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The Gauntlet
--George Bernard Shaw IT WAS NEARING eleven on a muggy New York night, the Yankees game from Anaheim just beginning, when the door to room 617B eased open. I looked away from the TV expecting a nurse. Instead, I watched a well-dressed older woman walk quietly toward the bed. She looked to be in her late sixties, with thick gray hair combed straight back in an old-fashioned twist. There was a soft glow to her face, lines and wrinkles defiantly held in check. She had sharp dark eyes, red polish spread over manicured nails and a two-piece navy pantsuit under a blue topcoat. She removed the coat, gently folding it and resting it at the foot of the bed. Is there a chair for me? She asked, her eyes firmly on the man in the bed. I got up and slid mine toward her, watching her walk over to the old man, lean down and kiss his forehead. Her hands stroked his fingers as she lowered her head and whispered unheard words into his ear. I had never seen her before and didn't know her name. I did know, from the ease of her movements, that she cared for him. She turned from the old man and, for the first time since she entered the room, looked up at me, her eyes clouded. You must be Johnny She said. He always talked about you. From when you were a little boy. I had the idea he didn't like to talk at all I said, strangely comfortable in her company. That's true. A slight smile creased her face. About most things and with most people. The smile on her face grew wider. I'm Mary She said now. At least I'm Mary to everyone but him. And what does he call you? I returned the smile. It was impossible not to return that smile. A hint of a younger woman crept into her voice. Skipper. Why? The first time I met him, my father took us out on his boat. Once we were out of the harbor I took the wheel, so the two of them would be free to talk. But he never heard a word my father said. All he did was look over at this kid manning a forty-three-foot boat. He figured none of us would make it back to land. He was born on a boat I said, leaning forward against the bed railing. He didn't care much for that trip either. She nodded and went on. I'd handled the boat many times for my father. I was practically raised on the water. But when I saw him look at me and could see how nervous he was, I decided to have a little fun. So, now and then, I'd give him a frightened look or act as if I didn't know what to do, which made him even more nervous. He ever catch on? Twenty minutes into the trip he figured out I was very lucky or very good, and that either way was enough for us to make it back. The next time he caught my eye, he winked. That's all it took. For Skipper to be born and for me to fall in love. You were in love with him? I immediately regretted my surprised tone. From that day to this She said, turning once again to the man on the bed. Nothing's changed but time. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for that to sound the way it did. No need to be sorry She told me. It's just that I thought I knew everything there is to know about him. All the places and all the people. You know the parts he told you Mary said, shoulders pulled back in perfect posture. The parts you heard and the parts you lived through. What don't I know? I looked into Mary's eyes, searching for the face of the brash young girl to whom the man in the bed had handed his heart. Despite her calm exterior, there was the scent of a woman at ease with the rules of danger. She had appeared like mist, invisible and unknowing to me until these past few moments, yet fully equipped with secrets I had believed would soon be lost forever. There are a few missing parts Mary said. They might help you understand everything that happened. I suppose he would have told you, eventually. Now, it's left to me. That is, if you're ready. I can't imagine it can be any worse than the parts he already put me through I said. Mary studied my face, her manner poised and peaceful. She then glanced at the old man in the bed and folded her arms across her waist. You may want to get yourself some more coffee She said. Behind us, up on the silent screen, the Yankees had taken a one-run lead against the Angels on a Derek Jeter home run. Next to me, an old man, once strong, fearless and feared, inched closer to his destiny. Across from me, a woman I had known for less than fifteen minutes was, with the sheer power of her words, about to shift the course of my life. 
There is a lot that I haven’t experience in my career, as I've said on multiple occasions. I was crowned HIW Elite champion TWICE. I earned that championship…Both times... a rare feat for many to accomplish, and hardly something to complain about. I worked my ass off and accomplished a respectable career, facing some of the greatest names this game has ever known. In many ways, back to Rival Factions... I was blessed to be given a chance, it was something I was able to look on and proudly smile, telling myself I did good while I was there. And I did do good... I know that, I can accept that; however, personally? I don't feel I did good enough. Let's face facts here: I'll never be a Cruiserweight Champion. I'm a large guy, unless I managed to knock a few inches off my height and go on Jenny Craig or something, drop my muscle and just over-all tone myself down at an inhuman rate... I doubt I'll ever be qualified to reign as a Cruiserweight. Things like that, they don't bother me, you know? If I can't do it because I'm not physically capable of doing it, like, at all... that's okay. Style's never give up, but they do know when something is just plain impossible. Yet there was so much outside of that and the World title that I could have been, and I skipped over it all. I could have been PWR Champion as Jinx--A SCANDAL I‘m still finding myself apologizing for….A mistake I'm going to make up for, eventually. You know... it's funny, now that I think about it. I've never won a eXpert hosted match, not that I didn’t try. Just the other guy was always better. And lets be honest I don’t stand a chance to win the gauntlet main event. Drawing number one, really killed what ever chance I had. Some question that number, was it a easy pass giving the dark horse of HIW number one? Sure. It’s clear I aint no one’s favorite star around the eXpert woods. Hell I even thought about saying fuck it all, leave them high and dry. But I’ve shined enough negative light on the land of High Impact. So here I am, ready to be feed to the dogs. Better late then never. -- FIN -- |