Are you ready for your career to take off?
Wyatt Peterson’s mind was reeling. Three months after starting wrestling school, he had just had his first match ever. Granted, it was a curtain jerker and he had to job to one of the veterans, but it was still an actually match in front of an actual crowd. Now the show’s over and Wyatt is backstage sitting across from Tom Dudely. Tom had a reputation of being a top contender in some of the top promotions throughout the world. Now, Tom’s making appearances in indy promotions trying to make ends meet. On this night, the night Wyatt had his first match, Tom just happened to be in the main event for the Big Time Wrestling championship against Jason Styles. In case you’re wondering, Jason won the match after hitting Tom with the belt while the referee was distracted.
Tom: Look kid, I’ve been around the block a few times. I’ve been in the ring with guys ranging from Mark Ward to Shaq Daddy. I think with some experience and guidance in the right direction, you could be one of the top guys in the world.
Wyatt, being a little start struck, stumbles on his words.
Wyatt: Well, umm… I, uh…
Tom smirks at Wyatt’s genuine innocence.
Tom: I understand. I was the same way when I first got into the business. I was star struck when I met guys like Chris Jericho, Mark Ward, and Billy James. Just remember, I’m just like you. I’ve just been around the block a few times.
Wyatt is still unable to find his words so he just nods his understanding.
Tom: I want to take you to the top. I have an in with this new promotion that’s forming in Las Vegas. I think it’s called Sin City Wrestling, but I can’t really remember right now. Anyway, it’s being started by Mark Ward and Christian Underwood.
Wyatt’s eyes go wide at Tom’s name drop.
Tom: I want to take you over there. I think you’ll be able to main event there quicker than you’d ever be able to here. I also think that their exposure will be bigger than BTW could ever get you.
Wyatt turns everything over in his head. It’s not every day that a big name wrestling star asks to help you out. He doesn’t have much to lose. He’s already left his home in Texas to try his luck in BTW based out of California. He has no family that he’d be leaving behind in California. The only things he had were a part time job hawking Big Macs and a couple of friends that he made in wrestling school. It wouldn’t be too hard to start over again in a new place. He’d just done it a few months before.
Wyatt: Y’know…
Wyatt pauses a moment to find his words.
Wyatt: Ah think ya might have a perdy good point. Ah’d be happy to go with ya tah Vegas.
Wyatt sticks out his hand and Tom eagerly takes it, shaking it vigorously.
Tom: Great! It won’t be starting for a couple of months still so just stay here and continue to get some experience. I’m going to make a couple of calls to get things set up. Let me get your number.
Tom pulls out his cell phone and punches in the numbers as Wyatt rattles them off. After saving the number, Tom puts the phone back into his pocket.
Tom: Excellent! I’m going to get going to the hotel. I’ve gotta fly out in the morning to an event down in L.A.
Wyatt: Louisiana?
Tom laughs. He shakes his head.
Tom: No, Los Angeles. You’ve got a lot to learn kid.
Tom picks up his duffle bag.
Tom: You’ll hear from me soon.
Tom walks away down the hall. He walks out the door. Wyatt is left with a stunned look on his face as the scene fades.
***THREE WEEKS LATER***
We’re inside of a busy McDonald’s. The place is packed! Behind the counter you can see one person towering over everyone else. He’s cooking the burgers using a clamshell burger maker. He tosses 18 frozen patties onto the grill and closes the clamshell tops. He pushes the timer button. Brian, one of the guys who puts the burgers together realizes they’re out of meat.
Brian: Wyatt, we’re out of quarter pounders!
Wyatt: They’re on the grill.
Brian: Dammit Wyatt! Why the hell can’t you keep up?
Wyatt: Don’t you see the damn lobby? Nobody could keep up with this crap.
Brian (Under his breath): Stupid hick.
Wyatt hears this and throws his spatula at Brian. The spatula hits Brian in the head. Brian falls to the ground holding the back of his head. He looks up to see a red faced Wyatt standing over him yelling.
Wyatt: YA THINK YOU’RE HOT SH*T! DON’T YA, BOY?
The manager, Rob, comes running into the kitchen to find out what’s with the ruckus. He finds 3 of the kitchen crew attempting to hold Wyatt back from attacking Brian.
Rob: Dammit! What the hell is going on here?
