- A Man With No Existence -
Private Meeting
-[ The Butcher has stayed with Tomorrow Man on and off for about a week. Since his match last Sunday, The Butcher returned to San Francisco with a few more dollars in his pocket and a smile on his face. Sure, he didn�t win the Battle Royal but he could careless. His career has long since been over, and now that he�s practically forced back into it, he doesn�t care about titles or even winning. He just wants a piece of the man that destroyed his life and last Sunday, he got what he wanted. True, he and FroZtie both were tossed over the rope at the same time to lose the match, but afterward, The Butcher made sure that FroZtie understood his intentions. He picked FroZtie up like the sack of crap that he is, and power bombed him viciously through the announce table. If that doesn�t get the message across, well then FroZtie is as dumb as that kid you see wearing a red helmet and drooling all over the place. ]-
-[ Now that there is some normality back in The Butcher�s life, he will now try to win back Nikki�s heart. Zo� has remained with The Butcher and Tomorrow Man since she arrived because she hasn�t been ready to go back to her parents just yet. She feels sad for Jimmy Cortez because there really isn�t much she can do; while The Butcher on the other hand has been cheering up lately. He knows that he needs to speak with Nikki, without Cody being in the way, so that he can talk to her normally like he always has. The hardest part is finding Nikki alone. ]-
-[ Ever since The Butcher came to San Francisco, Cody has not been himself. Usually he�s confident to the point of cockiness, but now he�s almost become a stalker. He watches Nikki�s every move and tries to be with her every second of the day just so she can�t speak with The Butcher, for fear that he would lose her. Even his anonymous benefactor has noticed Cody�s paranoid attitude and has offered to have men follow Nikki and The Butcher and keep tabs on them. Cody agreed and calmed down a bit so he could actually get some work done. ]-
-[ The Butcher and Nikki have lived their lives without knowing that they are being trailed but The Butcher felt that he was being watched. He had no proof that he was being followed and he�ll probably never get any since these guys following him are the cream of the crop. So instead of him becoming paranoid himself, he turned his attention to Zo�. He wanted her to go back to her parents, not because he wanted to get rid of her, but because he knew she had to go back. He knows that she�s sticking around for him and he admires that, but there isn�t much she can do. So yesterday, he made Zo� promise that she would go back home as soon as he finally spoke with Nikki alone. She promised. And now the moment he was hoping for would come true today. ]-
-[ Zo� is behind the wheel of her car and The Butcher is sitting in the passenger seat next to her. They are downtown, parked across the street from the San Francisco Herald, waiting to possibly catch Nikki exit the building to go out and take pictures that would be in tomorrow�s newspaper. The Butcher is patiently waiting, but once again gets that feeling there are a set of extra eyes watching him, and there are. He looks around out the window but sees nothing that gives him a bad feeling. Zo� looks at her watch. ]-
Zo�:11:45. Should we leave for lunch?
The Butcher: No. That�s when I�ll catch her. Usually, she goes to work, gets her morning assignments, and goes out to take the pictures. Then she comes back to develop them and get her afternoon assignments. Most of the time she�ll break for lunch before she goes out to take more pictures.
Zo�:I see. Have you been stalking her every move or something?
-[ Zo� gives The Butcher a smart ass grin and he chuckles a bit. ]-
The Butcher: No. She used to do that back in New York. If I was in town, I�d meet her for lunch.
Zo�:I see.
-[ A few minutes pass as silence fills the car while they wait. Zo� hates waiting because she�s an impatient person, so she says something to start more conversation. ]-
Zo�:Chances are you�ll talk to her today, and like I promised, I will go back home. Will I ever see you again or are you just saying you�ll stay in touch just to be nice? Be honest.
-[ The Butcher turns to Zo�. ]-
The Butcher: Yes, you�ll see me again and I will keep in touch. I�m not just saying that. You�re a great person and I want to keep up with what�s going on in your life.
