_______________________
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
♦ ♦ ♦
el juves por la noche, 2 de agusto de 2017
Pacific Daylight Time
[When it rains, it pours.
This past week, Mercedes Vargas had her first win in SCW in a very long time. Sure, it was only a dominant win over a Bombshell still new to the company, but, in the end, it didn't matter. Her hand was still raised at the end of the match. It was no big deal, really, given that William Peccole Park, the same venue she's visited just once before three years ago, was also where she defeated both members of the Metal and Punk Connection in a contendership match for the Bombshell Roulette Championship. Nostalgia aside, her dominant victory against Otaki tonight was trivial to the one thing greater than facing an inferior opponent, it was greater than her pristine record in this very venue, far greater than her victories few and far between this year...]
I will give you one week to s'ink it over. Meanwhile, z'e Bad Girls will make ourselves comfortable backstage, where I'm certain a pair of contracts will be waiting for us. One week, Mercy..."
[Delia Darling's ominous words haunted her. Time was precious and it was fleeting. In seven days, she would soon have to make a decision, a life or death decision. And yet maybe they were the same consequence. Maybe there were no other alternative at both extremes. Or maybe she takes what’s behind door number three to avoid having to make a choice at all. If anything, the last decision she made ended up costing her everything…
But is doing nothing still a choice?]
[Mercedes Vargas just arrives home in her white Porsche 911 Carrera. As she walks towards her residence, she wipes her grime-covered feet on the welcome mat. She fishes around in her purse for the house key. She reels it in and comes up with it, then enters her apartment.]
“Home sweet home.â€
[Mercedes enters the kitchen, and nudged the door closed with her back foot. Rain dripped off her coat onto the bright tile and she sighed. Great. She’d have to mop that up right after she called checked her messages. She tossed the coat over a chair, then reaches and turns on the radio as “Should I Stay or Should I Go†comes on.]
♫♫ Darling you got to let me know
Should I stay or should I go? ♫♫
[She changes the station.]
♫♫ Did you ever have to make up your mind?
And pick up on one and leave the other behind?...♫♫
[She changes the station again.]
♫♫ Do you know
Where you're going to?
Do you like the things
That life is showing you?
Where are you going to?♫
[She closes her eyes and smiles. This song seems to have resonates with her, but it only last but a moment before she opens her eyes and changes the station once more.]
♫♫ Overwhelmed, you chose to run
Apathetic to the stunned
It's your decision...♫♫
[Mercedes’ expression changes with each song, from pensive to depressed to downright annoyed.]
♫♫Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
Fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way...♫♫
[Mercedes raises an eyebrow as if to say ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ Now it was clearly obvious the radio hates her. Shaking her head, she simply gives up and turns the radio off. Her smartphone. The display shows the incoming call is from her parents via Facetime. Mercedes shakes her head, sighs, then puts on a fake smile and answers.]
Mercedes: Oh hey, it’s my parents!
[Either they didn’t notice her monotone or didn’t care, they speak excitedly in English.]
Estelle: Aw there she is! Hi sweetheart!
[The video cuts between Estelle on her phone now and again. Fernando will pop in and out of frame.]
Fernando: Hey there, Sadie! How was your trip?
Mercedes: Good. Great. Grand. Wonderful.
Estelle: Yeah? Everything you ever hoped for?
Mercedes: Everything I ever planned for. Couldn’t be happier. —
[Fernando pops his head into frame.]
Fernando: You and the carrot top still together?
[Estelle pokes him in the ribs and gives her husband a crossed look. Mercedes doesn’t even begin
to answer.]
Estelle: Merce, are you and Mickey not together anymore?
[The discovery was clearly obvious as Mercedes shakes her head.]
Estelle: Aw, you poor thing.
Mercedes: Mom.
Estelle: Que latisma! ¿Quieres hablar de ello?
That’s too bad. Do you want to talk about it?
Mercedes: Mom. Mom -
Estelle: Escuchaste eso? Mercedes y Mickey - Ellos rompieron. ¿Te lo puedes creer, Fernando?
Did you hear that? Mercedes and Mickey – they broke up. Can you believe it, Fernando?
Mercedes: Mom -
Estelle: No sé si lo sabe pero usted no merece al primer tipo que pase. Tal vez esto es una señal de que deberÃas descansar un poco. Sabes, tal vez deberÃas dejarnos hacer la búsqueda. Ya sabes, hasta que las cosas se calmen.
You deserve better than just any guy. Maybe this is a sign you should be winding things down a bit. You know, just while things simmer down.
Mercedes: Mom! You know what-- it’s been a really long week, and I have a match again this weekend. I should really—
Estelle: That’s right, mija. You get some rest!
Fernando: Wouldn’t want to disappoint your fans and the Mean Girls.
Estelle: Bye bye, Mercedes! Safe travels!
[She gives an eyeroll to her parents.]
Mercedes: Yeah, bye.
[She hangs up, defeated. She can almost hear the radio cueing up again right about now. With that, Mercedes throws her smartphone on the sofa and retreats to the living room. The couch was bare, throw pillows were scattered on the floor. Mercedes spins around in place before plops down near the far end of the sofa. She speaks quietly to herself.]
Mercedes: Tomorrow’s another day...
[Another day that leaves her that much closer to decision day. She wasn’t ready. Sunday would be here before she knew it and the only thing she can think about now is her next match. And all the trouble that went along with it.]
• • •
#ExerciseInFutility
Present Day ♦ L O S A N G E L E S, C A L I F O R N I A
[REC•]
"You know what I find funny? I’ve been working way too hard for a sport that gives no guarantees in life. No instant fame, no guaranteed health insurance. Not even twenty-four hours in a day. I guess that's the sacrifices you have to make if you want to last in this sport for long."
We open on Mercedes leaning against an elliptical machine. Inside a gym that's seen better days, the machine here seem brand new for such little use they've had over time. Mercedes continues as a small smile crosses her face.
"What I find even more funny? We're the ones doing all the work inside the ring while the fans are gorging themselves on soda and hotdogs. I mean, how about I get to sit in the cheap seats and see them run the ropes for five minutes, huh? Is that so much to ask?"
Her discontent was purely noted. Still, this is what she signed up for. Eight years of this can really bend people's perception of things.
"Maybe this is just a exercise in futility, you know? I get that my time is winding down, I get that I'be been successful - my championships, accolades and honors show that I've done that and much more - but I'm just wondering when some of that payoff is going to wind up on my table. Anyway, just food for thought, I guess.
Sunday at Climax Control, I've got to face Bobbie Dahl and to tell you the truth, I'm not too fond of what I'm going be in for in Lake Tahoe. How am I supposed to get through that? I can't get over, under, around or through her. I can't even get her down on the mat!
Well, nobody said it would be easy, but if the few people that has beaten her has taught me anything it's that when there's a will, there's a way. And looking at what I'm in for...
I'm in for a long night."
Mercedes spreads her arms wide in challenge.
"Bring it on."
