One Fall 06.18.11: Chapters 13 & 14

With one kick, Joey Hamilton has sent the world of professional wrestling into chaos. In his first World Title match, on national television, Joey botched a simple maneuver, turning a scripted wrestling match into a nightmarish reality.

Now the World Champion is injured and the locker room is in tatters. With the top spot open, veteran wrestlers are jockeying for position, hoping to become the next megastar, and Joey is their target.

Links to previous chapters:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapters 6 & 7
Chapter 8
Chapters 9, 10, 11
Chapter 12

And now, with Joey heading backstage after the disastrous title match with Goliath…

CHAPTER 13

No one greeted Joey when he stepped through the curtain. The backstage area was empty.

He needed water. Usually one of the trainers or a stagehand had a bottle of water for him when he came through the curtain. He turned left to go down the corridor to the locker rooms, where he remembered a fountain on the wall.

Safire came out of the women’s locker room with wet hair, wearing jeans and a T-shirt.

“Did everyone go out to the parking lot?” Joey asked her.

“Why would they? What’s going on?” she said.

“Goliath got knocked out in our match. They put him in an ambulance and took him out.”

“Really? What happened?” Her tone had gone from curious in the first question to accusing in the second.

“I don’t know, I…it was…weird,” Joey was tired and didn’t care to explain.

Safire walked past him, into the corridor that led to the parking lot. He followed her.

As they reached the end of the hall, they encountered a herd of wrestlers, all of whom were coming in through the back door.

“Is everything okay?” Safire asked Deep Six, the first of the pack.

“I hope so,” he said. “What happened out there Joey?”

“I don’t know,” Joey said. “He must have taken the bump wrong. He was out cold.”

“Is he awake now?” Safire asked.

“He’s conscious, but he’s really woozy,” said Deep Six. “He couldn’t even sit up. They’re taking him to a hospital just a few blocks down. I got directions from the driver, and a few of us are gonna head over there in a minute if you want to come.”

Deep Six was now speaking only to Safire, as if Joey wasn’t there.

“Yeah,” she said. “I’ll grab my bag and meet you in the parking lot.”

Duke appeared from behind Deep Six and stopped walking when he saw Joey.

“Joey, hi. Let’s take a walk,” he said. Without waiting for Joey to respond, Duke put his arm on Joey’s shoulder and led him back down the corridor toward the locker rooms.

“How are you doing?” Duke said.

“I’m fine,” said Joey. “How’s Goliath?”

“He was awake and coherent when they took him away. He’s in good hands.”

Duke said nothing more as they continued walking. Joey knew he was being taken someplace private for a tongue-lashing.

They stopped when they came to a corner, in front of a storage closet. Just behind them, wrestlers were walking in and out of the locker room as they got themselves dressed to leave. Joey wished he was getting dressed with them. He wanted to know what they were saying.

“Listen, Joey. I don’t know what happened out there. No one will know until we’ve watched the tape and spoken to Goliath, but you were way out of line grabbing a microphone and calling for another referee.”

Well maybe I’d have known better what to do if you’d given us any direction, Joey thought, but knew better than to say.

“Some of the guys who were watching have their panties all in a tizzle now, and it’s going to be hard for me keep up your push,” said Duke. His face and voice reminded Joey of a soccer coach from childhood, who always finished his sharpest criticism with a fatherly slap on the ass.

“I understand,” said Joey. His push was over. Maybe this was for the best. Maybe now he could start at the bottom and work his way up, like a normal rookie.

“Anyway, as soon as we know if Goliath can perform next week, we’ll re-work the story and just make this a part of it. We’ll talk this week about where we’ll take the story from here.”

“Okay,” Joey said, not exactly sure what Duke meant.

“But until we know more about Goliath’s condition, we have to be careful. I’m thinking he’s okay, which is good for you, because maybe after another match next week, a better match, some of the guys around here will forget about what happened tonight.”

“You’re thinking of running a re-match next week?” Joey asked. This didn’t make any sense.

“Oh yeah. I think tonight’s match will make for a good story going into next week. It’ll make the stakes that much higher for when you eventually win the belt.”

