Blog: Almighty Fire
semana del 28 de juno al 5 de julio de 2 0 2 0
Lost.
No, I'm not talking about the TV show, I'm talking about actually feeling "lost."
It's not a good feeling, let me tell you. There you are, standing in the crowd, letting life pass you by. The scary thing is? You don't know where to go or what to do or who to turn to. Wouldn't it be easy if we could just stop and ask for directions? Turns out, sometimes you end up more lost than you already were.
I know I'm just a cog in the wheel and had I decided to quit today this company will march on with or without me - just as it did when other stars left over the years - but I'm always left wondering one thing, did Mercedes Vargas need Sin City Wrestling, or did Sin City Wrestling need Mercedes Vargas? Last month was my birthday, just yesterday marked my first match in SCW. Seven years later, I'm still kicking butt, taking names, winning championships. Seasons change, birthdays and anniversaries come and go, and years seem to fly by, but my legacy lives on. I have proven to be more than just another name on the roster, I have proven to be a lot more than just another pretty face, and I have proven to be a dangerous opponent on any given night in that ring. Nobody in this company - past, present or future - can say the same.
Nobody.
If anything, my records should strive people to be better not bitter. That seems like it should never have to be said, but it doesn't make it any less true.
Not only do I feel lost, but with situation I'm in this week, I've already lost before the bell has even rung.
Well, so much for that.
I'm closing in on four months now since my last win. Amazing, isn't it? It's amazing that it's gotten this far because I don't usually have slumps. Now and again I pick up a few notable wins, go on a run, then I get a setback like most people have, but anyone who has followed my career know that while I get knocked down, I don't stay down for very long.
The Bombshells Division is getting tougher, the competition is getting better. Most people who have been here for more than three, five, eight years now have to keep one eye open because there's someone who wants your spot. I make a game of it seeing how long the next plucky new up-and-comer or flavor-of-the-month will stick it out. Granted for every "fill-in-the-blank is SCW!" and "insert name of wrestler is a star!", nine times out of ten they're only around for a cup of coffee and disappear after a few months. Some didn't do more than just sign their name on a contract.
Nowadays the competition is trying to keep up. Me, I don't have that problem. Because the only competition I see is myself. I don't have anything to prove to anyone, I have no need to play the game of being better than anyone. I have far more success than most in SCW, and I'm not just talking about the women's division. Some may not remember that or care for some reason and what others think of me is not my problem.
They say you're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose. But what are you if you didn't win or lose? Is there really an answer?
I need to refocus because I'm only as good as my last match. Or in this case, my next one.
All fun and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but the fun and games stops on Sunday. I find myself in the same situation I was two weeks ago, a means to an end because some tough guy from Jersey who has all the sex appeal of a penguin thought pairing me with Jessie Salco against Keira and Candy seemed like an interesting match.
His words, not mine.
I don't know who pissed in his cereal that morning when he came up with this bright idea, but Jack Washington putting me in the opening match of Climax Control is about as wrong as the Jordans facing each other in the opening match two weeks ago. It's about as insulting as someone handing their significant other a main event title match out of the blue when their record didn't even reflect that of a title contender. It's about as disgusting than the booking made that show.
But that's alright, I'm going to make the best of a bad situation because while Crystal's plan using Amber Ryan to take me out ended up an epic fail not to mention, but I'll mention, that I got a measure of revenge that night plus I get to beat the hypocrisy out of her body next month at Summer XXXtreme, teaming up with Jessie is a dream match and I'm actually looking forward towards the other matches set for Climax Control.
So, I want to say thanks to Jack. And I hope all the bad things in life happens to him and nobody else but him. I hope a flowerpot falls from a window sill and knocks him out or that his birthday comes and nobody calls or that his dreams never come true. He sure as hell doesn't stand a chance beating Ben Jordan for the World Heavyweight Championship. I hope Christian Underwood never books him above the mid-card and he stays at the bottom of the card for the rest of his sad, miserable life. I hope Mark Ward makes it possible that Jack never sees another main event in SCW as long as he's employed.
Wherever he is, near or far, in his house or in his car, wherever he is, karma is a bigger bitch then I choose to be and when Jack walks out of Climax Control with nothing to show for it, I'm going be the first person in line laughing at him because he deserves it.
~~~
L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A
"I like to make a toast."
“What's should we toast to?"
Mercedes looks across the screen at her brother Jorge, holding up his glass of wine, then to her parents Fernando and Estelle and her cousin Carmen.
Fernando: Never lie, steal, cheat, or drink.
Estelle: If you must steal, steal away from bad company.
Jorge:
If you must cheat, cheat death.
Carmen: And if you must drink, drink in the moments that take your breath away.
Fernando: Happy birthday, Merce. Oh, almost forgot, we're not the only ones to celebrate your birthday...
