Whenever Charles has an idea...I don't wanna go anywhere near him. I can list many crazy ideas he roped me in where I ended up regretting it afterwards. It seemed that maybe me teaming with Roxi and Keira in costume was a bad idea in retrospect...because he had a genius idea...we went down to the Hollywood set where his friend worked and he decided to put me in costume..
This can only end well....
He waited outside the trailer as the makeup artist and costume designer touched me up. I could hear him out there shouting for me.
Charles Hawkins: Okay...come on out!
I step out in a red wig, a lightning bolt over my face surrounded by white makeup, and an all red jump suit.
Griffin Hawkins: You have got to be kidding me...
Charles Hawkins: Bro, come on! David Bowie as Ziggy Stardust is iconic! It's obvious that's what Teddy is trying to do, but you can do it better!
Griffin Hawkins: Charles..look, I respect David Bowie and I think he's one of the greatest singers ever..god rest his soul...but I don't think I could pull him off..
Charles: Alright fine....let's try something else!
I sigh and go back into the trailer. Sometime later, I com down dressed in all black, with a silver sinister looking mask and a long black haired wig.
Charles Hawkins: Love it! Mick Thompson as Slipknot! This is without a doubt your best look!
Griffin Hawkins: I can't breathe in this thing!
Charles Hawkins: I can't quite hear you bro!
I sigh and take off the mask.
Griffin Hawkins: I said I can't breathe in this thing!
Charles Hawkins: You can breathe when you're victorious. Teddy looks like the type who's scared of his own shadow...just by looking at you he's gonna wet himself.
Griffin Hawkins: I don't wanna beat him by fear, I wanna beat him by pure wrestling skill alone.
Charles Hawkins: Skill? I got just the costume for that! Go in and try the third one.
Griffin Hawkins: ...fine.
After some time, I come out with what looks to be...hoo boy..
Charles Hawkins: Elvis! A Hunka Hunka Beat down coming Teddy's way!
I look like a complete tool...I then take off the sunglasses.
Griffin Hawkins: Charles...I don't need this. I don't need all these flashy gimmicks.
Charles Hawkins: What do you mean?
Griffin Hawkins: See..the difference between me and Teddy..is that I don't need some goofy costume. I don't need to be the center of attention. If I'm gonna beat him, I'm gonna beat him the same way I've beaten everyone, on skill alone.
Charles Hawkins: ..I guess I never thought of it like that..
Griffin Hawkins: So can I take this off now?..
Charles Hawkins: I guess so. Go ahead.
I was relieved he finally got the message. I wanted my title back and I was gonna do it my way, with no gimmicks needed. I just hope what I had was enough..
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~Many Years Ago~
I didn't always have it easy in this business. Being a rookie and having to be surrounded by many big stars in more ways than one is kind of intimidating. In AWE, I didn't really have much going for me at the time. Sure I won a few titles, but the wrestling world still did not know who I was now. Then I looked at the bigger and more intimidating stars.
I really felt insecure..
I was looking through the posters of the current champions...wondering what did they have that I don't have. And then I saw how they looked...all big and muscly and ripped. I figured maybe that's what I needed a better body.
Maybe this was my chance...
I had a friend who slipped me some steroids. I made sure that I was alone in my locker room, hoping no one was gonna catch me. I slipped my jeans down to mid thigh...looking to inject the drug in me....in my defense I've never done this before, so I was probably doing this wrong. I was about to inject the needle...but then a familiar voice cut through the air.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!"
I turn and see a familiar face...Heather Cooper. Course, this was years before she met Kris Halich and married him. Me and her have been friends for many years..she became more like a sister to me when I was away from my family.
Griffin Hawkins: Heather?...
Heather Cooper: Tell me that needle is not what I think it is..
I nearly dropped it...I was not expecting her to drop by.
Griffin Hawkins: Heather...it's not what it looks like...
Heather Cooper: It looks like you were about to inject some foreign substances into your body..
Griffin Hawkins: ....its not as bad as it seems.
Heather Cooper: Griffin, this is bad. What is this stuff anyway?...
Griffin Hawkins: .....HGH.
