[Mac]

“Show me a gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure.” - Knute Rockne

Fighting battles on multiple fronts Part 1

Undisclosed suburb - Las Vegas, Nevada

Off-Camera\

The sun was shining, but the warmth it provided would be like...fuck I don’t know, like wrapping your hands in saran wrap in thirty below zero temperature and expecting to stay warm? Maybe it was just the conversation we’d just shared with Amber’s old friend from her carnie days. We’d been given another name but it didn’t make Amber happy.  The look on her face as she looked back at the house that Josie owned with her generic assed husband spoke volumes. It’s almost as if she just allowed something to die, something that she valued. We sat in the car for a moment. I had to ask…

Well?

Well what?...

Who are they?...

Someone I hoped I’d never have to speak to again.

I started the nondescript car that we’d bought, if it’s someone she hoped to never have to speak to again. That person must be a true scumbag. I let it go for the time being to focus on my driving as we left the suburb where Josie lived. It was all the same, brick house after brick house. No variation in style or architecture. I never could wrap my head around those who enjoyed living in these cookie cutter houses. I just made no sense. I knew what Josie had told her had upset her, maybe it was by design. Since we did kind of intimidate the woman into telling the truth. Amber though was not taking it well. It was obvious by the amount of cursing she was doing, she was beyond irritated.

God damnit! Fucking sticky!

Scumbag!

I take it, you don’t like this person much?

I amuse myself with my sarcasm, but I could feel the heat from her glaring at me. I chuckled as she slugs me in the arm. I catch the wry smile she tries to hide.

one of the worst human beings I’ve ever known. He’s probably in jail, because that is just who he was and likely still is.

She grunts in frustration.

We called him sticky to shorten it...man had sticky fingers.

I bark a laugh as we continue on towards our next destination….home. We still had a lot to do in order to get ready for the match against The Black Sheep. Nothing we couldn’t handle though, unlike a lot of so called teams, we were exactly that. We were in this thing for the long haul, with a real relationship that had meaning. That was what was important to me.

In-Studio

[on-camera]

Back in the studio once again; other than cracking skulls, this is probably my favorite part of this job. The silence in this room, as usual, is almost deafening. I looked around at the acoustic tiles, black and grey in a checkerboard pattern. I think to myself, They do their job maybe a little too well? Knowing this week will be a much larger challenge than what I’ve faced so far, with just as much on the line, I begin...

It’s been said a million times, Las Vegas is a mean town for a loser. It may be the worst city for a loser on the face of this planet. Since I’ve been in Vegas, working for Sin City Wrestling, I’ve yet to experience that. It’s going to happen eventually and I suppose I could be like Augustino and be gracious about it.

I smile shaking my head, indicating that would not be the case.

No, I don’t think so. You see, when you see someone who can lose graciously, what you’re actually seeing is someone who’s become accustomed to failure. That is not something I will ever be accustomed to or comfortable with.

I adjust the zoom to bring it in closer via the remote and then set it back down again.

The last time I was in the ring, I showed the Sin City faithful why I was being placed in a number one contenders match. Now, they’ve placed myself and my better half in a match against the current mixed tag team champions.

I smile at the thought of us being able to show exactly why we are THEIT COUPLE in professional wrestling today.

It’s another chance for us to shine. She took care of business against Roxi and her partner in a tag match on this past Climax Control. I was there and watched as she did so and I watched with amusement as Kedron dismantled the Roulette Champion and sent his ass packing. He was kind enough to take his title, I’d hate to think that he wasn’t keeping it warm for me.

Still smiling I reset the angle and the zoom on the camera.

Mikah and Kris, according to what everyone has been saying, you guys are not only undefeated but have dominated the division.
My smile broadens.

News Flash kids, that’s because you’ve never faced us!

Fighting battles on multiple fronts Part 2

Las Vegas, Nevada - The Bane House

Off-Camera\

I did have this habit of spreading myself too thin, I thought to myself as I worked on my hog. It had started to misfire that morning and so I was meticulously going over everything. Working on my Harley was one of those things that brought me peace of mind. Amber was there helping me, she loved to work on not just bikes but really anything with an engine. She had a real knack for it and was probably a better mechanic than I was.

Where are you, you sneaky fuck….

I heard Amber laugh from the other side of the bike. She stands up partially and wrinkles her nose at me.

You can’t call it out like an enemy Mac.

That causes me to laugh as well, knowing she’s right, but I don’t have to admit it...do I?

Oh yeah? Wanna bet?

I said it in a voice full of triumph as I had just found the culprit. A pinhole in my fuel line. I watch her reaction and she starts to say yes but then something about my tone makes her change her mind.

