re standing here in front of me… Hiding behind your lackeys? Selling tee shirts and mouthing off on Jabber? What happened to you, bruh? Is this really just who you are now?
Tony Gamble: So you adored me before adoring me was cool…
Tony places his hand to his chest, the cheshire like grin wide on his face as he mouths the words… “Thank you.”
Eddie looks confused as though he can’t believe Gamble is so self centered that was all he heard.
Eddie Cross: I think you missed the operative part of that statement where I…
Tony Gamble: Did you have posters of me on your wall?
Eddie is clearly not happy with Tony cutting him off, especially with such a ridiculous question.
Tony Gamble: Or action figures…Did they have action figures of me?
The Grin waves off the question.
Tony Gamble: Who am I kidding, of course they did. Of course you did, because you adored me. I was probably a father figure for you, so that explains a lot. Do you play the ukulele?
Eddie Cross: Tony, shut the fuck up for thirty seconds and listen to something besides the sound of your own voice.
He pulls off his game glasses and stares a hole in his diminutive counterpart.
Eddie Cross: WAS. Once upon a time. No longer. Now you’re just a turd that refuses to flush. And the sad thing? You are either in denial or worse you know it and aren’t trying to do a damn thing about it.
Gamble stands there silent for a few more seconds, his gaze not really focused on Eddie, but something behind him – over his left shoulder. The only thing there though, is a wall with white paint starting to flake off.
Tony Gamble: Okay, I listened, but I don’t remember what you were talking about before besides you sleeping in Tony Gamble pajamas…so none of that made any sense. It sounded like you were talking about how I won’t go down without a fight though, and I have to say that I agree with you. I’m pretty damn resilient.
Tony’s eyes suddenly shift, and his brow furrows as he stands up straight and makes his way closer to Eddie. His glare never wavering, he leans in close and whispers.
Tony Gamble: If you ever want me to autograph a poster, or even those ridiculous glasses in your hand, you can always come by the locker room. It’s also okay to come to the dark side, I’ll even save you a tee shirt.
EC sighs and steps back.
Eddie Cross: You’re impossible. Let me be clear; Those days are over, Tony. I see you for what you really are now… just another member of this roster. So I’m going to say this one time: I’m going to find the real you and make that guy fight me.
Eddie puts his glasses back on and takes a deep breath.
Eddie Cross: I think by now I have established I’m not a liar and I don’t make idle threats. Between you and me? I kinda hope you have the balls to find him yourself.
Before Eddie leaves he turns back and takes a moment to leave Gamble with a final thought.
Eddie Cross: They didn’t have action figures of you. I had to draw a scar on my Dad’s GI Joe. He was pretty pissed off.
We then cut back to the ring.