Zamboni saves "Payne Train" again

[Thunder 782]

Disappointed was the only word that came from Rico Zamboni’s mouth after spending an extra week in Bratislava before continuing the VHL tour 2022.  The 84 year old ice resurfacing master found himself a front row seat for the home games of the opening series between Bratislava and the Rome Gladiators.  Things looked bright coming home from a 1-1 series in Rome, but the Watchmen lost the opening game to a tough Gladiator team.  And it didn’t get any better in the second game at the Watchmen Center, as they lost again, giving them a do or die situation in Rome, which by now you know the results.

 

The true disappointment came in between games, where Rico walked the night life of the city, only to find one of the top defensemen on the team in another drumken stupor.  Brian Payne took sobbing to a new level as he decided to drown his misery of losing the playoff games by challenging anyone willing to play beer pong.  Rico stepped into the Michalska Cocktail Room, where Payne gets his favorite fruity drink, the “Clawdad,” a blended concoction of Pina colada, nut buttered rum, and peach white claw.  He stepped to the hostess after noticing a plastered Payne holding a Tulip glass, sucking down some clawdad.  Rico asked the hostess how long Brian has been in this state of mind, and she told Rico he was about 9 crawdads into the night.  He was asked to leave but a couple of Gladiator players had come in and challenged Payne to a drinking contest.

 

The Gladiators set up the “Payne Train,” and by the time Zamboni was finally able to get Payne into the custody of Payne’s fellow defenseman, Bo Johanssen, it was clear that he would be useless in game 4.  All the jelly eyed Payne could do was mumble to BoJo, until he passed out.  Johanssen kept the team violations away from the coaches provided that Payne agreed to get his act together.  Payne managed to stop puking long enough to get hydrated for warm ups later that evening, but he was not well enough to excel to his usual crushing self, causing pain and discontent to his opponents.  Luckily his teammates stepped up to keep the game close.

 

Following game 5 in Rome, Payne and BoJo returned to Bratislava and met up with Zamboni at the practice facility, where they talked about the future in the VHL.  It’s clear that BoJo will be headed to his VHL team, the Chicago Phoenix, while the VHLE tough guy Payne, is on the bubble whether he goes up to the Warsaw Predators.  If both of them leave Bratislava, it opens up some opportunities for the youngsters in the VHLM.    

 

Zamboni left Bojo and the Payne Train with some advice, whether Payne moves up or not.  “Brian, you have to stay out of the bars and away from the white claws, you’re not mature enough to hold a drink in your hand.  Keep your hands free for the hockey stick.”  Payne let those words of advice sink in, as he and BoJo watched Zamboni head to the airport in a limo with four bombshells from the Bratislava roller derby team.  Rico was smiling with his arms around two of the bombshells as the faces of Brian Payne and BoJo Johannsen faded away.  As he got to the airport, he pondered whether he will next go to Moscow or Malmo.

 

578 words

[Shindigs 1,771]

Poor Payne, hopefully he stays on the straight and narrow and take out his frustrations by fighting anyone who is willing in the VHL instead, come next season. Because it sounds like those poor Clawdads need a break from him.