Hank's Season Two Opener

(The darkened arena is filled with the general chatter of the masses, when suddenly, the familiar refrains of 'Highwayman' ring out loud. A bright spotlight penetrates the darkness and falls upon the backstage curtains, the fans cheer, and 'The Highway Cowboy' Hank Gently, pulling his enormous Hereford bull Eddy along behind, strides confidently onto the stage. Hank stops, hands on hips, nodding left and right towards the cheering crowd, then starts off towards the ring, high-fiving fans as he goes. Hank ties Eddy off at the nearest ring-post, practically skips around the ring towards the time-keeper's table, where he helps himself to a microphone, and hops up the ring-steps, through the ropes, and into the ring.)

Hank Gently - Howdy, folks! (The crowd cries out in unison, "Howdy, Hank!", and cheers themselves)

Hank Gently - Ooooh, been practisin'?! Very nice, very nice! (The crowd cheer again)

Hank Gently - Well - let me tell ya'll what Ol' Hank's been up tah in the off-season. Them few weeks, man, they go by so slow, man! Yah know, you're in the gym, you're workin' out, all the time, stayin' in shape... You find training pardners, an' some ain't so good, but some - a couple of 'em can really make a helluva difference! Ah swear, Eddy an' mahself, we been chompin' at the bit tah git back in this here ring, git these here boots back on mah feet, an' git back to doin' what Ah came here tah do! An' that's git me some gold!! (The crowd let out a roar of approval)

Hank Gently - Easy now, easy!! Ah mean, thanks an' all folks, shucks, Ah sure am honoured ya'll agree with Ol' Hank. An' Eddy was thinkin', now more 'an ever, Ah could use someone tah watch mah back. So, Ah thought, how 'bout Ah find mahself a tag-team pardner. Kinda like a trainin' pardner, only here, in the ring, not jus' fer trainin'! But fer goin' after some gold! Sure, sure, Eddy's in mah corner, but Ah don't reckon Ms. Chase is gonna let 'im be mah tag pardner anytime soon. (The crowd laughs)

Hank Gently - So - after Ah knock-off this fossil Filthy later tonite... (Hank nods towards the bull in the corner) Right you are, Eddy, right you are! - Ah'll be hangin' back there, hopin' Ah can get a little time to chew the fat, with Jack Legacy. You start thinkin' 'bout it now, Mr. Legacy - Jack, Ol' Hank, an' Eddy in our corner... Eddy thinks there's a golden future there, son, a golden future! (The crowd seem to approve)

(Hank tosses his mic back towards the timekeeper with a smile on his face, and hops back between the ropes out of the ring by Eddy. He unties his bull, and leads him back up the ramp under the hot spotlight, back onto the stage, and back behind the curtains out of sight, and the arena falls black again.)

Inserted for 4/9/12 High Octane!