“I’m still winning the belt?” Joey said, and immediately wished he hadn’t. He couldn’t contain his surprise, and had spoken too loudly.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve kid,” said a deep, recognizable voice from down the hall. It was Jumbo. When Joey turned to look he saw an entire gang of wrestlers staring at him, all of whom had probably been eavesdropping.

“Easy big guy, it’s been a long night,” Duke said to Jumbo, who was now approaching them. Behind Jumbo the entire locker room was watching the burgeoning conversation. Joey could sense their eagerness. Jumbo was going to speak for all of them.

“I can’t believe this kid is wondering about whether or not he’ll get the strap after he laid out his partner and left him in the cold,” Jumbo said.

“What are you talking about ‘left him in the cold’?” said Joey.

“I’m talking about you sucking out Goliath’s heat, kid. I’m talking about you standing on his chest out there like a god-damned prima donna while he’s out cold because you fucked up a kick. Now you’re wondering if you’ll get the strap. Jesus Christ you’ve got a lot to learn.”

“That’s enough Rob, go home and get some rest,” Duke said in a volume that communicated to everyone present, not just Jumbo.

Jumbo stood and glared at Joey for a long second before letting out a sassy click of his tongue and turning to leave. The other wrestlers dispersed, except for one.

Joey wished Duke hadn’t stepped in – he didn’t get a chance to respond. Now it was too late. Now the whole locker room probably thought it was his kick that knocked out Goliath. He needed to tell them that the super kick went off perfectly, that he had done it a hundred times before, and tonight felt no different. Just light contact with the cheek, perfectly safe, he would have known had he messed up. Goliath took the bump wrong. It happens. He let his head snap into the mat when he fell. Didn’t he? Didn’t they see that? What had they seen? The superkick had turned Joey sideways and he hadn’t seen anything. Maybe he had missed the kick. Maybe he had missed the kick and the TV audience could tell. Come to think of it, he had no idea what Clive and Johnny were saying to the audience at home. Maybe tomorrow the whole wrestling world would think, would know, that Joey had botched a kick and injured his colleague.

“I’d like to get dressed and get over to see Goliath as soon as possible,” Joey said. He looked down the hall at Jade, the only straggler from the group of eavesdroppers. She approached Joey and Duke.

“I’ve got a quick meeting right now,” said Duke. He lowered his voice as if to purposefully exclude Jade from the conversation. “Why don’t we get together in an hour and head over there?”

Joey thought about the other wrestlers already at the hospital, about what they might be saying. He needed to be there. He needed to ask Goliath himself. But if he waited for Duke, who appeared to be his only protection from the raging locker room…

“Actually, if it’s okay with you Duke,” said Jade, “I’m headed over there right now and I’ll just take Joey with me.”

No, thought Joey. He had this sudden urge to cling to Duke, like a little boy to his father.

Duke’s expression went blank. “Okay,” he said. “Joey, you do whatever you need to do.”

“We’ll see you later Duke,” said Jade.

“Alright,” he said. “Good night.”

The deal was done. Apparently, Joey was going to the hospital now, without Duke’s protection, to be thrown to the lions, and he was sure to drag Jade down with him.

As Duke walked away, Jade put her arm on Joey’s back.

“You okay?” she said.

“Yes, I’m fine,” said Joey. “Listen, you don’t have to go with me. I don’t know if it’s good for you to be with me right now. I’m thinking that I’m not going to be very popular around here tonight.”

“You’ll be fine. And if you’re not, who cares? I’m not very popular around here as it is.”

Joey stopped walking and turned to look at Jade. Minutes ago everyone else backstage had been ready to lynch him. Were it not for Duke’s presence, who knows what would have happened? And when the angry veterans dispersed in anger, no doubt to go off and badmouth Joey together, Jade had stayed behind. She was ready to march off with him, the two of them against the world, and that was fine with Joey. It was better than fine.

But it wasn’t fair to her.

“Thanks so much–“

“Don’t mention it, Joey. Why don’t we get dressed and we’ll go. I’ll meet you out here in a few minutes. You look drained. Can I get you a bottle of water?”

Joey smiled.

“Yes, I’d like that.”

* * * * *

“We’re here to see Patrick French.”

“What floor?”

“I don’t know.”

“When was he admitted?”

“Tonight, probably less than an hour ago.”

“One moment.”

