A Country Boy Can Survive

[Tommy Knox]

///A Country Boy Can Survive\\\
Chapter XVIII

"A country boy will survive, you can bet on that."
- Knoxville -

Saturday 4:55 PM [February 23rd, 2013]
Halifax, Nova Scotia

The tall grass waves in the wind as a gentle breeze blows from the east on the dunes overlooking the ocean. A pier sits in the distance off the coast as waves crash underneath. Sitting alone, with a motorcycle parked a few feet away, Knoxville looks over the sea thinking to himself with a beer in hand and four others tucked in the sand. An empty bottle rocks back and forth in the water as the waves meet the sand dissipating.

Tossing the bottle back, he drinks what's left before casting it aside for the ocean to swallow. Turning his head back, he notices the camera behind him and cracks a smile. Pulling a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket, he flips the top open only to pull out a fat, nicely rolled spliff and places it between his lips. As it hangs, he digs through his pockets searching for his lighter.

"Last week was quite fun, didn't go as planned but fun to say the least. This week, is only goin' to get better for yours truly. Last week it took both of you, Roberts and Titan, on your best night to barely get one over on one single man. I'm nothin' special, I'm no person to lose any sleep over. I'm just your average man tryin' to make a name for himself in APW. An average man who almost single handedly took out two of APW's "fastest risin' tag team" and did it alone. This week you two won't be so lucky. This week I have the big Gooch in my corner and I'm thirsty for blood."

Pulling out a lighter he holds it to the tip of the spliff. With the flick of his thumb, instant fire, slowly taking a toke as he lights the spliff. Holding the smoke in, it expands in his lungs before he slowly exhales and takes another with ease.

"Leon Roberts and Jake Titan, two of America's biggest rejects otherwise known as the Natural Born Squealers. Last week was only a mere sample of what's comin' your way Monday night at Meltdown. It's nice to have someone in my corner there if I need them this week, but, I got this. I've heard a lot of talk over the past two weeks about me challenging you two in a handicap match last week. People want to know what am I tryin' to prove."

"Well, that's simple. When I came back to the states to wrestle I had only one thing on my mind. I've been in this game for a lil' while now and I want more. I'm tired of mediocre, average, what have you. I want to climb my way to the top and become the champion that I know I can be, the champion that I know is inside of me. So, when I came back it wasn't enough to win a battle royal with four others. I had to make an impact and show the world that I'm here for business. So, what did I do?"

"I called out the two so called "baddest mother fuckers" on Meltdown in a match that was in their favor in hopes to win the crowd over and earn their respect along with everyone else in the locker room. Although I may have come up a tad too short in getting the win, mission accomplished. I made my point. That match could have went either way but it didn't, it ended with me on my back. You guys as well as everyone else who witnessed knew that I was there and still know that it could have ended totally different but what's done is done. It's time to fast forward to this week."

Stopping for a brief moment to think to himself, he takes another slow drag from the joint. Looking over the ocean, he relaxes as he leans back and exhales straight into the air. The wind carries the smoke away as it disappears only for Knoxville to take another drag and repeat the process once more.

"This week I get a rematch with the one and only Buckson Gooch, from Overdrive, in my corner. This guy is on the rise, not like you two self proclaimed jerkoffs gettin' a rise out of each other. A good ole' country boy. Now that's my kind of people. I didn't always live out in Cali or traveled the country or the depths of Mexico livin' the American Highlife. Before I made it out west, I was born and raised in the south myself. I grew up in the country, although it wasn't as country as Arkansas, it's still the country and in the heart of Dixie."

"I got my start in this business growin' up around wrestling in North Carolina. I must say, I've come a a long way. I'm not that guy anymore, I've grown into a totally different person standing before you today. I haven't forgotten about my roots though, they're what have made me into what I am right now. A Country boy will survive, you can bet on that. Come Monday night, you guys are just goin' to have to deal with two of us comin' to break your faces. Hell, I'm ready to see what Gooch does when he gets his hands on you two. You already know what I can do!"

Taking another two hits from the spliff, Knoxville holds the smoke in for a moment. Silence fills the air as the sound of the waves crashing into the shore slowly creep in. He then grabs a beer from the sand and pops the top and takes a drink."