Heather Cooper: Seriously? Steroids? Have you lost your mind?
Griffin Hawkins: You don't understand...
Heather Cooper: Okay then help me understand.
Griffin Hawkins: Heather..look at the guys you see out there. They are big, jacked up..they got the eyes of the world on them. What do I got? Nothing...I figure this will help me in the long run..
She looked serious as she walked closer to me.
Heather Cooper: Griff..this kinda thing is gonna hurt you in more ways than one. The last thing I wanna see is you go down the road I did..
Griffin Hawkins: What road?...
Heather Cooper: I used to be addicted to many things...drugs...alcohol. Years ago I made some...really bad decisions as I got into the adult movie business, used drugs to numb the guilt and the shame of doing it. Put me at odds with my loved ones...all because I wanted to get noticed in the public eye..
Griffin Hawkins: Oh my God..I had no idea Heather.
Heather Cooper: It's not something I tell most people. I mean let's say this stuff works and you're all big and buffed..who's to say you won't stop there? People who take this stuff never stop and they get addicted..I once knew a friend who couldn't stop pill popping and it sent him to an early grave, he was only 23...
Griffin Hawkins: ...Oh...so what am I supposed to do for myself?
Heather Cooper: You're gonna be a big star one day...and you're gonna do it on your own..not because you stuck a needle in your ass just to gain some extra muscle. I know someone like you can go out there and fight..win or lose, you can make it. But not in some cheap way like this.
She really had that much faith in me. I look at the needle in my hand...and dropped it to the floor, crushing it with my boot. She then smiles..the first one I've seen since she got in.
Heather Cooper: There we go. Now come on, let's go get some ice cream or something.
Griffin Hawkins: That does sound good.
Me and her walk out and leave the locker room...it was her advice that saved me. One of the members of the roster who did steroids ended up dying a month later due to circumstances related to steroid abuse. That could have been me..I knew if I wanted to be a star..I had to focus more on my ring work and not an image.
-------------------------------------------------
The scene opens up in my locker room...where there are many of my prized guitars at my disposal. On the picture frame are many singers of the past, present and future. I step into the shot, wearing blue jeans and a tye dye Grateful Dead T-Shirt. I sit down on a stool.
"In the world of rock and roll..its customary that you need a gimmick to get yourself noticed. KISS wore makeup and spiked outfits, Twisted Sister teased their hair and wore lipstick, Poison went full glam with the whole shebang...but what about the ones who didn't need a gimmick? Me...when it comes to music and wrestling, I don't need a gimmick. For the last few years of my career..it's been no gimmick necessary. Sure, some looked at me and said..oh you're just a gimmick trying to use wrestling to get into music..those same people didn't amount to anything, and I proved them all wrong because I'm still here..and they burned out. Whether it be on the stage, or in the ring, I don't need a gimmick. Same can't be said for Teddy Steele..as he seems to believe that he's some kind of God just because he paints himself up like a circus clown and wins a title in a match where everyone was all over the place. Does he understand anything about whats going on? Well, its time for an education.."
I go to what looks to be the band Metallica.
"Metallica, one of the greatest bands ever. They wore all black and played some heavy lyrics. Even though they had long hair...they didn't follow in the footsteps of bands such as Quiet Riot or Poison...they did their own thing. They even shocked the world when they cut their hair. Teddy...doesn't seem to get it. He is more focused on image than actual ring work...he doesn't get that flashy gimmicks will only get you far. When you look back at past champions who've held that prestigious title...Lucian Frost, Ben Jordan, Kristopher Ryans...even Ty West...they never relied on gimmicks like you do Teddy. Something tells me that you didn't get enough attention as a child and you want everyone to notice you...but the thing is, getting someone's attention....that's the worst thing you could possibly do."
Something told me that Teddy didn't seem to understand the fundamentals of being Champion.