Joey and Jade stood in the empty lobby of Houston General Hospital. The lobby was meant to be illuminated by skylights. At night, the purple fluorescent lamps and the soft dentist office music on the speakers made for a creepy setting. At the main desk in the lobby’s center sat an old black woman, with silver hair, curvy glasses, and a slow Texas drawl.

“Mr. French was discharged at eleven forty.”

“Discharged? So he’s okay?”

“I don’t know, sir.”

“Well, how can we find out?”

“Sir, that’s a legally confidential matter. If you’re friends with Mr. French I suggest you allow him to inform you of his medical condition.”

Joey looked at Jade to confirm that she shared his confusion. She did.

“Okay, thanks,” said Joey.

“You all have a nice evening.”

Joey and Jade exited through a sliding glass door and stood on the sidewalk in front of the hospital.

“What do you suppose happened?” Joey asked.

“I have no idea. That’s really strange.”

A flashbulb went off from behind the bushes. For a brief instant, Joey’s mind was back in the ring, with hundreds of fans taking his picture like he was an exhibit at a zoo. A rustle from behind the bushes caught Joey’s attention and he saw a young man running away.

“What the hell?” said Joey.

“I bet that picture shows up on the Internet tomorrow,” said Jade.

“Shit, you’re right. Should we try to catch him?”

“Oh no. You want to be seen right here, at the hospital, so the fans know you’re concerned about your fallen comrade. Hopefully you were looking distraught when he snapped the photo. It’ll be good PR.”

“What about for you? Is it good for you to be seen here with me?”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll get a rub. After all, you are the future world champ.”

“I don’t know if there’s going to be any rub for me to give after tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it Joey. This sort of thing happens in wrestling, the fans know that. And the ones who don’t will think it was all a work. Besides, it sounds like Goliath’s just fine. He’s already been discharged.”

“I hope so.” Joey more than hoped. He pined, yearned, that Goliath was okay. Part of Joey’s mind raced with the idea that Goliath’s quick discharge would fly around the Internet, and Goliath would be the one to bear the blame for tonight’s fiasco. Joey could see the signs in the stands next week. Neon green posterboard with black marker: “Goliath the Wussy”.

The thought, the joy of the thought, made Joey cringe. What was he becoming? Was he so eager for acceptance that he’d take delight in someone else’s misfortune?

“I hope he’s okay,” Joey said again.

“Well, come on. We’re not going to learn anything standing here. We’ll just be fodder for more paparazzi. You wanna go get coffee?”

The thought of hot coffee late at night after all that had happened sounded awful.

“That sounds good,” he said.

CHAPTER 14

They landed at the Green Dragon coffeehouse, one block down from the hotel. When they arrived a little after twelve thirty, the cafe was empty, no music was playing, and Joey was sure the shop was about to close. Fifteen minutes later, the place was filled with twenty-somethings, more employees seemed to materialize, and two folk singers with guitars took up stools in front of the empty fireplace.

“The bar crowd,” explained Jade. “As the bars close, they come here. They’ll keep this place hopping until four in the morning.”

“You’ve been here before?”

“Of course. We usually hit Houston twice a year. I always stay at the Hyatt, and I always come here after the show. You’ll find yourself doing the same. As the tour goes on, pretty soon the cities stop changing. You hit the same places, you start to learn what’s where. You’ll develop these little spaces of familiarity at each stop.”

Joey looked down at his coffee. He didn’t want it. Over the years, he’d trained his body to reject anything that was off the path of supreme fitness. He could have ordered juice, or water. But Jade wanted to go out for coffee. Jade stood by him when…he didn’t even want to think about the damage she might have done to her own standing backstage tonight. The least he could do was have coffee with her.

“I think I experienced some of that in the indies. The second time through a town, it already felt like home,” he said.

“That’s right. Just wait until the tenth time through, or the twentieth. Houston’s a city we usually hit twice a year. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been to this coffee house. But I know those paintings on the walls. I know these cups. I know these singers. Next time I’ll probably even know their songs.”

“Do you get tired of it?”

“Sometimes. Everybody does. Especially when things aren’t going well. Last year I had a stretch where I did a gravy bowl match one week, a bra and panties match the next, then was off TV for three more weeks.”

“I remember that. I wasn’t in the GWA yet, but I remember those two matches, then a long stretch where we didn’t see you.”

