 |
| |
ENTRY # : |
41 |
| |
TITLE : |
THE SHOW MUST GO ON |
| |
ARC : |
N/A |
| |
ENTERED BY : |
Hazardman |
| |
DATE RANGE : |
February 14th - 15th, 2001 |
| |
HEROES : |
|
| |
PEOPLE : |
Dr. Peter Benton,
Captain Strong,
Crucible,
Alec Dawson,
Steve Ferris,
Geraldine Gates,
Gil Grant, D.A.,
Dr. Mark Green,
Michael Johnson,
Sally Juspeczyk,
Manuel,
Phil Porter,
Doug Roth,
Dr. Brian Sexsmith,
Lawrence Schexnayder,
Janey Slater,
Buffy St. Claire,
Victor Stewart,
Dan Totheroh,
Esmerelda Torrence,
Lucy Torrence,
Victoria Van Dorn
|
| |
OTHERS : |
The Knights of the Coast,
Big Al's Steakhouse,
Blake Foundation,
Sacred Heart Hospital,
Sub-Zero's car,
Victor's satellite
|
|
| |
ENTRY : |
So there I was, in a scene out of my worst nightmares, made only more horrible
by the fact that it was really happening to me. Pinned by the harsh glare of actinic
lights, with the crowd surrounding me yammering for my flesh, I was about to be sold to the
highest bidder. And the worst part of it was that I had volunteered to be there!
I suppose some background is in order. While we were still trying to adapt to the
loss of Oberon, and reacclimatize ourselves to the real world
after our lengthy sojourn into the past (let me tell you it took
some fast talking to keep my latest carpentry job after disappearing for several days),
Phoenix initiated the process of trying to rebuild the groups public image with a phone
call to Sally Juspezcyk (is that spelled correctly?). As it turns out, she already had
something in mind, something that the late Crucible had been wont to do. She wanted our bodies
for a celebrity auction!
Let me skip over many hours of furious debate to say that we accepted. Phoenix, Perseus,
Sub-Zero and myself would all offer up our dignity and self-esteem upon the alter of charity.
Thus I found myself in the position described at the start of this missive, dressed up in a
monkey suit (with the HazardMask, of course. Gotta maintain the secret identity.).
Actually, it was not all bad. We got to rub elbows with many of the stuck-up stickybeaks
whose names constantly fill the local papers, and I got the chance to talk to Janey Slater
again (she was hosting the event, along with that bloated has-been Michael Johnson).
When the bidding finally began, there were a few auctions of note.
Steve Ferris, the astronaut and heir to an aeronautics empire was the target of fierce
bidding between his fiancee, Victoria Van Dorn and another socialite. Was eventually
bought by Victoria for $12,000.
Sub-Zero, whose bio contained some outlandish claims, was purchased for two dates at
$7,800 apiece; one with the eccentric Esmerelda
Torrence and one with Janey Slater (purchased on her behalf by Michael Johnson).
Considering how much she slagged on Sub-Zero during the ceremony, that 'date' should be
interesting.
I am quite proud to have fetched $13,000 for charity, although it seems as though I was
little more than a convenient pawn for Buffy St. Clair to one-up Victoria Van Dorn after
having been outbid on Steve Ferris. Still, it could have been worse. If not for her, I
probably would have been bought by Manuel. Hope things
go well between us.
Perseus' bio showed that we hadn't prepped him well enough for this event. Since he then
had the misfortune of having been picked up by Manuel (for $10,000) instead, I only hope
Phoenix or someone has a word of warning with him before his
'date'.
Phoenix went for a respectable $11,500, to the head of a sportswear conglomerate, Geraldine
Gates.
Many of the faces from Victor's trial were present, including
Dr. Benton ($6,600), D.A. Grant ($4,300), Dr. Green ($5,100), Dr. Sexsmith ($4,800). Also
there were Dan Totheroh ($3,200) and the giant ego of Alec Dawson ($10,000).
Phil Porter was the big draw of the night, fetching an unbelievable $50,000 to some
debutante.
And just when we thought everything was over, Sub-Zero spouted his mouth off and finagled
to sell off Janey Slater (calling upon the memory of Crucible) to one of the Knights.
Considering the sorry state of most of our pocketbooks, this could have been embarassing,
but luckily Phoenix showed he had unexpected cash reserves, and put up a respectable
$7,000.
All told the evening fetched about $150,000 for the Blake Foundation's charitable goals.
Afterwards we got to mingle somewhat, and answer questions for the press. Well, most of us
were there. Phoenix had Perseus get Sub-Zero out of there to "shut him up" (his words, not
mine). Actually, I sorta wish that I had been given that task instead, as the press continued
to hound me over my supposed sexual orientation. Though if I had left, I would have missed
Phoenix's glorious snub of Dan Totheroh, and his passionate speech about the group in the
post-Crucible phase ("Not all soldiers can come home...").
As usual, however, the media spun the coverage of the event to make us look torn by internal
bickering, and start pinning the "gay" label on Perseus as well. At least Doug Roth gave a
fair article about the event.
The next day had a brighter note to it. Cipher let me know that Victor had recovered from his
coma, and was ready to be discharged from the hospital! I dorve her out there, where we found
Captain Strong keeping Victor company. Actually, Victor seemed quite pestered by the former
superhero, and I am ashamed to admit that I lied to the old coot in order to help get Victor
away from him. I really did own all 30 issues of the Captain Strong comic book though!
If not for that fire, I could have got him to really autograph them!
Victor seemed to be in very poor spirits. He kept going on about "every dog having had his day"
and calling himself a "relic". Cipher really tried to get him to join our group, but he was
little better than a broken shell of a man, and had read about the opinion of many of our fellow
Knights about him (as expressed at the trial), so doubted his welcome.
He seems to have been really broken by the losses of Crucible, the
satellite, and, as we were to find out, his estranged daughter, who
had died in a lab accident back in November (he had just found this out, the late legacy of an
investigation started by Crucible).
This put a definate kibosh on another plan that had been in the works. Wraith had pushed for a
party to celebrate Victor's release, but it was obvious that such would not be appreciated. We
did convince him to attend a small get-together at Big Al's (which Phoenix declined to attend),
where we did lighten his spirits somewhat by talking about the "good old days". Cipher also
convinced him to go ahead with his pre-trial plans for a book-signing tour (and I got him to
sign my copy of his book). It is sad, however, to see Victor so reduced, so concerned that the
only legacy he will leave is that of a "deranged lunatic"...
"All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women, meerely Players;
They haue their Exits and their Entrances,
And one man in his time playes many parts"
- As You Like It (Folio) [Act 2, Scene 7], William Shakespeare
|
|
| |
WRAPUP : |
This was a mixed event, but barring any major problems on the 'dates', I'd say
that the good PR outweighed the bad. The situation with Victor is similarly muddled, but at
least he is out of his coma. I'd say that perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel
we've been going through of late...
|
|