Zo�:You promise?
The Butcher: I promise. But you have to keep in touch with me too, you know.
Zo�:You know I will. I want to know what happens between you and Nikki. I really hope you get her back.
The Butcher: We�ll see about that.
Zo�: :So you got my phone number and address, right?
-[ The Butcher laughs. ]-
The Butcher: Yes, I�ve got it! You gave it to me at least ten times since we�ve been here!
Zo�:All right, all right.
The Butcher: I�ll call you and tell you what happens later.
Zo�: :Okay.
-[ Zo� looks at her watch again. ]-
Zo�:Now I hate goodbyes so I won�t say it. Why don�t you get out of the car and wait by the door so you don�t miss her. I�ll watch, and as soon as you two start talking, I�ll drive off. Catch a taxi or something back to the apartment. Just know that I won�t be there.
The Butcher: You better not be! You promised you would go home.
Zo�: :Yes, I did and I will uphold it.
The Butcher: Thanks a lot, Zo�. You�ve been a real big help to me and I wouldn�t be here if it wasn�t for you. You don�t understand how much I appreciate what you�ve done for me.
Zo�: Don�t get all sappy on me.
-[ Zo� grins devilishly at The Butcher and he just shakes his head in amazement. ]-
The Butcher: Can I have a cigarette while I wait?
-[ Zo� reaches into her purse and pulls out her pack of cigarettes. He shakes the pack slightly so the butt of a cigarette pops out. The Butcher takes it and Zo� offers him a light. ]-
Zo�: I didn�t know you smoked.
The Butcher: I don�t. I just want to look cool.
-[ He passes up the light and places the cigarette on the top of his left ear so it sets there for the time being. Zo� grins at his weirdness because he�s one of a kind. He exits the car and looks back inside before closing the door. ]-
Zo�: Goodbye�
The Butcher: �you said no goodbyes. I�ll talk to you soon.
-[ He closes the door and walks in front of the car to cross the busy street. A few people wave him on and allow him to jaywalk across the street so he can wait outside. As he approaches the steps, he leans on the side stoop wall, and looks back at Zo�s car. He finds her watching him through the driver�s side window so he nods back to acknowledge her. He then turns to look at the front door and at the same time, Nikki walks out with her camera in it�s black case slung over her shoulder. Although she is in her everyday wear, to him she looks stunning. Soon, all those feelings of being watched over and Zo� leaving, depart from his mind and a sudden calm comes over him. That�s what he liked about her, he felt comfortable around her and natural. And that�s what made her unique to him. She sees him as she walks out and looks surprised and happy. Before he can speak a word, she beats him to the chase by noticing the cigarette sitting on his left ear. ]-
Nikki: Since when did Jimmy Cortez start smoking again?
The Butcher: Jimmy Cortez doesn�t smoke anymore. Jimmy Cortez is trying to play it cool like all the homeys on the west coast.
-[ The Butcher smiles at her and she returns the grin that he fell in love with. ]-
The Butcher: How have you been?
-[ The Butcher hears a car start up and drive off, so he turns around to find that Zo� did drive off like she said she would. He then turns back to Nikki. ]-
Nikki: I�ve been good. How about you?
The Butcher: I�ve been coo. Bein� chased by the po po and hangin� out in the crib with my home boys. Wheelin� and dealin�. You know how it be, girl. For real.
Nikki: Give me that stupid thing!
-[ She grabs the cigarette off his ear and throws it on ground, only to stamp on it. ]-
The Butcher: Now how am I supposed to act all cool and ghetto?
Nikki: You�ve always been cool and ghetto to me, you goof ball. Come on, let�s take a walk.
-[ The Butcher and Nikki begin to walk down the sidewalk side by side, something they haven�t done in a long time. ]-
Nikki: I�m sorry about what happened last week.
The Butcher: It�s all right.
