The CHAMPION

[Stu]

*** immediately after PWS Assault. BARTHOLOMEW BECKETT, showered and dressed in casual slacks, silk shirt, cashmere sweater, is leaving the locker room, his recently acquired title belt over his right shoulder. He smiles at it, buffs it a bit with a handkerchief, and then turns to see TERRY SCHNEIDER, mic in hand. ***

BECKETT: "Ah, Terrance! So good of you out to come, old boy. I accept."

SCBNEIDER: "Uh … what?"

BECKETT: "Your congratulations, of course, on finally bringing home the title, which has always been rightfully mine."

SCHNEIDER: "Um ... yes ... congratulations ... Mr. Beckett, since you are here, would you mind answering a few questions about your title win?"

BECKETT: "Correct, my good man, MY title win. What would you like to know? The thrill of the sting of battle? My strategy going in? What I plan to do with the good will that comes from being a champion and representative of the company?"

SCHNEIDER: "At the time of your title win, Spencer Watts had JUST WON the title from the Imperial Assassin. Damion Black then made an immediate title match between Watts and yourself. What went through your mind when you were called to face Spencer Watts for the title on such short notice? Did you consider yourself ready for a sudden title match?"

BECKETT: "A champion must always be ready to defend his title, Terrance, and to claim it to begin with. Now, Mr. Watts had just won it from a most formidable competitor in the Assassin, and congratulations to him for it. It was a hard fought contest. But what is it worth to win something if one cannot kerp it? I was pleased, even on such short and unexpected notice to test this new champion, and test him I most certainly did. He fell short, however, of my ability, my talent, my technique, my ambition, and, as you can now see, my championship."

SCHNEIDER: "I certainly do not want to take away from your title win, Mr. Beckett, but the unprecedented circumstances surrounding your victory, with Watts having to immediately defend his title and Damion Black's controversial overturn of a referee's ruling-"

BECKETT: ***Beckett whips his hand between Schneider's face and the mic*** "Terrace … the word 'unprecedented' is what the PWA has always been about, but when you say it that way … in a tone that implies some form of conspiracy … I must say that I do not appreciate it. Perhaps you think you are on the cusp of some manner of expose', I am unsure, but I urge you to bear in mind what happens to little men who try to expose what is not there … what I refer to as the Stossel Affect."

SCHNIEDER: "I-I-I-I do not mean to imply that you had anything to do with the controversy surrounding your title win, but you must see that your title reign will be under some scrutiny-"

BECKETT: "Oh, 'scrutiny,' is it? 'Controversy,' is it? Terrance, you may take your childish suspicions and choke on them! This interview is OVER!"

***Beckett storms off, shoving at the nervous reporter.***

TERRACE: "Aw, f*ck it …"