Post by todricktabor on Oct 20, 2022 22:46:34 GMT -5
HERStory
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “There always has to be a beginning, and my tale is no different. A good story is comprised of a beginning, a middle, and an ending. There needs to be a hero and a villain. The villain does not have to be the muahaha kind of villain but one that the people hate their actions, no matter how they came to that part of their lives. My story, my HERStory, has all of this and more, so grab your snacks, a stiff cocktail, and your lover and prepare yourself to embark on my magical journey that has led up to a Hell In A Cell Match with the legendary Chris Page at the Tara Fenix Charity Cruise II.”
The screen goes black, and October 18, 1993, flashes across the screen in magenta-colored letters and numbers. A woman is seen being told to push by doctors and nurses who help her push. After a few moments, a nurse says, I see the head. The woman keeps pushing, and a beautiful baby boy is soon seen and heard crying. The staff in the room gush over how beautiful the baby looks, and the mother has to ask for her child.
She looks at her baby, he has a lot of hair and cute eyes, and his little whimpers sound sweet to the human ear. She knows that this child will be unique and needs a name that was different from any other child in the area. She decided to combine the names of her brothers, Todd and Rick, and with that, Todrick Tabor made his debut into the world. A lot would change by the time we get to the opening match of night two of the TFCC II.
The scene ends and reopens with little Todrick, who is now about four years old, sitting at his mother’s vanity and putting on her makeup with a great deal of care.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “I was meticulous with art, and putting on makeup seemed like an art form to me. When I finished, I marveled at my work. I stood up, sashayed over to my mother’s closet, picked up a red dress off the floor, and put it on. I slipped my tiny feet into her heels. Honey, she was a diva, even back then. I flared that dress at the sides and slowly turned in it.
I picked up a white church hat and carried that back to the vanity. If I wanted to be beautiful, I needed something special, so I picked up mom’s pearl necklace and put it around my neck, and snapped the clasp closed. She was giving you something that you could feel like En Vogue, so you know I had to pull on her long white gloves. Finally, I was ready for the hat. I stood up and admired myself in the mirror. This was indeed the beginning of the flair that “The Cutie With The Booty” now brings to her matches. The same flair that I brought at FIGHT! NYC’s final PPV, where I was the one who ended Chris Page’s legendary win streak.
The reason why one year later, it ends where it all began aboard a cruise ship raising money for charity and a shot at soothing the ego that never quite got over what many people considered an upset. When commentators and blogs call a match an upset, some people are not bothered by it. Still, to me, it somewhat invalidates the preparation that went into facing an opponent who may be physically intimidating, great with mind games, or more experienced than the contest winner. A person who believes in themselves and their “art” works very hard to complete their masterpiece.
Looking in that mirror, honey, I had created one of my many masterpieces. Now it’s a stretch to say this is what kicked off my career, but it did show my level of dedication to giving myself something I was proud of and something that I knew the people would love. I hadn’t learned the harsh realities of the world, but that was soon coming. The door swung open, and my father stood there drunk as a skunk and glared at me with pure hatred. Much like the cell I will be locked in; I was trapped in that room with a beast of a man who wanted to destroy me.
The blows came one by one, each one harder and faster than the last. By now, I was used to the abuse, and I refused to cry. Crying to him was weak, and if I wanted the beating to stop, then I had to “take it like a man” No matter what he threw at me, I got right back up, and I survived. In some ways, this could be considered one of my early wrestling matches because I pulled off the “upset”; he got tired and fell asleep. The jokes on him; I was still standing. I had won because it is the person that is left standing that wins. It would do Chris Page well to remember that come time for our match.
My mom came into the room with tears staining her cheeks. She helped me out of her things and put me in the tub. We didn’t need to speak; I knew she couldn’t protect me because she was also on the other end of those beatings. She protected me as much as she could, but she wouldn’t always be there to help me. She won’t be inside that cell with me, so it’s up to me to go out there and give it all I got to ensure this man, who I’m sure is possessed and hell-bent on beating me, does not see his hand raised in victory.”
The scene goes black and reopens with Todrick in high school in the cafeteria, sitting at the table eating lunch with Samuel Chatman and Akasha Monroe.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “Well, honey, our tale reopens in that god-awful place called high school where if you dared to be different, you were an outcast unless you hung out with the right people. My fabulosity had grown just like I had. There were a lot of people who didn’t like it, and I didn’t exactly care. It just so happened that I was besties with the captain of the wrestling and basketball teams and the head varsity cheerleader. You definitely did not want to cross those two, or you were socially dead.
