Post by Steve Sinclair on Feb 9, 2014 15:49:35 GMT
Sunday afternoon back home in Hickory, and Billy is at his uncle's farm for the first time in a long time. He came home after finishing his training in England for year and that only lasted a month or two before Nanook put Billy on a plane and sent him north of the border to Canada for a bit and then brought him back to Tennessee. With a week off Billy found his way home to watch the race with his uncle, and to show off his new shiny belt.
And bruises.
The laps are clicking away in Texas and Jimmy Johnson is leading the way. Today like countless other times Jimmy Johnson has the dominate car of the day and no one can touch him. The only way he's going to lose today is if he beats himself and that rarely happens. Billy is sitting on a hay bail next to his Uncle Ned and both of them have their eyes fixed on the TV. A new 42 inch LCD flat screen hanging on the side of the trailer with a lead cord running through the window. Billy has a nervous twitch and his one foot is bouncing up and down as the laps click away and it's not because Jimmy Johnson is leading.
It's because JR is second.
Is today the day that JR finally breaks through and gets the win? 3 laps to go...
"Come on JR......come on!"
Billy's eyes are fixed on the TV. He's sweating like a whore in church. He's not even blinking. 2 laps to go.
"Man....come on!"
JR makes a little ground on Jimmy that time, he's closer but yet so far away. White flag.
"COME ON JR!!! DIG! DIG! DIG!!!"
Billy stands up and is yelling at the TV but it's all for nothing as Jimmy hangs on to take the checker flag and the points lead with 2 races left. Billy watches JR cross the finish line and sits back down and hangs his head. He rubs his forehead with his hat and sticks it back on his head. Ned spits in his cup.
"Still was a good run though. Can't be ashamed of that."
"Yeah I know. Man it would be awesome to see JR win again."
"Maybe next week."
Billy stands up and stretches. He flinches a tad and favors his one side. The side that Rabid Angel was stomping away on after his match with Arch. Ned notices.
"You okay?" Ned asks.
Billy rubs his side "Yeah. Just a tad sore."
"You getting pushed around? I told ya you'd have trouble holdin' yer ground."
Billy looks down at his uncle and smirks. Ned hasn't watched any of Billy's matches. When the UWL is on TV, Ned is in the barn milking the cows and there is no TV in the milk house. Billy walks over to the door where his gym bag is resting on the bottom step. He picks it up and grunts as he does. He walks back to Ned and takes his seat back on the hay bail.
"This week was rough Uncle Ned. I ain't gunna lie. It was a real bitch. You see I fought this big old son of a bitch yesterday. I knocked him around some Ned but in the end, I'm just like JR. I came up short for the win but that is okay. You see Ned last week..."
Billy unzips his gym bag and laying inside his bag on the top is the UWL Tag Team title. He pulls it out and Billy cleaned up prior to the race and showing his uncle what he won. Ned is shocked. You can tell he is in awe.
"God ol' mighty! What is dat?"
Billy smiles. You can see just how proud he is of the title on his face. "UWL Tag Team Championship Uncle Ned! Nanook teamed me up with his friend.....Joe Jones and we took on the champions Ned and we won these titles!"
Ned looks at Billy. "You're a champion? Like Ric Flair? Champion?"
"Well tag team champion. But yes. I'm a champion! It was a lot of work to get this title Ned and I'm fixin' to hold here this title fer a real long time. But the fellers we beat for these titles. They jumped me after my match and I'm not lying, I'm hurtin'a tad."
Ned spits in his cup and he hasn't taken his eyes off the title. Finally he looks Billy in the eye. "You know what Ric Flair used to say. To be the man you have to beat the man and right now Billy you're the man. You gunna have lots of guys wantin' to take that title from ya. Time to step up your game kid. Next week you get those fellers back. Show them you won't be pushed around. You should be real proud of that title. It is real purty. I know your papa would be real proud of you right now. Hell I'm proud of you! Who knew I just watched a race with the UWL Tag Team Champion."
Ned pats Billy on the back. Billy smiles and looks at the title. "Now put that away and help me get the barn ready for milkin'. I'm not getting any younger."
Billy smiles and puts the title back in the gym. "Thanks Uncle Ned. That means allot to me."