Post by Fiona McFly on Nov 17, 2017 5:26:42 GMT
CHAPTER 11
"In Which Sammy D. Approves, Yet It Comes With A Pricey Guarantee..."
8 November 2017 + 1130 GMT
For a small auto dealership in Arlington, Texas, it sure looked pretty classy.
Jack Gaither and Fiona McFly found themselves inside a decent-sized back office of the venerable Dawkins Motors, watching intently as owner Sam Dawkins read over the application and rules of the Lone Star Folkstyle club wrestling championships, which will take place in Allen on December 16. The weather was normal for Texas autumns with temperatures in the mid-60s under sunny skies following the first major frontal passage of the season. It was also a school day, so Sarah--Sam's daughter--had no idea that her two co-trainers were at the dealership in thee first place, trying to get the gentleman to give them his blessing to compete.
And the car dealmaker wasn't exactly in the best of moods after a rough morning on the lot.
SAM DAWKINS:
Over my gee-dee dead body! Y'all guys have been and always shall be great friends and I respect that, but there ain't no way in tarnation I'm-a-gonna let my daughter take part in such riff-raff!
Jack and Fiona shook their heads. The latter spoke up, trying to be diplomatic about the whole ordeal...
FIONA MCFLY:
Mr. Dawkins, if you could let us explain on a few pointers--
...but she gets cut off before finishing her sentence.
SAM:
Oh, I get it Miss McFly. I understand y'all wanna help Sarah. I really, really do, but I lost somebody I loved to this "wrasslin'" bid. And I don't wanna lose another one...
Sam stopped himself mid-sentence and took a deep breath. Fiona perked up her right brow upon hearing his reasoning for not wanting Sarah to compete.
SAM:
I apologize folks. It just....it just wasn't always like this...
FIONA:
There's no need to apologise. We want Sarah to live the best life she can--as do you. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sam closed his eyes, trying to find something that would turn the conversation into something else, like buying a new car or truck. Yet Jack could only nod his head--for he watched the dealer tip his hand to them. Slowly, Mr. Dawkins reached down into a safe and unlocked it, pulling out a white photo album. He handed it to the couple on the other side of the oak-finished, gold-plated desk.
Jack opened up the timeless treasure, reading an old business card.
JACK:
"Sammy and Tammy Dawkins - Dawkins Motors - "With Sammy 'n' Tammy D., y'all know it's a guarantee!"
Fiona's face turned into a frown as she realised that Sam was hiding the real truth from her and Jack. Tammy Dawkins was Sam's wife and co-owner of Dawkins Motors, but as McFly gazed at a black-and-white photograph of the couple with a much-younger Sarah, dated "July 4, 2006," and discovered that, given Tammy's outfit that featured a growling cat on the front and Sam's top hat, they were wrestlers themselves, working for some indy promotion in North Texas.
FIONA:
Wow...I didn't know youse were wrestlers. Your daughter looks like the splitting image of her mum!
SAM:
Yeah. By day, we co-owned this place and sold a helluva lot of cars and trucks. By night...she was the wrassler "Tammy the Thundercat," I was the manager, "The Great Samini."
Browsing through the collection of memories, Jack and Fiona shook their heads as Sam pulled out a newspaper clipping and sets it in front of the pair. Fiona took a gander at the headline, which was dated "May 31, 2010", mumbling "bloody hell...oh, my..." as she read what it was:
TAMMY 'THUNDERCAT' DAWKINS DIES IN WRESTLING ACCIDENT
Popular Star, On Asian Tour, Competed In Scaffold Match
It was at this moment in time when Jack and Fiona began to discover the real reason behind Sam's refusal to let Sarah compete in folkstyle. He had disavowed the gig after the incident in question, opting instead to focus his entire energies on running the auto dealership.
Jack and Fiona both blinked their eyes and took a deep breath. They felt Mr. Dawkins' pain.
SAM:
Sarah was only seven when Tammy died that night, and she's had emotional problems ever since. She's been tryin' real hard in school, but her grades have gone downhill slowly the last few years. Now this year, she's flunkin' history. I...