Still, there were some people who pushed their luck. Ironically my bully was Christopher Parsons; some people called him “The Beast” because of his skills on the football field. On this day, I had on a cute white halter top and black leather pants. He decided that I needed a pop of color, and as he walked past, his tray “slipped,” and I found myself covered in green pea soup. People pointed and laughed, and I knew all eyes were on me. Sam was always hot-headed, and his light complexion was completely red with anger and hatred was in his eyes. I stood up, and much like “The Queen of the Night” Ms. Whitney Houston did in the Bodyguard, I held my hand up and shook my head. He stopped much like Kevin Costner did, and there I was, trapped in a cage with “The Beast” because I couldn’t run out and cry or I would be the loser of this contest. I was trapped with all my confidence but all my fears, and I had to perform or die. The masses were watching, and baby, when the girls are watching, you have to pull up your big girl thong and give them a show that they will never forget.
I wiped it off my face, put the napkins down on the table, and turned to face him. I suppose I did need to add some color to this outfit, Christopher; you should consider fashion design. One day, when I’m on television screens worldwide, I’ll let you dress me. Honey, Mr. Pumpkin Spice turned red and went to swing at me, but soon he found a mocha-colored hand with a fierce French manicure wrapped around his throat and lifting him off the ground and choke slamming him onto the floor. Christopher learned a lesson that Chris Page will soon learn, never cage someone who is aware of the situation in which they find themselves because they will fight for their survival in ways that no one would ever expect of them.”
The scene goes dark and reopens aboard a cruise ship. The atmosphere is electric, and people are all over the place.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “I suppose we’ve reached the middle of HERStory. I was standing backstage with my newly won Manhattan Championship on my shoulder. One of the Austin’s was standing next to me, scowling about something. Honey, I love my husband with every fiber of my being, but it was time for those lights, that camera, and I needed to bring the action. Suddenly, one of the FIGHT producers appeared and rushed me towards the curtain and explained that Chris Page said he was coming to FIGHT and wanted a challenge, and it was their desire that I answered that call.
Honey, the kids wanted a show, so I was determined to give them one. Dripeesha played on those speakers, and I’m glad we were on a boat because that roof would have come off, and I don’t think insurance would’ve covered that. I held my title high up in the air and gave the kids an ole nasty walk to that ring. I had lost Austin in the commotion, but this was my moment. I stepped through those ring ropes, and it was clear that he was not expecting me.
Perhaps, he was expecting the big names that were in the spotlight, but honey, she had arrived. I had a title that I had just won from Joe Montuori, a fight that everyone predicted I would lose. Back then, it was a hobby of mine to make the great Denzel Porter eat his words because he predicted that I would lose every match that I was a part of. She sure did shut his ass up, tuh. Chile, it wasn’t the first, nor would it be the last time that I made people eat their words when they bet against me. Don’t worry; some of you, including Chris Page, will find that out when that cell is lowered around the ring.
But talk is cheap, as HERStory has proven; she is capable of incredible things when she is trapped in a cage. Chris had issued a challenge, and she was coming off a big win and ready to do something notable with this title. She was going to be more than a name on a website underneath a picture of the championship. Whether Chris will ever admit it or not, he knew that he had struck gold with that reaction that I got, and I hadn’t even opened my mouth at this point. Honey, the champion of the people, had that star power.
In truth, I also began to learn from him from the moment he took it all in and raised that microphone back up to his lips. I don’t remember what he said next, but it was something that pointed out that he was the legend, and when I held my finger up to his lips and took that microphone, the boys and girls in the back knew this was going to draw big ratings. I answered his challenge, and he accepted. I held out my hand, and he took it, but Chris pulled me in and delivered his finisher.
Now the girls did not like that, and they let him know that they were “big mad” about it. He smiled and laughed as he went up the ramp. Austin ran down the ramp, and as much as Austin hated for anyone to put their hands on me, my well-being was his primary concern. Usually, he will go to some very destructive lengths to destroy them and all they hold dear but not this night. He helped me sit up, and I clutched my head as we stared at Page at the top of the ramp. This ship felt like a cage now, and there was no escape because everywhere I went, that was the last thing people saw. It was up to me to show the world that when Todrick Tabor-Ramsey gets knocked down, she gets right back up.
I told Austin I was okay and stood up without assistance. I picked up my championship and held it high above my head as I glared into those beady eyes at the top of that stage. That day, the teacher was taught a lesson, and it was not one that he would ever forget. I held my head and my championship high as I walked out of that ring. Page didn’t destroy me in that cage then; he won’t destroy me in the cell we will be locked in very soon. I’m a survivor, as I have proven at every challenge in my life.
