Post by logansky on Mar 25, 2024 0:27:20 GMT
“I wanted to succeed, ya know? It felt like I was right at the cusp of doing so. Just had to push a little more. One more match. One more show. One more story line. It felt like I was right on the edge of making it to the big time. So I traveled.”
He sighs, looking down at the floor.
“I made it back home when I could. To see my wife and to see Alicia. Not enough. Maggie, she begged me to stay at home more. Pick up something part time so that I could help with the bills and with the baby. I thought…”
He shook his head and released his own hands so he could flex out his fingers. He was grasping them so tightly that his knuckles were knotting up.
“I told myself I was sending as much money back as I could. But Maggie wanted something steady. Let me work local shows. Told me I could get picked up from there. But I had to be seen. Had to get eyes on me.”
He hunched forward in his seat, almost folding in on himself.
“Really, it was easier to get my pills that way. Promoters, they would get supplies of that stuff. Ways to keep the talent happy. But they would pick up on if you were asking too much. Traveling let me keep my supply without too many questions. But then Maggie was pregnant again. We were using protection. Trying to be careful. We knew we couldn’t afford another baby. Maggie sat me down. Told me that we had to make a choice. My folks, well. They were religious sorts. Wouldn’t understand not keeping the baby. So she gave me a choice. I’d either have to stop traveling, only work local shows and get something to help out. Or she’d leave me.”
He shook his head, still not raising his gaze from the floor to look around at the group.
“I couldn’t lose her. Just couldn’t. So, I buckled down. Friend of mine started getting me to come to meetings. I worked at local shows. Got a job in a warehouse loading and unloading trucks. Honest work, and kept me in shape. Things were going good until about 5 years after my Tommy was born.”
He took another deep breath and once again clasped his hands together.
“See, a couple of things happened. My long time Buddy, Butcher Bill, he had a line on a job out in Japan. At least a year's worth of work. Steady work. They were doing a big tag team tournament that they wanted to spend a few months working towards. People would be there. Scouts. He wanted me to tag with him. I turned him down at first. Too long to be without my family. I’d made a promise, you know? But then Maggie’s dad had passed away. Cancer. They knew it was coming from a mile away and they had time to say goodbye to the old man.”
He lifts a hand and wipes it on his face.
“I miss that old bastard sometimes. He was a bigger fan than even my parents. Well, her mom needed a place to stay and she was retired and wanted to spend more time with her grandchildren. So Maggie, she said I could go. Like I said, she always wanted to support my dreams.”
He leans forward and presses his face into his hands.
“I shoulda said no. I curse myself for doing it to this day.”
~_~
The scene opens on Logan Sky, running through a series of seated stretches though if this is pre or post workout is hard to determine. He glances up at the camera and sighs.
“I am still recovering from that hellacious hardcore match with Nick Knight and I ain’t had a break since then. Now management decided it’s time for me to fight a sentient Russian boulder one week before the Roulette.”
He lets out a breath as he releases the stretch, returning his body upright.
“Well that’s fine. The bookers want to test out how much of a ‘Machine’ I am, then I’ll just have to show them. Tytus, you and I got a lot in common. We’ve both been doing this for too damn long and we both have been battered to hell and back by the effort of it. You ain’t one of these young kids that haven’t figured out the game yet. You’ve been doing this just about as long as me. You are strong as hell and damn near unstoppable.”
He shakes his head, bending over to his other side this time.
“Truth is this comes down to one thing and that’s who’s going to screw up first. You’re damn sure stronger than me but I damn sure got more gas then you. So it’s a matter of if you can take me out fast enough before I can out last you and wear you down before my own engine starts to sputter out. I’m game for the fight just like I know you are.”
He straightens again, letting out a grunt as something in his body pops.
“Hell, that smarts.”
He reaches behind him to rub at his back as he looks into the camera.
“All you kids out there best pay attention. These old timers are gonna put on a clinic for you to watch. So pull up your desks, make sure you got a snack and take down your notes. There will be a test and it’s how your career is going to be remembered. So come on Tytus, ya giant. Let’s put on a clinic for these youngsters.”