Nikki: No, it isn�t. I know it hurt you to hear all of that stuff and I know you can�t forgive me�
The Butcher: �I forgive you, Nikki. We�ll work this all out somehow. Hey, there�s a small hot dog stand a block down in front of City Hall. Want to go to lunch like old times?
Nikki: You read my mind.
-[ They both walk down to the hot dog stand, side by side, quietly. When they arrive, The Butcher notices that the vendor looks like he�s Robert DeNiro. ]-
Vendor: Hey, how�s it going?
The Butcher: Not bad, Mr. DeNiro.
Vendor: Ha ha, funny guy!
The Butcher: Once in awhile. I�ll have a Texas hot with everything on it and a Coke.
Nikki: I�ll have the same thing, only make it a Diet Coke.
-[ The vendor quickly throws the hot dogs between two buns and puts the condiments on. He then reaches into his small cooler and pulls out a can of Coke and Diet Coke. ]-
Vendor: That�ll be 4 bucks.
-[ The Butcher reaches for his wallet and pulls out a $5 bill and hands it to the vendor. ]-
The Butcher: Keep the change.
Vendor: Thank you, sir. It should hold me over �til the next movie I star in.
-[ The vendor winks as The Butcher and Nikki take their food and walk over to the City Hall steps. They both walk up a few steps and take a seat near the cement wall to stay out of peoples� way as they walk by. ]-
The Butcher: Good hot dog.
-[ Nikki pops open her can and takes a sip. ]-
Nikki: Yeah, he usually makes good stuff.
The Butcher: I don�t know about all the hot stuff for you though. You�re going to have a baby soon.
Nikki: Come on! I�ve still got at least 8 months to go!
The Butcher: I know.
Nikki: So where are you staying?
The Butcher: I�m staying with T-Man while I try to get back on my feet financially.
Nikki: You�ve got a job? Where are you working?
The Butcher: I�m back to wrestling again. Not because I want to, because I need to.
Nikki: That�s good. Just don�t go out there and nearly kill yourself in the ring like you used to.
-[ Nikki takes a bite into her hot dog while The Butcher cracks open his can of pop. ]-
The Butcher: Don�t worry, I�ve toned it down a bit. Besides, I need to be in top form to bring down FroZtie.
Nikki: No! Stay away from him! He nearly killed you last time. I mean, everybody thought he did kill you.
The Butcher: He did kill me, Nikki. Everything I had is now gone. I�ve got nothing anymore and it�s his fault that it�s all gone. And for that, he will pay dearly.
-[ The Butcher finishes off his hot dog as does Nikki and they both sit there. ]-
Nikki: Listen, I have something very important to tell you.
The Butcher: Will it make things worse?
Nikki: It might.
The Butcher: Damn, just my luck. Tell me though.
Nikki: I knew you weren�t dead.
The Butcher: You knew I was alive and you buried me anyway? Wow, you�re brutal.
-[ The Butcher laughs but Nikki doesn�t. She looks ashamed to be telling him the truth. ]-
Nikki: Doctor O�Connell told me you had passed away a few days after your match back in February. He thought you were dead along with everybody else because you flat lined. You were dead, Jimmy, and that�s why you were buried. Then a few days after the funeral, Dr. O�Connell gave me a call and told me there was a mistake.
The Butcher: Obviously.
Nikki: No, he said your body was mixed up at the morgue with a man that donated his body to science. They ran a series of tests on your brain and by the time the results came back, you were gone and we all ready had the funeral. The doctor told me that the tests showed your body went into a very deep coma to deal with the trauma your body went through and essentially shut down. He said it�s very rare for that to happen so he didn�t check for it.
The Butcher: I need to change my HMO.
Nikki: Well, that night I went out with Cody and Tomorrow Man and we tried to unbury you. By the time we got there, you were all ready gone. We tried to look for you but we couldn�t find anything out. You completely vanished without a trace.