Over the next several weeks, he threw some horrible things my way and even had me arrested for heterosexual bashing. All right, it wasn’t funny then, but I can see the humor in it that he had to sink so low to draw the hatred of the people because I was still their champion. He was hitting me with everything he had, but he couldn’t keep me down. He was actually embarrassed that Austin and I hatched a plan where he thought he was beating him down, and I finally got to pay him back for that cheap shot on the cruise ship. Baby, when I tell you I molly whopped his ass, I made him tuck his tail and run off. No need to rewind; you heard me right, I had gotten the better of the legend, the icon, and this was no upset.
As fate would have it, the match that the fans had all paid to see was not to come. Centurion had come along, and management went in a different direction. Some people would say it happens, but no one ever asked me how I felt. I had stepped up and answered their call when they needed the Manhattan Championship elevated to a new level; I had brought in ratings and held my own against Goliath, but the new shiny face came, and in his own right, Centurion is a legend but what message was that sending me? What came next was that I was beginning to fade, and Austin was shining. How was I to rebound from this prison, this cell?
It was time to lace up my combat boots. I lost a championship and then immediately earned the right to challenge for another. Chris Page was out of my grasp, and I his. But destiny would not see her child unfulfilled. Chris Page was not content with his last match at FIGHT’s final PPV, and he issued another open challenge. This was it; I marched through that curtain and down to that ring and demanded that we throw down. I’ll never forget the smile on his face and the laughter in my ears. That lit a fire in me that even Austin and Jason Cashe’s shenanigans had not achieved. I was going to beat my villain, it may not have been pretty, but I was going to beat him.
He and I threw everything we had at one another, and no matter what he threw at me, I kept kicking out. We were in a cell with no steel because I was not going to leave that ring until my hands were raised in victory. Finally, my moment came, and when I tell you I snatched that wig, honey, I snatched that blond wig, and then I heard the crowd, 1..2..3! I heard the ding of the bell, and tears filled my eyes. David had just beaten Goliath. Bet ole Denzel had to eat several helpings of humble pie that night.
Austin slid into the ring and stopped dead in his tracks as Chris Page, and I stood face to face. The last time this happened, he laid me out with his finisher, and the arena went dead silent. The first time that’s ever happened after a Toddy victory. He pulled me in for an embrace and whispered into my ear. I nodded as he spoke, and I’m still asked to this day what he said. One day, we will reveal that on one of his radio shows, but not tonight, Rockstars. He held my arm high in the air and then left the ring as Austin and I celebrated.”
The scene fades and reopens with Todrick standing in front of a backdrop of Themyscira in her Wonder Woman wrestling attire. She smiles as she adjusts her golden lasso of truth and then her gauntlets. Finally, she adjusts her tiara.
Todrick Tabor-Ramsey: “I’ve been called a War Goddess before, but honey, I am fully feeling that as I stand here dressed as one of the greatest heroes of all time. I had to adjust my tiara because royalty always adjusts their crown before addressing the people. I have shared my HERStory with you this evening, but while we are drawing near the end of this program, it is not the end of her legendary story. I’m tearing up the tag team scene with Austin, but that won’t help when that cell is lowered, and as I have always done, I will stand alone across from today’s “Beast.”
No matter the cage, cell, or prison cell that I have found myself locked in, I always took the best that my opponent has had to throw at me, and I keep getting back up. I reach down into a place that only I know exists, and I kick out. I keep fighting and surviving. When night two begins, and that cell is lowered around the ring at TFCC II, I won’t be fighting for the upset, Chris Page will. He is the one that has something to prove to you all now. He is the one that got beaten by the one that some of you counted out. It is not I that enters this match like a person with their pride wounded. I enter this match just as prepared as I have always been. You don’t get booked in a match like this if you don’t have the skills that management knows you will deliver.
The opening match is not a throw-away match, it is the start, the alpha of the show, and if the others in this thing aren’t careful, we will be the alpha and the omega of the entire show. I own my stuff, just like I’ve done since I was that little boy who didn’t quite understand that it was okay to feel like both a boy and a girl. That little one was a survivor who was determined to make it and keep on surviving. In the words of my good sis, Akasha Monroe, “Are you ready for all this fine?”
Let me tell you something, Chris Page; you may have the experience, but I’m coming into this game like a survivor, and I’m going to BE a survivor. I am going to lay you flat out on your back because I’m not the helpless little girl that you think I will be. I am not going to give up, I’m going to work harder, and I’m going to leave a survivor. This cell may be your element, but it is also mine. It’s where I thrive, it’s where I thrill, it’s where I leave all of the world in wonder of just how this woman pulled it off.
It is you that needs to win, but it’s time for the hero to take down the villain of our little tale once and for all. I will make HERStory again when my hand is raised in victory. Rockstars, this one is for you! Muah.”