Sam's voice quivered. Fiona and Jack watched as the venerable dealer broke down...
SAM:
I-I-I didn't realize it was gonna be hard, bein' alone while raisin' a kid that wants to be like her momma.
...leading the couple to try and comfort the older gentleman. It was the only thing they could do for a family that was ripped apart by a freak accident.
FIONA:
I cannot begin to imagine what you've gone through, but I think Tammy would have been very proud of you for your effort. You've dealt with so much and, amazingly, you've kept the ship afloat. That says something about your character, and believe me...you are a bigger soul in -our- eyes.
JACK:
That's what it means to live with adversity and overcome it--even if it's painful and all that stuff. That's what makes a man a real livin' legend on the inside. When ya think about it...you're gonna realize that to overcome adversity is to earn honor and respect from within, and that's how ya win in life.
FIONA:
Now your daughter wants to continue something that you and your wife started years ago.
Sam nodded his head, wiping his eyes down with a small napkin before grabbing a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper from his office's mini-fridge. At this point, the couple began to realise that it was finally their turn to finish making their pitch about letting Sarah train with them, and Mr. Dawkins sat back and allowed himself to listen to what their motives were.
JACK:
Fi and I can tell ya firsthand, bein' a wrestler ain't no picnic. There's gonna be people harpin' on ya about "rah-rah-rahh, I won you're a loser" and all that BS, and yet...it's them people who are missin' the point. I can't believe that this Coach Wheeler teaches them other gals that it's okay to make people suffer, that winnin' is everything...and it sickens me.
FIONA:
We've seen a lot of trainers, and whilst they teach the fundamentals there's so much that they miss out on. Wrestling should never be about wins or losses--it's about earning honour and respect from within. You go out there with a clear, focused mind and a wise, pure warrior's heart...you'll earn honour and respect for yourself and from those around you. That's what wrestling is really all about.
Fiona, after reaching into her handbag, pulled out a piece of bubblegum and stuck it in her mouth.
JACK:
Uh-huh...and here's the best part. Nobody's gonna bother ya no more 'cuz they're gonna realize "oh gee, I was wrong. You're stronger and braver than I thought..." And that's where we come in. Them other trainers only do so much, they forget that there's more to the sport than kickin' each other's butt. It's them "little things" that truly help a person grow and blossom.
FIONA:
This is what WE promise you, Mr. Dawkins. You let her train with us for the tournament, not only will she learn about the right way to utilise wrestling as a method of self-defence, but she will also be able to blossom outside the arena in ALL walks of life. Not to mention, her marks in the classroom will improve 'cos she'll have what it takes to succeed in that avenue as well.
Fiona popped a bubble from her chewing gum as Jack took a sip from a bottle of green tea. The vibes in the room were quiet at first, even as a small radio could be heard playing some classic country-western tunes. But their pitch had obviously worked to perfection, as Mr. Dawkins eked out a sly grin and chuckled.
SAM:
Wow...y'all are just unreal. Y'all guys have a trainin' facility in town?
JACK:
Miss Kimble left her summer getaway ranch out in the Hill Country near Fredericksburg for us. It's got wi-fi but we'll have to hook up DirecTV--
Sam perked up his left brow, cutting Jack off.
SAM:
Fredericksburg?! Are y'all outta yer dag-nabbin' skulls--that's, like, five or six hours away from here!?!
Fiona nodded, showing him the photos of the old Kimble ranch she had taken on her phone last summer.
FIONA:
Aye...but it's a very special place for both me and Jack. We want Sarah to be able to get away from any major distractions or bad influences, and I'm pretty sure you'd be thinking the same idea as well. whilst we're down there, she will take part in the Arlington High online correspondence class programme until the week of the tournament.
JACK:
And that way, she can do her schoolin' stuff.
Sam's grin turned into a wide smile as he hunched over in his swiveling leather chair and put pen to paper, scribing his name on the parent's and guardian's signature line at the bottom of the tournament application form.