"I was a little thrown off guard when I heard that I would be teaming up with Gooch in a tag match against Roberts and Titan. This guy is from Overdrive. I'm on Meltdown, workin' my way to earn a spot there or Asylum. Who knows, if the two of us click and have chemistry workin' together in the ring and get the job done, maybe we can make a run for the tag titles. I've had my eye set on that North American championship since stepping back on APW turf. Gold is gold. I'll take whatever I can get a shot at. What I won't do is ask for handouts. That's why you didn't see me call the champ out after I earned the right to name my next match after returning."

"Handouts, where's the fun in that? NBK, if you think the tag titles are just goin' to be thrown your way then you've drastically mistaken. Nothin' is handed out, not when you have to go through me. After Gooch and I wipe the mat with you punks, we'll see who's the better team and who has the better shot at holdin' that gold. It sure as shit won't be you two. Natural Born Kilaz... more like Natural Born Queers. You guys think you're hard? Pfft... maybe for each other. I heard the bullshit theatrics last week about you ruinin' peoples lives, Leon. Not happenin' to this guy! I've hit rock bottom with my career, with my life. That shit ain't for me."

"I guess Monday night Gooch and I will just have to introduce you to some good ole' southern hospitality. Do you honestly think you have a chance now that I have someone in my corner, boy? Yea, I'm talkin' to you Titan. Between you and Leon, I do have to say that you're the sloppiest. In fact, you may just very well be the single reason you and Leon almost came up short last week. Then again, it was a team effort afterall. I won't let that burden rest soley on your shoulders. Leon could take partial blame, but I doubt he will. Either way, you both can equally take blame when you both end up on your backs out for the count."[/i]

Knoxville stands to his feet and takes a big drag from the spliff before putting it out on the bottom of his shoe. He then finishes off the almost full beer and tosses the bottle into the ocean. Looking around, he see's no one else in sight so he slowly walks to the edge of the shore with his back turned to us and unzips his pants. We all know where this is going.

"Ahh... now this is the life. I'm goin' to take a stab here, correct me if I'm wrong. When this card comin' up Monday night was announced, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that you two pissed yourselves at the thought of climbin' back in that ring with me. It's understandable. Let's be honest, what are the odds of you two gettin' lucky two weeks in a row? Slim to none if you ask me. When you factor in big Gooch, all bets are off. I'm just waitin' to see what you two bring to the table? Obviously, you're goin' to have to do something different. Last weeks approach was on the verge of failure. You're goin' to have to step your game up this week if you're goin' to stand a chance at competing. I'd hate to see you two piss away any chance at takin' a step closer to that tag gold. Seriously though, it would be an honor to piss all over those high hopes and dreams of yours."

The sound of his zipper is heard just before he turns around with the half burnt spliff tucked behind his ear. He walks over to the beer in the sand and grabs another bottle. Cracking the top, he walks towards the motorcycle and takes a seat overlooking the ocean once more.

"I guess this is where I leave you two. It's been a fun trip out here but it all must come to an end. Monday night is the end of the road for us. It's been a long drive to get here but the road ahead is even longer. You two are nothin' more than minor speed bumps along my road to glory. Unlike you two, Gooch and myself have bigger things in sight. You two are nothin' more than reflections getting smaller and smaller in our rear view. It's goin' to be a fun filled night slappin' you two around. I'll do you a favor, I won't stretch it out. Quick and painless, I can promise you that. Well, at least I can promise you quick. There will be pain in store for both of you but I won't stretch it out too long. I have more things on my mind Monday night than dancin' in the ring with you two. There's a little blonde who's goin' to be at Meltdown and she's got my attention now. I'll leave you two, Leon and Titan, alone after the match to tend to each others wounds. I'm tryin' to get into somethin' if you know what I mean. Then again, you probably don't. Take it easy boys, don't let those mouths write checks that your asses sure as fuck can't cash."

As he sips his beer, Knoxville watches over the ocean as the sound of the waves calm his soul and relax his mind. Well, it's either that or what he put in the air just before. The wind continues to blow the grass on the sand dunes as the waves crash into the shore, slowly we fade to black.