“I hope you’re the only one. I sure want to forget it. We had two shows in Vancouver that time around. I just did dark matches, and at the second one I blew a spot, botched a suplex and dropped Barbara Lipke on her head. She was alright, but I could have paralyzed her, easily. That night I decided I would retire when my contract was up.”

“Really? It was that bad.” Joey wondered if he should be feeling worse than he was about tonight’s accident with Goliath.

“I was sure I was done. It wasn’t remotely worth it. Here I was, thirty-one years old, divorced, no kids, lots of money but no time to spend it and no one to spend it on – after that match with Barbara I just knew I’d regret it if I didn’t get out and start a normal life before it was too late.”

Joey looked at Jade and imagined her as a mother. It fit, and for an instant, everything seemed clear. What he was doing was absurd. He was pretending to beat people up every night in a different stadium in a different city, all the while clamoring for their adoration. He did it because it made him a star. It gave him the riches and accolades that made celebrities superior to everyone else. He was living the dream. But in doing so, he was giving up a lifetime of moments like these. Sitting in a coffee shop with a woman, talking about whatever came up.

“What happened?” he said.

“The tour went on. I wrestled more shows. I got back on TV. Duke put me in a program with Safire that got hot. When my contract came up in February, I remembered wanting to quit, but I just couldn’t do it. And, totally in the moment, I asked Duke if he could extend my new contract from two years to three. He did. I thought it was for the best. If that desire to quit ever came up again, I’d have to wait even longer before I could do it. It was a huge mistake.”

“Why, because you want to go to Revolution?” Joey said.

“That’s part of it. There’s other stuff too.”

“Like what?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jade’s voice and body turned rock solid. Joey could tell she didn’t like talking about this part of her past.

“I wonder if I’ll ever want to quit,” he said.

“Don’t be surprised or scared if, at some point, it gets to be too much and you want to quit. It happens to everyone. It hasn’t happened to you yet because you’re still on the upswing. You’re chasing the title for the first time right now. You’re the new, hot thing going and the fans love you. Even all this shit backstage and tonight’s mess isn’t going to derail you. What you need to do now, more than anything, is enjoy this. Someday, after you’ve been the number one guy for awhile, some new kid is gonna come up and the fans will take to him. You’ll be asked to change your gimmick and become a heel. You’ll play the coward and the fans will boo you. You’ll tell everyone you love it when the crowd gets hot, when you’ve got them all worked up, and a part of you will. But secretly you’ll wish they still loved you. Not because you don’t like playing the heel, but because you know that some of that hatred you’re getting from the stands is real. Some of that hatred is their way of saying they’re bored with you.”

“Gracious,” Joey said, smiling. “That’s a fun thing to think about.”

Jade’s face lit up with the realization that she’d said too much. “I’m sorry, Joey. I don’t mean to sound bitter. I should slow down here. I hope you don’t think I’m bitter.”

“I don’t think you’re bitter at all Jade. I think you’re a realist who’s aware of how things are and I appreciate you sharing your wisdom with me.”

“God, I feel old tonight,” Jade said, then she laughed in an attempt to defuse her seriousness. Joey reached across the table and touched her hand. He gave a light squeeze on her fingers and smiled at her.

“Seriously Jade, I appreciate you sticking up for me tonight in the locker room.”

“I didn’t stick up for you.” Jade had turned her palm and they were now holding hands across the table.

“Yes you did. You stayed around after all the guys went their separate ways and…I know that just by being with me tonight you’re making all sorts of trouble for yourself.”

“I’ve already made all sorts of trouble for myself, Joey. Whatever falls out after tonight will be small potatoes. And trust me, I know firsthand how unfair the politics around here can be, and I think it’s shit. We’ll see what comes of Goliath’s injury and deal with it from there. I think this whole thing will blow over by next week.”

“I hope so.”

Jade took her hand back to grab her coffee mug and finish it off. Joey looked at the wall clock behind the counter. One in the morning. It reminded him that he was supposed to be sleepy.

“You ready?” Jade asked.

Ready to face the other wrestlers in the locker room? Ready to deal with the fallout on the Internet of tonight’s title match? Jade had pushed her empty coffee mug to the center of the table. She must have meant ready to leave.

“Yes,” said Joey…