SAM:
I tell y'all what, I'm-a-gonna sign this thing. Sarah deserves better than to suffer 'cuz of a sick coach and her kids. BUT...there is one condition.
JACK:
Name it.
SAM:
As much as I admire your vintage car collection, y'all two gotta buy a vehicle--any 2017 or 2018 model vehicle--from the dealership.
"Pfffft...," Jack thought as he laughed out loud, with Fiona hiding her own enthusiasm. Yet as much as they loved their old fleet, deep down they knew it was time for them to think about purchasing a newer vehicle. After all, the Aston-Martin was still hitched to a trailer, broken down without a timing chain, and whilst the Vega and Datsun were both in excellent condition in spite of their age, they just weren't designed for the 21st century "open road" experience most drivers now prefer.
FIONA:
What's the best deal you have? We're looking for something we can take cross-country, that saves money on petrol...
Sam stood up and tugged on the front of his white dress shirt, ready to play Let's Make a Deal with the couple.
SAM:
Y'all are lookin' for somethin' good for the modern road, roomy, AND fuel efficient? Well shoot, I ain't the best dad-gum dealmaker in the country for nothin'! C'mon, let's take a look at our showroom.
Jack and Fiona followed Mr. Dawkins out fo the dealership's expansive showroom, which had TV screens showing nothing but informercials for the many different makes and models from the likes of Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and so much more. They stopped to take a gander at a shining red subcompact crossover vehicle unlike anything they had ever owned or driven before.
It was sleek and round, streamlined in every way for the modern driver.
Complimenting its exterior was an all-cloth interior that was chalk-full of extras including Sirius-XM satellite radio, Google Maps navigation, and a hands-free Bluetooth system. Jack and Fiona loved the thing at first sight.
There wouldn't be a need to do any extended car shopping.
SAM:
This one's a beauty. You fine folks are gonna love this brand-spakin'-new, fully-loaded 2018 Kia Niro FE hybrid...
~TO BE CONTINUED~
"In Which Sammy D. Approves, Yet It Comes With A Pricey Guarantee..."
8 November 2017 + 1130 GMT
For a small auto dealership in Arlington, Texas, it sure looked pretty classy.
Jack Gaither and Fiona McFly found themselves inside a decent-sized back office of the venerable Dawkins Motors, watching intently as owner Sam Dawkins read over the application and rules of the Lone Star Folkstyle club wrestling championships, which will take place in Allen on December 16. The weather was normal for Texas autumns with temperatures in the mid-60s under sunny skies following the first major frontal passage of the season. It was also a school day, so Sarah--Sam's daughter--had no idea that her two co-trainers were at the dealership in thee first place, trying to get the gentleman to give them his blessing to compete.
And the car dealmaker wasn't exactly in the best of moods after a rough morning on the lot.
SAM DAWKINS:
Over my gee-dee dead body! Y'all guys have been and always shall be great friends and I respect that, but there ain't no way in tarnation I'm-a-gonna let my daughter take part in such riff-raff!
Jack and Fiona shook their heads. The latter spoke up, trying to be diplomatic about the whole ordeal...
FIONA MCFLY:
Mr. Dawkins, if you could let us explain on a few pointers--
...but she gets cut off before finishing her sentence.
SAM:
Oh, I get it Miss McFly. I understand y'all wanna help Sarah. I really, really do, but I lost somebody I loved to this "wrasslin'" bid. And I don't wanna lose another one...
Sam stopped himself mid-sentence and took a deep breath. Fiona perked up her right brow upon hearing his reasoning for not wanting Sarah to compete.
SAM:
I apologize folks. It just....it just wasn't always like this...
FIONA:
There's no need to apologise. We want Sarah to live the best life she can--as do you. Nothing more, nothing less.
Sam closed his eyes, trying to find something that would turn the conversation into something else, like buying a new car or truck. Yet Jack could only nod his head--for he watched the dealer tip his hand to them. Slowly, Mr. Dawkins reached down into a safe and unlocked it, pulling out a white photo album. He handed it to the couple on the other side of the oak-finished, gold-plated desk.
