Tuesday, May 17, 2007, New York City, New York
Trump International Hotel and Tower
Robert Lancaster was just about ready to leave the
Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City for the last time,
when
his mobile phone rang.
Everything was packed and shipped to a
warehouse until he had found a suitable place to call home.
He couldn’t stand sleeping another night
there. A hotel would suffice until a new
residence could be found.
That was the point of this impending trip,
amongst other things, to Toronto. It was
to be the first of many trips he had to take to amend his life.
The phone demanded attention however.
“Lancaster.”
“Mr. Lancaster, it’s Donald.”
The two men had exchanged words briefly in
the past, and were not even acquaintances, but he recognized the voice
of
Donald immediately.
“Donald, how are you…”
“Rob I’m fine.
Listen I just caught wind that you’re moving
out from my building…I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I’m sorry too Donald, but
you’ll
understand why. You’d not want to live
in the same place as you had with Ivana or Marla, I’d wager.”
“You got that damn well right. I wanted to say thank you for calling it home
though for these past few years, and I wish you all the best. Where is it you’re going…I heard Toronto
maybe.”
“Indeed, I’m going there to
check out some
property today.”
“You know I have a building going
up there
too.”
Lancaster’s lips formed a smile.
“Consider me your first tenant
once it’s
up.”
“Excellent.
All the best Rob.”
The two hung up and the Duke stopped, bag
in hand, and looked at his now emptied suite.
The memories again came flooding back for a
fleeting moment. He turned his back, and
closed the door; for good.
Tuesday, May 17, 2007, Toronto, Ontario
Spring sunlight shone through the high
level windowed façade of the mid-town Toronto Condominium
complex as Lancaster
entered. Stopping briefly to admire the rotunda of “The St. Clair,” a
newly
constructed addition to the trendy Canadian town, he drew his cell
phone from
his pocket, and dialed a familiar number. After a few rings, a voice on
the
other end answered hastily.
“Hello?”
“Thane, how the hell are ya?”
“Robert? I’m wonderful… how are
you doing?”
“Same shit, just another day.
Tell me,
where are you?”
“I’m at my new place… you know I
just moved
in a couple weeks ago. Still settling in, but it’s starting to take
shape. You
should come by sometime and see it… Where are you?”
“Oh…downstairs.”
“What do you mean downstairs?”
“In your building dumbass!”
“That kind of language isn’t going
to get
you invited up for afternoon tea, Robert. It might get you a beer
though.”
“In that case, why don’t you
come on down
and show me up.”
“I’ll be right there my friend.”
After a few moments, a nearby elevator
parted and Thane stepped out beckoning for his old friend to approach
and board
the mirrored lift. He immediately noticed Lancaster’s now growing hair
and
couldn’t help but observe that his blonde had gone distinctly silver in
tone.
Thane, grinning widely remarked, “Robert,
I’m glad to see your hair growing back in… although I’m sorry to be the
one to
warn you, that I’m not sure it’s growing quite as strongly in the back
there…”
“Yeah well…when one drinks as
much fine
alcohol as I do, things happen. Although I’ve heard it’s far less worse
than
what happens to Coke addicts.”
Groaning, Thane replied, “Yeah, if that
starts to happen to me, I’m thinking of calling up a relative or two to
acquire
myself a yarmulke to cover it with.”
“Oy… Or you could also just
switch to Diet.”
“Rob, you know better than to
think I’m
about to switch habits at this point and start drinking that swill.”
He puts his hands up defensively.
“Just thought I’d throw it out
there.”
The two continued to banter until they
reached the upper-level suite, and stepped into the room.
“Welcome to my new humble abode my
friend,
I’m glad to have you here as one of my first guests!”
“The pleasure is all mine. I
should have
brought a little housewarming gift.”
Waving his hand, Thane smiled warmly and
replied, “Not at all Rob, it’s
enough to have you around to see the place. It’s
been too long since we’ve been able to talk face-to-face. How is
everything
going back home? I’ve been very concerned about you, and about your
son, after
everything you’ve told me.”