Everyone starts talking at once. Rob holds up his hands to silence everyone.
Rob: Alright, ALRIGHT! Wyatt, Brian, come with me.
Rob starts walking towards his office. Brian picks himself up off of the floor and follows Rob. Wyatt follows behind the two of them. Once they’re all inside of the small office, Rob closes the door.
Rob: We’re in the middle of our lunch rush, so, let’s make this quick. Brian, what happened?
Brian: I don’t know. I asked Wyatt for more burgers and he threw a spatula at me.
Wyatt: He called me a stupid hick!
Rob puts up his hands to attempt to calm Wyatt.
Rob: Wyatt, please! Brian, did you call him that?
Brian: No sir! I said… umm… give’em heck.
Wyatt: That’s a bold faced lie and ya know it!
Rob: Wyatt, calm down. Did you throw at spatula at Brian?
Wyatt slumps down a little in his seat, looking defeated.
Wyatt: Yes sir ah did.
Rob puts his head into his hands. After a couple of moments he looks at the two men.
Rob: Wyatt, whether he called you a name or not, you can’t cause physical harm to other people.
Wyatt nods his head in understanding.
Wyatt: Yes sir. Ahm terribly sorry. It won’t happen again.
Rob: You’re right. It won’t happen again. You’re fired.
Everything is silent in the office as Rob’s words sink in. You can see Wyatt’s face go from apologetic to confused to angry within a few seconds. Wyatt stands up abruptly throwing his chair backwards.
Wyatt: AHM FIRED? F*CK THAT! AH DON’T NEED THIS SH*T! AHM GONNA BE A PRO WRESTLER!
With that, Wyatt storms out of the office, slamming the door behind him. A pencil rolls off the desk. The office is so silent that the sound of it hitting the floor echoes off the walls. After a few moments of awkward silence, Brian breaks the silence.
Brian: Pro wrestler my ass.
Rob: Get back to work!
Brian gets up and opens the door to the office. He walks out leaving the door open. Rob shakes his head.
Rob: The sh*t I've gotta deal with. Why’d I take this promotion?
With that, Rob gets up and walks out of the office. He flips off the light and closes the door as the scene fades.
***SEPTEMBER 25th, 2011***
The scene opens in the office of SCW Owner “Hot Stuff” Mark Ward. Mark is sitting behind his desk with his feet up on the desk. He appears to be napping. There’s a knock at the door. Mark is startled awake and almost falls out of his chair. He catches himself and grabs a few random papers. He spreads them across his desk to make it appear as if he were working.
Mark: Come in!
The door opens and Tom Dudely walks into the office. Tom walks over to the desk as Mark stands up and extends his hand. Tom does in kind as they shake hands.
Mark: Tom, welcome! What makes you stop by?
Both Tom and Mark take a seat on opposite sides of the desk.
Tom: I was in the area. Have a show tonight across town. I was wondering if you and Christian have set a date for the first show yet.
Mark: Actually, we just set a date and card today.
Mark starts rummaging through the papers on his desk. He pulls one out from the stack and hands it to Tom. Tom looks over the paper. His eyebrows rise up as he’s reading.
Tom: Did you happen to see what happened between me and Saint Patty a few days ago?
Mark: I did!
Tom: Yet you still felt the need to team him and Wyatt together?
Mark leans his elbows onto his desk. He puts his hands together and starts tapping his index fingers against each other.
Mark: Tom, this isn’t your first rodeo. You know what it takes to make a successful wrestler. A great individual wrestler needs to be able to overcome any odds.
Tom: But to team him up with a hostile teammate against Ryan King and Casey Williams, a couple of guys who know each other well? You’re just asking for trouble!
Mark: You know what they say, controversy creates cash. In the end, that’s all that really matters is how many arses are in the seats.
Tom leans back in his chair. Mark follows suit. After a few moments of silence, Tom speaks.
Tom: Alright. We’ll be ready. But if Saint Patty tried to double cross us at all, he’ll be cruisin’ for a bruisin’.
Mark: I wouldn’t expect anything less.
Tom stands up and starts walking toward the door. His phone is in his hand as he opens the door.
Tom: I guess I should let Wyatt know.
Tom pushes a couple of buttons as he exits the office. He puts the phone to his ear as the scene fades.