Jack opened up the timeless treasure, reading an old business card.
JACK:
"Sammy and Tammy Dawkins - Dawkins Motors - "With Sammy 'n' Tammy D., y'all know it's a guarantee!"
Fiona's face turned into a frown as she realised that Sam was hiding the real truth from her and Jack. Tammy Dawkins was Sam's wife and co-owner of Dawkins Motors, but as McFly gazed at a black-and-white photograph of the couple with a much-younger Sarah, dated "July 4, 2006," and discovered that, given Tammy's outfit that featured a growling cat on the front and Sam's top hat, they were wrestlers themselves, working for some indy promotion in North Texas.
FIONA:
Wow...I didn't know youse were wrestlers. Your daughter looks like the splitting image of her mum!
SAM:
Yeah. By day, we co-owned this place and sold a helluva lot of cars and trucks. By night...she was the wrassler "Tammy the Thundercat," I was the manager, "The Great Samini."
Browsing through the collection of memories, Jack and Fiona shook their heads as Sam pulled out a newspaper clipping and sets it in front of the pair. Fiona took a gander at the headline, which was dated "May 31, 2010", mumbling "bloody hell...oh, my..." as she read what it was:
TAMMY 'THUNDERCAT' DAWKINS DIES IN WRESTLING ACCIDENT
Popular Star, On Asian Tour, Competed In Scaffold Match
It was at this moment in time when Jack and Fiona began to discover the real reason behind Sam's refusal to let Sarah compete in folkstyle. He had disavowed the gig after the incident in question, opting instead to focus his entire energies on running the auto dealership.
Jack and Fiona both blinked their eyes and took a deep breath. They felt Mr. Dawkins' pain.
SAM:
Sarah was only seven when Tammy died that night, and she's had emotional problems ever since. She's been tryin' real hard in school, but her grades have gone downhill slowly the last few years. Now this year, she's flunkin' history. I...
Sam's voice quivered. Fiona and Jack watched as the venerable dealer broke down...
SAM:
I-I-I didn't realize it was gonna be hard, bein' alone while raisin' a kid that wants to be like her momma.
...leading the couple to try and comfort the older gentleman. It was the only thing they could do for a family that was ripped apart by a freak accident.
FIONA:
I cannot begin to imagine what you've gone through, but I think Tammy would have been very proud of you for your effort. You've dealt with so much and, amazingly, you've kept the ship afloat. That says something about your character, and believe me...you are a bigger soul in -our- eyes.
JACK:
That's what it means to live with adversity and overcome it--even if it's painful and all that stuff. That's what makes a man a real livin' legend on the inside. When ya think about it...you're gonna realize that to overcome adversity is to earn honor and respect from within, and that's how ya win in life.
FIONA:
Now your daughter wants to continue something that you and your wife started years ago.
Sam nodded his head, wiping his eyes down with a small napkin before grabbing a bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper from his office's mini-fridge. At this point, the couple began to realise that it was finally their turn to finish making their pitch about letting Sarah train with them, and Mr. Dawkins sat back and allowed himself to listen to what their motives were.
JACK:
Fi and I can tell ya firsthand, bein' a wrestler ain't no picnic. There's gonna be people harpin' on ya about "rah-rah-rahh, I won you're a loser" and all that BS, and yet...it's them people who are missin' the point. I can't believe that this Coach Wheeler teaches them other gals that it's okay to make people suffer, that winnin' is everything...and it sickens me.
FIONA:
We've seen a lot of trainers, and whilst they teach the fundamentals there's so much that they miss out on. Wrestling should never be about wins or losses--it's about earning honour and respect from within. You go out there with a clear, focused mind and a wise, pure warrior's heart...you'll earn honour and respect for yourself and from those around you. That's what wrestling is really all about.
Fiona, after reaching into her handbag, pulled out a piece of bubblegum and stuck it in her mouth.