The Butcher: All right, so you�re telling me you knew I was still alive but I was missing?
Nikki: Yes.
The Butcher: Then why are you with Cody now? Why are you engaged to him and going to have a freakin� kid with him if you knew I was still around?
-[ The Butcher chugs his can of pop to wash down the bad taste he has in his mouth. ]-
Nikki: There isn�t anything I can say for you to understand how sorry I am and how much I regret what I did.
The Butcher: Then why did you do it?
Nikki: I didn�t mean to. We didn�t mean to, but Cody and I fell in love while we tried to cope with you being gone and not knowing when you were going to come back. It�s the biggest mistake of my life.
The Butcher: Why I understand that, I don�t know, but I�m still pissed off. It�s like you had no hope that I�d come back if there was a way.
Nikki: I never lost hope�
-[ Nikki reaches around her neck and unlocks her necklace. She takes it off and her wedding ring, that The Butcher gave her, is wrapped around the bottom of it, only never seen because it was under her blouse. ]-
Nikki: �I�ve warn this necklace and wedding ring every day since you�ve left. It reminds me of you and how much you love me, and always will. I pray every day that I could go back in time and change what has happened but I can�t.
The Butcher: You can change the mistake, Nikki. People make mistakes, especially with love, and I forgive you. Leave Cody and come back home with me. We can start over again.
Nikki: I can�t.
The Butcher: Why not?
Nikki: Jimmy, I would go home with you right now if I could but I�m pregnant with Cody�s child.
The Butcher: That doesn�t matter to me, Nikki.
Nikki: It matters to Cody.
-[ The Butcher crushes his can in anger. ]-
The Butcher: Forget him!
Nikki: I wish I could but he�s changed, Jimmy. He isn�t the same man anymore.
The Butcher: Damn it! How could he have changed so much to make you not want to go back home?
Nikki: Ever since he�s been hanging out with that new guy�
The Butcher: �the benefactor?
Nikki: Yes. That man is dangerous and it�s rubbed off onto Cody. Whatever Cody wants, Cody gets and it�s been that way since he met the man. I fear for your life and my unborn child�s life, Jimmy. I rather be unhappy the rest of my life than have something terrible happen to you or my child.
The Butcher: Do you know the man�s name?
Nikki: No. I�ve never met him before. Cody makes sure that I stay away from him. If I knew his name, I�d tell you it, but I don�t.
The Butcher: I trust you. Nikki, we�ve been through a lot in a short time and this is just another problem we have to deal with. We�ll make this work out, I promise. I have a lot to think about right now so we�ll have to talk a little more later. Right now you�ve got to get back to work before you lose your job.
-[ Nikki smiles at him because she�s happy that he�s always thinking about her. ]-
Nikki: All right. We�ll talk again soon.
-[ She reaches over and kisses him on the lips passionately, more than what Cody would allow for. ]-
Nikki: I love you.
The Butcher: I love you too. Talk to you later.
-[ Nikki stands up and walks away slowly, making him know that she really doesn�t want to leave. The Butcher stays seated on the steps and watches her until she can�t be seen anymore from where he�s sitting. He picks up his crushed can, walks over to a public trash can, and throws it away. He looks around the city street, hoping for a taxi to come by, but instead he notices a suspicious man across the street taking what appears to be his picture secretively around the corner of a building. The strange man notices The Butcher looking at him, so he stops taking pictures and flees the scene. ]-
Last week was a very successful week for me even though I lost in the Battle Royal. I don�t care though. I accomplished what I promised. I made FroZtie bleed and now he knows the seriousness of the situation. This week I team up with Chris Rapid and we face Griever and FroZtie. Yes, another shot at putting FroZtie away.
Soon enough, we�ll get that re-match, FroZtie, and you�ll pay for destroying my life. But even you failed to end me and as each day passes, I regain another part of my life that was once lost. You will feel the pain I feel very soon, FroZtie. I guarantee that.