"Over and over again Teddy, you go on about how nobody wears makeup like you..nobody can wear heels like you...whatever whatever...you think that makes a champion? No. You held what...ONE belt and suddenly you think you're Austin James Mercer, Ty West and J2H all rolled into one? Seriously dude...no one cares if you wear your wife's makeup or her shoes. If you wanna cross dress while she's off doing errands, then that's fine..we're all cool with that kinda thing in 2019..but don't even think that makes you a good champion. You would know if you actually held a title before now. Unlike you, I didn't have to put makeup on my face, I didn't have to walk out on my wife, and I sure as hell didn't have to walk around with a bunch of prostitutes I paid for an attempt to make myself look like a big man. You did all those things..me...all I did was get where I am on hard work. I didn't have to change my appearance, I didn't have to compromise my marriage, and I didn't need to hide behind a valet when I was in danger of losing. Everything I've done...I didn't need a gimmick for like you seem to use as a crutch..and I am not gonna need one when I make you an ex champion."
I go over to a stand where there's a picture of a man in makeup.
"David Bowie...one of the greatest musicians of all time. Some have been heavily inspired by his on stage presence and his unique jaw dropping image and voice...course its obvious that Teddy is trying to be the new Ziggy Stardust...but I think Bowie would be rolling over in his grave if he could see Teddy now. He seems to think in his head that he is the chosen one..a name bestowed by Christian Underwood. But dude...you realize he hates you right? He thinks you're a fucking clown, nothing more than a sad little poser who has to rely on flashy gimmicks to cover up his weaknesses in the ring...yet you continue to live in your bubble of self delusion. I'll admit though Teddy, you did manage to silence the critics when you won that Roulette Title, no one can take that away from you. But you've proven to be Aladdin Sane if you think that it's gonna be smooth sailing from here on out. Don't you get it yet? Don't you realize it's harder to stay on top than to get to the top? Have you realized that everybody is after you? Not just me..but the entire SCW locker room. Has the paranoia kicked in yet Teddy Boy? I think it has. Because you are walking around with a huge target around your waist...and everyone wants to take it. But no worries..for I will relieve you of that feeling..when I take back what's rightfully mine."
I can still hear the words of Teddy stinging me..making me even more determined to get my belt back.
"Let me ask you something Teddy..for weeks and weeks now, you've been telling everyone that you're better than me, that you replaced me, that you'll be a better champion than me. If that's the case...then why have you been avoiding putting that belt on the line against me? Hell, the night you won it, I told you I want a rematch..and you just turned yellow and said...the champ is moving on to bigger and better things. And not to mention allowing your slut to run around and assault all members of the backstage crew..and kidnapping me..all so you can find out who's gonna be the mystery Bombshell in my corner. You know what all that tells me?...that tells me that you're afraid.
You seem to have doubt under all that arrogance..you don't think that you can beat me one on one. Yeah, you were able to win the title, but there were 5 other guys fighting for it..and now that it's one on one, you want nothing to do with me. The world knows you're scared Teddy..the owners know it...everyone in the back knows it..you know it...even your precious gem Diamond knows it."
I almost forgot about Diamond.
"In speaking of your precious little slut...she seems to be angry that I got someone in my corner who's gonna keep an eye on her to make sure she's not gonna interfere? Why is that? Because she realizes without her...you can't win Teddy. Sure, you managed to get yourself a lucky win over Kedron Williams, but what about Tony Thorn? What about Fenris? You rely WAY too much on interference to get the job done..and the fact that I got someone backing me up has got you scared. Because you realize more than ever that with the sides even..your title chances are in serious danger. Because for once it's gonna be a one on one match. No one for you to hide behind..no way you can run away.."
I begin to go towards the exit.
"Time is ticking Teddy...your title reign...your farce of a title reign is slowly coming to an end. See..I never said that I was gonna be a hero for your wife, the only thing that I said was that I was gonna expose you for what you really are...a fraud..a cheap pale imitation of me who isn't even as half as good as you think you are. Now is the time for you to put your money where your mouth is..now is the time for you to back up everything you've been saying in the last month. There won't be any gimmicks needed for me..because all I need to do is lay you out one two three. Diamond won't be a factor because she is gonna have her hands full with the Bombshell in my corner..leaving only you and me. Not sure what's gonna take place...all I know is, one of us is walking out of here with the belt...and the other one's gonna get rocked."
With that, I walk out of the room as the camera crew close out the segment.