JACK:
Uh-huh...and here's the best part. Nobody's gonna bother ya no more 'cuz they're gonna realize "oh gee, I was wrong. You're stronger and braver than I thought..." And that's where we come in. Them other trainers only do so much, they forget that there's more to the sport than kickin' each other's butt. It's them "little things" that truly help a person grow and blossom.
FIONA:
This is what WE promise you, Mr. Dawkins. You let her train with us for the tournament, not only will she learn about the right way to utilise wrestling as a method of self-defence, but she will also be able to blossom outside the arena in ALL walks of life. Not to mention, her marks in the classroom will improve 'cos she'll have what it takes to succeed in that avenue as well.
Fiona popped a bubble from her chewing gum as Jack took a sip from a bottle of green tea. The vibes in the room were quiet at first, even as a small radio could be heard playing some classic country-western tunes. But their pitch had obviously worked to perfection, as Mr. Dawkins eked out a sly grin and chuckled.
SAM:
Wow...y'all are just unreal. Y'all guys have a trainin' facility in town?
JACK:
Miss Kimble left her summer getaway ranch out in the Hill Country near Fredericksburg for us. It's got wi-fi but we'll have to hook up DirecTV--
Sam perked up his left brow, cutting Jack off.
SAM:
Fredericksburg?! Are y'all outta yer dag-nabbin' skulls--that's, like, five or six hours away from here!?!
Fiona nodded, showing him the photos of the old Kimble ranch she had taken on her phone last summer.
FIONA:
Aye...but it's a very special place for both me and Jack. We want Sarah to be able to get away from any major distractions or bad influences, and I'm pretty sure you'd be thinking the same idea as well. whilst we're down there, she will take part in the Arlington High online correspondence class programme until the week of the tournament.
JACK:
And that way, she can do her schoolin' stuff.
Sam's grin turned into a wide smile as he hunched over in his swiveling leather chair and put pen to paper, scribing his name on the parent's and guardian's signature line at the bottom of the tournament application form.
SAM:
I tell y'all what, I'm-a-gonna sign this thing. Sarah deserves better than to suffer 'cuz of a sick coach and her kids. BUT...there is one condition.
JACK:
Name it.
SAM:
As much as I admire your vintage car collection, y'all two gotta buy a vehicle--any 2017 or 2018 model vehicle--from the dealership.
"Pfffft...," Jack thought as he laughed out loud, with Fiona hiding her own enthusiasm. Yet as much as they loved their old fleet, deep down they knew it was time for them to think about purchasing a newer vehicle. After all, the Aston-Martin was still hitched to a trailer, broken down without a timing chain, and whilst the Vega and Datsun were both in excellent condition in spite of their age, they just weren't designed for the 21st century "open road" experience most drivers now prefer.
FIONA:
What's the best deal you have? We're looking for something we can take cross-country, that saves money on petrol...
Sam stood up and tugged on the front of his white dress shirt, ready to play Let's Make a Deal with the couple.
SAM:
Y'all are lookin' for somethin' good for the modern road, roomy, AND fuel efficient? Well shoot, I ain't the best dad-gum dealmaker in the country for nothin'! C'mon, let's take a look at our showroom.
Jack and Fiona followed Mr. Dawkins out fo the dealership's expansive showroom, which had TV screens showing nothing but informercials for the many different makes and models from the likes of Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and so much more. They stopped to take a gander at a shining red subcompact crossover vehicle unlike anything they had ever owned or driven before.
It was sleek and round, streamlined in every way for the modern driver.
Complimenting its exterior was an all-cloth interior that was chalk-full of extras including Sirius-XM satellite radio, Google Maps navigation, and a hands-free Bluetooth system. Jack and Fiona loved the thing at first sight.
There wouldn't be a need to do any extended car shopping.
SAM:
This one's a beauty. You fine folks are gonna love this brand-spakin'-new, fully-loaded 2018 Kia Niro FE hybrid...
~TO BE CONTINUED~
Well howdy there pardner.