That’s a fool's bet and I’m no fool.

She follows that statement by sticking her tongue out at me.

What did you find smart ass?

I laugh at the levity and return the gesture sticking my tongue out.

pinhole in the fuel line. The same fuel line that we’ve checked half a dozen times.

She gives me an incredulous look.

What do you mean “we”? You got a frog in your pocket?

I’m trying not to laugh and failing miserably.

Fair, it’s the same fuel line that I’ve checked at least half a dozen times.

That’s better

I roll my eyes and chuckle.

yes ma’am

Several moments pass by as we finish replacing the fuel line, then priming the line and test firing it to make sure that backfire is gone. Fist bump and then we begin cleaning up. There’s really nothing in this world like the feeling you get from fixing something that’s broken. Just like her mission to help an old man who was dieing to make peace with his estranged daughter. That was the thing that she wanted to fix for her old mentor. Since we had all this time working on my bike and she’d had time to calm down a little bit, I felt like I needed to ask her about this, “Sticky” again.

So, Sticky…

She frowns but only slightly. She sighs…

I really don’t know what to say about that piece of shit, Mac. He was one of those guys that preyed on younger girls in the carnival. He was a pick pocket, his skills in that area were pretty good but he was stupid.

Thinking about that statement coming from her, I can’t help but be amazed that she was impressed by the skills of a petty thief. He must have been a good one to get her respect.

Sounds like a real stud.

I say with the sarcasm dripping heavily as I say it. She laughs so hard she actually snorts.

Yeah….no. He was a weasely little bastard. Ugh...and now I have to find this prick in order to try and find Cass.

Fade

In-Studio

[on-camera]

Opportunities like this one are priceless. I’ve already got a title opportunity against Kedron. Maybe we’ll have two matches to look forward to. Amber and I would love nothing more than to take those mixed tag team titles from you. I have zero problems with being double booked for a pay per view or supershow or CC. The one thing I’ve noticed about you both, the arrogance, it’s palpable. Amber and I have made a career out of torching assholes like you two. You asked the question not long ago, what would it take for people to believe that you’re every bit as good as you claim to be? Hell, Son, that’s the easy part. Beat someone that fucking matters. How’s that for starters? You haven’t beat us, so you can’t say that you’ve beaten everyone there is to beat. Granted, I’m still rather shiny to the average wrestling fan that follows Sin City. So, you haven’t learned yet….but you will.

I get it though, you’re a very accomplished guy here in Sin City. You and your girl have won just about everything there is to win here. You can’t move forward because the level of talent has been raised with every single new person that walks in here. You’re no longer the top dog in the company nor the face of it. That belongs to someone else. For now it’s Washington for however long that lasts. Doesn’t seem like anyone holds that title for long around here. It’s a talent level thing though isn’t it? When there’s so much talent in a place it makes retaining a title difficult, that is unless it’s the mixed tag division. I guess...or maybe you just have had quality opponents to defend against. Oh, I’m sure you’ll beat it into the ground that the two of you have faced them all and beaten them all. Typical promo, hot air, b.s.

With all your accolades, you’d think that you guys would move onto another company and test the waters to see if your talent holds up. Hell, that’s what Amber and I have done. We branch out to test our metal in other companies. We want to not only face the best, we want to be the best. We can only do that if we test our wills against the wills of others. The idea is that you leave your mark everywhere you go. That’s what true competitors do. I don’t pretend to know what your legacy looks like nor do I care. I deal with what’s in front of me, what’s been presented by you so far is a lot of hot air. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of shit to say folks but it won’t matter. I’ve been around this business for a hell of a long time and I’ve seen it all and done it all. There’s nothing as a team you can bring to that ring that will shock, surprise or amaze Amber and I.

I know the type of competitors you are and you really have no choice, when you’re never the biggest dog in the fight. High risk, high reward right? You had better be amazingly fast kids, fly as high as you think you can and when the surface to air missiles start tracking, you’ll crash back down to earth and learn what others already have. You can’t fuck with this kids. All your flash and spot monkey tactics won't save you in the ring against people who actually know how to wrestle. We’re the type of people that can pick you apart, or just straight up outfight you, doesn’t matter to us. Pick your poison kids, because that’s exactly what it is at the end of the day. Calling poison control won’t help you, there is no cure for what comes next. The legacy you think you’ll be leaving will die in that ring against me and Amber. Enjoy your celebrity status for now kids, your lack of consistency will be your undoing. If you should survive this encounter, then you really can call yourself “The Miracle”, it’d really be a miracle if you could figure out a better team name though….that whole, “Black Sheep” thing? Yeah, the nineteen nineties called and they want their material back.