“I appreciate it. Things are
going as well
as can be expected. Jim is still being constantly harassed on my behalf
by the media for interview requests.”
“I’ve had a few requests too, but
I told
them where to shove their requests…along with their heads.”
Lancaster chuckled in response. The two
then stepped into the den, and sat on adjoining leather chairs. After
the
requisite offers of refreshments, both had settled in, drinks in hand,
and
resumed their conversation.
“I can only hope that this
media interest
will eventually wane in the face of our stalwart stonewalling. The
wounds are
still fresh, still thinking of what she planned to do to my son and
what she
did to me during our so-called marriage. I am only glad that the bitch
is cold
in the ground now and out of my life forever.”
Lancaster sighs, and looks at his friend
with a slightly pained expression.
“Sorry.”
“Not at all…Not at all… I’m happy
we’re
face-to-face so I can help with some support and do what I can to lift
some of
this enormous weight you’re carrying, if I may. Obviously we can all be
glad
that the perpetrators are in jail, and that no lasting harm has come to
you or
your boy. You’ll get through this Robert… you’re strong, and you’ll
have any
support you need. As for Edward, that boy is so bright and lucky to be
surrounded by such a loving mother and father, that he too will no
doubt
continue to grow as a positive influence on the world.”
“God willing, yes.”
The men smiled, and clinked glasses over a
toast to their families.
“Although, I’m no
longer champion, I’m
grateful that I have a career in addition to family still. But speaking
of
which, are you done with OLW? The Iconoclasm has since collapsed
without our
presence. But I’m not sad over that.”
“I think I might finally be done.
To be
honest, the last time I was in the ring, I didn’t feel like I was
performing at
my best. If I can’t compete at the level I did when I was a champion,
I’m not
sure I want to. Also my life is finally getting re-established in the
city, and
I’ve been dabbling in some business ventures, seeing what my
non-wrestling
skills can do. I had a satisfying career, and I’ve got many good
friends to
boot. I’m just not sure I need it anymore.”
“Nobody is going to blame you,
or think
less of you for going down that path. I felt it after losing War Games.
I had
done all I could for the most part and knew that the time was at hand
to step
out of those boots.”
“When you look back at our mutual
careers,
I believe one could say that we’ve almost done just about everything
there was
to do. We’ve been to the top and back…”
“…and to hell and
back as well…”
“Indeed… Now Robert, not that I’m
not
thrilled to see you, and have the chance to show off my new pad, but
what, pray
tell, brought you to Toronto? Just HAD to take another opportunity to
peruse
the Shoe Museum?”
“As lovely as the Bata Shoe
Museum is, I
have my eye on some real estate here. I love Toronto, and you very well
know I
can’t go living in Trump’s New York building considering that was our
home. I
just left it as a master of fact. Besides
that though, I must admit that I am in need of a favour.”
Thane’s eyebrow perked at the thought of
his friend being in need. Seldom over the years, had Lancaster ever
sought any
favours from him, or anyone else. His interest piqued, he asked…
“The answer is yes. Now, what may
I do for
you?”
“I won’t reveal everything now,
but I would
appreciate it if you would join me and a few select others at my estate
in
Wessex on my birthday. It will be a black-tie affair.”
“So you’re saying I’ll have to
leave my
jeans at home? Can I at least bring my clip-on tie?”
“Only if you want your arse
thrown to the
curb, you be my guest. As you can see, I have different rules of
hospitality at
my home.”
Both men laughed, and grinned at each
other’s smart-ass remarks.
“Very well Robert, as I said, the
answer is
of course yes. I wouldn’t miss whatever this favour is, for the world.”
“Thank you Thane. I appreciate
it.”
With that, the two men stood, and shook
hands. Thane for his part put his hand on Lancaster’s shoulder and said
simply:
“I’ll see you in
June, but in the meantime,
stay in touch my friend.”