The scene fades out as he leans forward to stretch out his back.
He sighs, looking down at the floor.
“I made it back home when I could. To see my wife and to see Alicia. Not enough. Maggie, she begged me to stay at home more. Pick up something part time so that I could help with the bills and with the baby. I thought…”
He shook his head and released his own hands so he could flex out his fingers. He was grasping them so tightly that his knuckles were knotting up.
“I told myself I was sending as much money back as I could. But Maggie wanted something steady. Let me work local shows. Told me I could get picked up from there. But I had to be seen. Had to get eyes on me.”
He hunched forward in his seat, almost folding in on himself.
“Really, it was easier to get my pills that way. Promoters, they would get supplies of that stuff. Ways to keep the talent happy. But they would pick up on if you were asking too much. Traveling let me keep my supply without too many questions. But then Maggie was pregnant again. We were using protection. Trying to be careful. We knew we couldn’t afford another baby. Maggie sat me down. Told me that we had to make a choice. My folks, well. They were religious sorts. Wouldn’t understand not keeping the baby. So she gave me a choice. I’d either have to stop traveling, only work local shows and get something to help out. Or she’d leave me.”
He shook his head, still not raising his gaze from the floor to look around at the group.
“I couldn’t lose her. Just couldn’t. So, I buckled down. Friend of mine started getting me to come to meetings. I worked at local shows. Got a job in a warehouse loading and unloading trucks. Honest work, and kept me in shape. Things were going good until about 5 years after my Tommy was born.”
He took another deep breath and once again clasped his hands together.
“See, a couple of things happened. My long time Buddy, Butcher Bill, he had a line on a job out in Japan. At least a year's worth of work. Steady work. They were doing a big tag team tournament that they wanted to spend a few months working towards. People would be there. Scouts. He wanted me to tag with him. I turned him down at first. Too long to be without my family. I’d made a promise, you know? But then Maggie’s dad had passed away. Cancer. They knew it was coming from a mile away and they had time to say goodbye to the old man.”
He lifts a hand and wipes it on his face.
“I miss that old bastard sometimes. He was a bigger fan than even my parents. Well, her mom needed a place to stay and she was retired and wanted to spend more time with her grandchildren. So Maggie, she said I could go. Like I said, she always wanted to support my dreams.”
He leans forward and presses his face into his hands.
“I shoulda said no. I curse myself for doing it to this day.”
~_~
The scene opens on Logan Sky, running through a series of seated stretches though if this is pre or post workout is hard to determine. He glances up at the camera and sighs.
“I am still recovering from that hellacious hardcore match with Nick Knight and I ain’t had a break since then. Now management decided it’s time for me to fight a sentient Russian boulder one week before the Roulette.”
He lets out a breath as he releases the stretch, returning his body upright.
“Well that’s fine. The bookers want to test out how much of a ‘Machine’ I am, then I’ll just have to show them. Tytus, you and I got a lot in common. We’ve both been doing this for too damn long and we both have been battered to hell and back by the effort of it. You ain’t one of these young kids that haven’t figured out the game yet. You’ve been doing this just about as long as me. You are strong as hell and damn near unstoppable.”
He shakes his head, bending over to his other side this time.
“Truth is this comes down to one thing and that’s who’s going to screw up first. You’re damn sure stronger than me but I damn sure got more gas then you. So it’s a matter of if you can take me out fast enough before I can out last you and wear you down before my own engine starts to sputter out. I’m game for the fight just like I know you are.”
He straightens again, letting out a grunt as something in his body pops.
“Hell, that smarts.”
He reaches behind him to rub at his back as he looks into the camera.
“All you kids out there best pay attention. These old timers are gonna put on a clinic for you to watch. So pull up your desks, make sure you got a snack and take down your notes. There will be a test and it’s how your career is going to be remembered. So come on Tytus, ya giant. Let’s put on a clinic for these youngsters.”
The scene fades out as he leans forward to stretch out his back.
Well howdy there pardner.