Post by johnnydorn on Jan 24, 2021 4:59:17 GMT
Residence Inn near Dean Austin’s Six Shooter Saloon
Two nights before CPPW 4
Somewheresville, USA
The fluorescent lights above the sink burn hot and bright, and Johnny Dorn keeps his head bowed to the sink, hands gripping the porcelain ring of the bowl, palms pressed hard into the countertop.
“I fuckin’ had him.”
A sneer creeps up from the corner of Johnny’s mouth, audacious in its slowness.
“I fuckin’ had that ugly-ass hobgoblin on Black Friday, and what happened? I choked...and I got choked out.”
He balls his hand into a fist and slams it down, frustrated.
“Now look where I am. Right back where I started; bottom of the card, gotta prove to Big Tone that I can hack it, while cheery little soy-sniffin’ kiss-asses like Bembe Brightwell get a chance at a shot for the Cheap Pops World Title.
“And I bet that sits just fine with you, doesn’t it, Hatchet? You and that lil’ slag of yours, you’re just out here tryin’ to get back on your feet. A fight’s a fight, right? A body in front of you, four ropes, a bell and a ref. You’ve already written me off as a no-skill havin’, empty-headed party boy. Ain’t got a prayer against a dude who’s prison tough. I’m soft, I got shown-up against Mayfair, so how the fuck am I gonna last against the big fish in this rinky-dink promotion, huh?
“Well maybe...maybe you’re right...”
In a room across the hall…
“Bro, Johnny ain’t been right for weeks now…”
Jason takes a long swig from his Old Style and pitches it into a trash can near the hotel room’s desk, frowning as it bounces off the rim and rolls toward the entertainment center. Over by the window, some other guys and a bunch of girls drink and sway to indistinguishable house music. He opens the mini fridge, grabs another pisswater, and pops the tab.
“Ever since he lost that Battle Royal in Canada, then that match to Mayfair, he’s been up in his own head,” he continues. “He’s gotta snap out’ve it.”
“Tonight’ll do him some good,” Will replies. “We got the Ubers on the way, plenty of booze, gonna get wrecked at the Six Shooter. I hear they do bikini bull riding after midnight.”
“Too bad we couldn’t get permits for trolleys out here,” Jason says. “Remember the time Johnny organized a trolley crawl through Lincoln Park and Lakeview and it turned into a sex orgy? Good thing Jordan’s on the force and got us out of those charges or else we would’ve been fucked in a totally different way.”
“No kidding. I’m too fuckin’ pretty for jail. How about the time out by Recreation Drive when Johnny went drunk car surfing and got his ass cheek carved up? 24 stitches, didn’t even feel it.” Will shakes his head. “Still made it to Standing Room Only for the Cubbies LCS game the next day.”
“Listen, Johnny’s a trooper. A little good time with the boys and the girls is gonna get him back on the right track…”
Back to Johnny’s musings…
“Maybe you’re right, Hatchet, and maybe it’s time I start gettin’ a little more fuckin’ serious.
“Everybody always knows that I’m up for a good time, and there hasn’t been a whole lot in my life that I’ve been all that serious about. But I’ve finally gotten a taste of somethin’ that I think I’m not half bad at. And if there’s one thing that the fight with Conor Mayfair showed me, it’s that I’ve got a long ass way to go. I don’t like bein’ embarrassed. And yeah, losin’s part of this business, but I could’ve done more and I should’ve done more.
“Johnny Dorn’s no fuckin’ scrub.
“And I’m gonna prove that starting with you, Hatchet Gully, this week."
Johnny exits the bathroom, momentarily disappearing, then reappearing briefly with his wallet, phone, and jacket. He exits the room and makes his way down the hallway, past the room with the thumping music, where his friends are waiting for him to finish getting ready. He walks out of the hotel, across the parking lot, and the camera catches him in his full outfit - gym clothes - as he heads in the direction of an Anytime Fitness across the street.
Two nights before CPPW 4
Somewheresville, USA
The fluorescent lights above the sink burn hot and bright, and Johnny Dorn keeps his head bowed to the sink, hands gripping the porcelain ring of the bowl, palms pressed hard into the countertop.
“I fuckin’ had him.”
A sneer creeps up from the corner of Johnny’s mouth, audacious in its slowness.
“I fuckin’ had that ugly-ass hobgoblin on Black Friday, and what happened? I choked...and I got choked out.”
He balls his hand into a fist and slams it down, frustrated.
“Now look where I am. Right back where I started; bottom of the card, gotta prove to Big Tone that I can hack it, while cheery little soy-sniffin’ kiss-asses like Bembe Brightwell get a chance at a shot for the Cheap Pops World Title.
“And I bet that sits just fine with you, doesn’t it, Hatchet? You and that lil’ slag of yours, you’re just out here tryin’ to get back on your feet. A fight’s a fight, right? A body in front of you, four ropes, a bell and a ref. You’ve already written me off as a no-skill havin’, empty-headed party boy. Ain’t got a prayer against a dude who’s prison tough. I’m soft, I got shown-up against Mayfair, so how the fuck am I gonna last against the big fish in this rinky-dink promotion, huh?
“Well maybe...maybe you’re right...”
In a room across the hall…
“Bro, Johnny ain’t been right for weeks now…”
Jason takes a long swig from his Old Style and pitches it into a trash can near the hotel room’s desk, frowning as it bounces off the rim and rolls toward the entertainment center. Over by the window, some other guys and a bunch of girls drink and sway to indistinguishable house music. He opens the mini fridge, grabs another pisswater, and pops the tab.
“Ever since he lost that Battle Royal in Canada, then that match to Mayfair, he’s been up in his own head,” he continues. “He’s gotta snap out’ve it.”
“Tonight’ll do him some good,” Will replies. “We got the Ubers on the way, plenty of booze, gonna get wrecked at the Six Shooter. I hear they do bikini bull riding after midnight.”
“Too bad we couldn’t get permits for trolleys out here,” Jason says. “Remember the time Johnny organized a trolley crawl through Lincoln Park and Lakeview and it turned into a sex orgy? Good thing Jordan’s on the force and got us out of those charges or else we would’ve been fucked in a totally different way.”
“No kidding. I’m too fuckin’ pretty for jail. How about the time out by Recreation Drive when Johnny went drunk car surfing and got his ass cheek carved up? 24 stitches, didn’t even feel it.” Will shakes his head. “Still made it to Standing Room Only for the Cubbies LCS game the next day.”
“Listen, Johnny’s a trooper. A little good time with the boys and the girls is gonna get him back on the right track…”
Back to Johnny’s musings…
“Maybe you’re right, Hatchet, and maybe it’s time I start gettin’ a little more fuckin’ serious.
“Everybody always knows that I’m up for a good time, and there hasn’t been a whole lot in my life that I’ve been all that serious about. But I’ve finally gotten a taste of somethin’ that I think I’m not half bad at. And if there’s one thing that the fight with Conor Mayfair showed me, it’s that I’ve got a long ass way to go. I don’t like bein’ embarrassed. And yeah, losin’s part of this business, but I could’ve done more and I should’ve done more.
“Johnny Dorn’s no fuckin’ scrub.
“And I’m gonna prove that starting with you, Hatchet Gully, this week."
Johnny exits the bathroom, momentarily disappearing, then reappearing briefly with his wallet, phone, and jacket. He exits the room and makes his way down the hallway, past the room with the thumping music, where his friends are waiting for him to finish getting ready. He walks out of the hotel, across the parking lot, and the camera catches him in his full outfit - gym clothes - as he heads in the direction of an Anytime Fitness across the street.