Plenty of Mercedes' friends appeared in a video to wish Mercedes a happy birthday as she was forced to hold back her tears. She was impressed at how her family memorized the toast scene from the movie Hitch, but even more impressed at the birthday cake Irma made. Irma, Ricardo, Hugo, and Tomas sing happy birthday in Spanish in unison with Ricardo playing guitar.
It was the first time in a long time that Mercedes got to see her family and friends — see them, not hug them, not kiss them, not even wave goodbye. Partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because of her travel schedule. She didn't make specific plans for her birthday this year, certainly not spending it through video chat but this was the way of life now. This day, she would be celebrating her birthday much the same way as every other holiday and social gathering this year from a distance.
Mercedes: This might have been the best birthday message I've ever gotten in my entire life. What better way to celebrate a birthday then getting generous gifts, eat cake, get drunk, and having your friends post group pics on social media? Thank you, guys. And I never got to say this but Happy Father's Day, Dad.
Fernando: Another year older, another year wiser.
Mercedes: You're only half right.
Jorge: Depends on which half.
That got everyone laughing. At this point, the humor was needed with the state of things in the world now more than ever.
Things can only get worse before they get better. That's what they say, anyway. But what happens when the things that supposedly get better only gets worse? How bad do things need to get before they get better. Things could always be worse, but things could always be better.
Life won't ever be the same - and that's okay too. It was much more comforting believing that the pandemic would disappear and everything would be back to normal. Even when things started to settle only to get worse again.
Things have certainly changed, some irreversibly, and for better and for worse.
~~~
Present Day • L A S V E G A S • N E V A D A
It's Not Whether You Win or Lose: Gatekeeper the Fourteenth: Mockingbirds the Third: El ruido y la furia (The Sound and the Fury, Part II)
[REC•]
"Some things are better left unsaid, but you can bet I'm going to say it anyway. I can't help being who I am."
The camera tilts upward, revealing Mercedes Vargas looking straight into the camera. We find the Argentine and SCW Hall of Famer wearing her authentic t-shirt.
"You know, I've been wrestling for a little over a decade, which is maybe more years than I had a right to be. Many believe that I should have hung up my boots a long time ago, most probably still fell that way now. I don't know, maybe this is it, maybe I've finally reached my moment of clarity. I've reached another milestone in life. Reaching the big 4-0, that's huge. I mean, not that I'm on the wrong side of forty and I could still go out in public and not be seen as an extra on The Walking Dead, but I wouldn't be surprised if my opponents starting sending me Depends or worse yet walkers in the near future."
Mercedes obnoxiously shrugs her shoulders.
"I get told that I never change, but you would be wrong there because while I've proven that age is just a number, I've really learned some things. At twenty, I was pretty competitive, at thirty, I was innovative. At forty, I'm contemplative.
"Ten years ago, I was living life. Now, I'm wondering if everything I learned was wrong. Back then I said I never cared what anyone said about me, then came the point where I actually couldn't care less what other people said about me. I guess now I've figured out that no one really was thinking about me to begin with.
"Life is funny like that."
She let's out a laugh.
"What's not so funny? This tag match I find myself in courtesy of your King of the Day, Jack Washington. I say your because he's no king in my eyes. Facing Candy is one thing, but Keira too?"
Mercedes shakes her head in bewilderment.
"Enserio? ¿Esto es una especie de broma? Ya enfrente a Keira una vez! ¿No he sido castigado lo suficiente?"
"Seriously? Is this some kind of joke? I already faced Keira twice! Haven't I been punished enough?"
Mercedes throws her hands up in defeat, then shakes her head again.
"Keira, Candy, consider yourselves lucky that Jack like you two enough to have you as a team because as much as he claims that he hates everyone, he seemingly had no problem stacking the deck against me, just like Christina did. This has to be the worse three weeks of my entire life - I'm the only female to be on the King and Queen for a Day shows in my history. I deserve better than this!"
Mercedes is caught between resolve and anger, moving her arms a lot while speaking.
"I'll be more than happy to prove anyone wrong and take back my mantle and if it means going through you, Keira, or you, Candy, well, guess who's about to end up on my checklist?"
Mercedes opens her arms wide in challenge, now facing directly at the camera.
"Opening match, fine. Jessie Salco as my partner, sure. Facing two opponents I have yet to beat this year? Good! Great! Grand! Wonderful! I'll take you on, Keira. I'll take you and Candy on by myself if I have to and carry Jessie on my back because if either of you think you're beating me again this weekend, you two pick the wrong Latina to fuck with!
"So do your worst, bring your worst. Bring your best too because even at your best you're still not good enough to tie my boots. Bring everything that you have. Come Sunday, don’t come looking for me, I’ll be waiting for you.”
"Estar preparado para lo peor, esperar lo mejor."
"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst."
Mercedes stares menacing into the camera. She lowers her voice, barely a whisper.
"Y que la suerte está siempre en su favor."
"And may the odds be ever in your favor."
Mercedes makes a heart symbol with her hands and that's the last image we see of her before she reaches to turn off the camera as the scene fades.
