Lassiter's Reckoning

[Stu]

*** the PWA fans cheer as RONNIE LASSITER climbs into the ring, mic in hand. The big man looks around with a slight smile and a determined look in his eyes. As the cheers die down, he begins to speak ***

RONNIE LASSITER: "Well, here we are again. Time for the big stage, and, well, it really is all thanks to you guys."

*** an appreciative cheer goes up; Lassiter waits for it to die down again before he continues. ***

RL: "Whatever we do in the ring, whatever we may say, if it wasn't for y'all being there, buying tickets, merch … if it wasn't for y'all giving a man another chance to do right by y'all …"

*** another cheer ***

RL: " … and right by myself, I sure wouldn't be here. So I wanna say "Thank you" for that. Y'all are …"

*** as another cheer goes up, Lassiter grins, looks down for a moment, wipes at his eye ***

RL: "So now, I need to do right by y'all. I have done my best to make things right, but there is one more thing. Mr. Black, I ain't blaming you for my choices. They were mine, and I'll own to that. However, you were part of that choice. You were part of me making a choice that I regret, a choice wherein I let down myself, our fans … my mentor ,,, and wrestling.

"So, Mr. Black, I need one more match. I want to go one-on-one with you. Going along with you is the last demon I need to face down before I can look myself in the eye again, before I can hold my head up before our fans again.

"So that's it. No titles, no stipulations, no thing like that. Just a test, bell to bell, to show these people, once and for all … to show myself … what Ronnie Lassiter is made of."