I visited Phrank in the hospital just two Saturdays ago with a group of wrestlers after the C*4 wrestling show in Ottawa. (I wasn't planning to go, but Twiggy works in my office and he got the call that if we wanted to visit Phrank, we needed to do it that Saturday.)
Originally, we were going to go before the show, but we were told not to come when we got to Ottawa. During the show, Phrank's girlfriend Raph got in touch with us and told us that of course we should come no matter how late it was.
The nurses freaked out when about ten of us invaded the hospital after midnight and we had to dispatch our most good-lucking charmer to seduce her into letting us stay. It didn't take much, the fact that we were all from Montreal, that's all. They knew we were there to say goodbye.
In the room, Frank had a bit of difficulty talking, but none making himself understood. I honestly don't know whether we made him laugh or he made us laugh, whether it was Mr. "Salt and Pepper" trying to furnish his apartment with knick-knacks from Phrank's hospital room with Phrank's enthusiastic assistance. Or El Generico showing Frank the sign a female fan had given him "I want to Ride Your Ginger Beard!"
After about a half-hour that was almost a party, the nurses kicked us out because we were keeping the whole floor awake.
To the very last, I don't think I ever saw Phrank without a smile on his face.
*****
Thanks to Uno, Rotchy, Stup, Nick, Raph, Colin Delaney, Twiggy, Pat Laprade, Mark P, Colin Delaney, Ricardo Rodriguez (@RRWWE), Greg Oliver, J.R. and Flip in writing and editing the piece.
Two things that I left out of the article because they seemed out of place and a bit self-promotional for me and ISW...
First I had the privilege and honour as Inter-Species Wrestling Worst Ring Announcer of the Multi-Verse to announce Phrank's first match as Stinky the Homeless Guy. As ISW's Beloved Commissioner For Life, I made Stinky the ISW Other Wrestling Champion. (Mostly by accident, I was busy haggling with Giant Tiger for one of his shirts when Stinky came up with the old ISW belt that he had found in a dumpster - where Kevin Steen had thrown it - and asked if he could keep it.)
Me taking credit for any of that would be a bit like a tree hit by lightning taking credit for inventing fire, but I am glad that I was part of Phrank's life and career.
The other bit that I cut out was the explanation of why Flip D. Berger turned on his tag-team partner in Lady and the Tramp and cost Stinky the title.
No plate-glass windows were involved. That would be too simple - also cruel to plate glass windows.
According to ISW lore, Flip D. Berger lost a "Winner Eats the Loser" match to Moohammad the Terrorist Cow, only instead of cooking Flip and eating him, the Bovine Bomber "ate" Flip's mind, brain-washing the McJobber into quitting his McJob, dropping the D. Berger from his name, joining PETA and becoming a vegetarian.
Makes perfect sense doesn't it?
(edited by Llakor on 7.4.11 1947) "Don't Blame CANADA, Blame Yourselves!"
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What Worked PAS: I really think this feud between the Redneck who takes no shit from anyone and the corporate kingpin who is drunk on power could really turn the business around TKG: The Vince Mcmahon stunt man was the funniest thing on RAW in ages.