HETV#2.01 - A Dance with the Past; A Dance with the Future

[SalTal]

Episode #2.01: A Dance with the Past; A Dance with the Future

Recorded the 15th - 24th of July, 2015. Welcome back to Happy Endings TV! This return episode follows Sally from her contract signing all the way to her finding out about her first match and into her ‘words of wisdom’ on the night of the show! Sit back and relax as the show begins all over again!

"Sally Talfourd presents ..."

"In association with Action Packed Wrestling …”

"Happy Endings T.V.”

[ Act 1 - Making it Official - APW Offices - 15 July, 2015 ]

“And that,” Sally jabs the pen with a degree of enthusiasm, doting the end of her name, “Is that.”

There’s smiles all-round: On Sally’s face, on her manager Matt’s face, and on the new Vice President’s face: Johnny Rebel. It’s a momentous occasion, this here signing. Not just because of the return of APW … but because of the return of ‘The Last Magician’ Sally Talfourd to APW! I mean, that’s what everyone’s been waiting for, right? The return to the good ol’ days? The glory days? The good times and classic matches of Sally fighting against the odds, rallying the fans, knocking down barriers to inspire a generation?

That all happened, right?

Anyway, the happiness and enjoyment of this official-making moment carries on to a press Q&A session - you know the kind. The type of thing Sally just loved: Talking directly to the fans, opening her heart and soul and inviting everyone into the warmth.

A wild reporter appears!

“Sally, your last two matches in APW were against two of the biggest names the company has ever had: Level-One and Biggs. You were victorious in both; what’s the plans for the future?”

“Well,” Sally acts coy, looking down with a hint of a blush, “I think my days of headlining and title-chasing are over in APW. I’m more interested in … well … legacy, if that means anything.”

Another reporter jumps into the fray.

“What do you mean by that? Is this a last run?”

Sally looks up with a slight smile, “Well, you never know,” The smile has everyone around her finger, but it fades as she brushes her hair behind her ears, bring in a much more serious look, “But I guess what I mean is, really, the question that’s been floating around my head for more than a year now.”

“And that is?”

She pauses, steadying her breathing, and in that moment the whole world moves to the edge of their seats, “What will I be remembered for when it’s all over?”

[ Act 2 - Reality Sinks In - The Olivian Apartments, Seattle, Washington - 16 July, 2015 ]

Back at home, we find Sally in a most unfamiliar … position. Lying flat on the floor, one leg poised and pointed straight at the roof. It’s cerrtain a sight of flexibility to behold. Her breathing is rhythmic, the beads of sweat starting to form across her forehead, trickles down her neck, pooling between …

“Sally!” Matt, her manager, rushes to her side, “Are you OK!?”

#thatinterruption

“What?” Sally continues to start and the roof, tensing all her muscles as the dull pain begins to burn in her thighs, “Can’t you see I’m stretching?”

“Yes, that’s what I thought,” Matt reveals his wry grin, “And obviously, there’s something wrong with you. I mean … training? On a Thursday? What ever is wrong!?”

Both laugh - one tired, the other happy with himself. Matt heads off to Sally’s kitchen. Yes, this is the lair of the beast, if by ‘beast’ we mean ‘beauty’ and ‘lair’ we mean apartment. The view stretches over Sally’s second home. Her home away from home - the place that has torn her heart in two: Seattle. High up on the mountains, the city stretches down to the bay, and then beyond, the ocean, leading all the way to her first home and the other half of her heart. But, scenery is one thing, wrestlers and their stretches are something different.

And more interesting.

Matt returns with two drinks - one a bottle of water, the other a glass of wine. Seeing this, Sally realises it’s time to take a break, roll up and sits crossed-leg on the floor. Matt tosses the bottle to Sally, seating himself on the couch across his client.

“So unless you’re here to help clean these clothes’ Sally throws a gesture towards suitcase spilling out with the remnants of a recent trip to Korea, “I guess you have some news?”

“Oh I have news,” Matt takes a sip, then swills the wine around in his mouth, “I have the details of your first match, the location of your triumphant return to the APW ring, and the name of your opponent.”

“Who is he?” Sally’s excitement levels race up. She leans forward without even knowing it.

“Who said it’s a he?”

“So it’s a she?”

No,” Matt looks disappointed, “It is a he.”

“Ugh, Matt!”

“Well, don’t you want to know Where it is?” There’s a slight begging in Matt’s voice now.

“Not really,” Sally takes a long drink of the water, and yet she doesn’t have a name by the time she’s finished. With agitation, she squints at her manager, “Well?”

“What about the stipulation? Or the ticket sales? Or the place on the card?” Matt begins to fidget, “Don’t you want to know anything else?”

Sally lets out a looong sigh, then pushes up off the floor. She clenches a fist around the now half-empty bottle, looks at it … looks at Matt … then looks at it again, “I’ve been known more for throwing fists, but from this distance … I’d say I could hit you with this.”

“But …” Matt looks nervous, like someone between a rock and a hard place. Nothing. Sally winds up, “It’s Crusher Crenshaw!”

Sally stops in mid-motion. The name seems to silence her, Matt, even the birds that were chirping outside. There’s a stillness in the air that seems to be one-part confidence, one-part worry, and one-part relief. Sally unwinds, smooths her clothes down, then slowly uncaps the bottle as she walks past Matt.

He turns in his seat, craning his neck to watch after her, “Sally?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing?”

Sally looks over her shoulder, a smile curling up the corner of her lips, “Time to get to work.”

[ Act 3 - Time to Get Ready - Seattle Athletic Club, Seattle, Washingon - 20 July, 2015 ]

Pounding the treadmill, pace after pace after pace. Her heart is beating a million times a minute, but you could hardly tell from the exterior. The breathing is steady, the stare ahead even steadier. There’s a focus and determination in those eyes - the kind you only see with an elite athlete who knows what they’re running towards.

The speed and the grace that her legs move, the stillness of the head, the movement of her arms. It’s a finely-honed body. One that knows where its limits are, but also know how to push them each and every time they find them. While others might want the distraction of music, not Sally. No, she wants to hear her body. Listen to her body. Learn her body.

She has her gameplay in mind, her tactics and her strategy. This is all part of the process, a pattern that has been repeated before. She’s faced down times like this before; now it’s time to do it again.

[ Act 4 - Showtime! - The Oracle Arena, Oakland, California - 24 July, 2015 ]

We’re baaack!

Did that sound creepy? I hope it didn’t sound creepy. Because there’s NOTHING creepy about APW making it’s long awaited, much anticipated, duly celebrated return!

Unless you count some of the creeps that are returning with it - but that’s for another day … and another lawsuit!

But anyway!

Yes! APW is back! We all get our chance again to show our stuff … to prove our worth … to dazzle and amaze and impress and entertain! There’s titles and record and acclaim to be won and broken and earned, right?

Well, partly, yes. Because, you see, being away from APW has taught me something. It’s changed me, you might say. No, not physically (those ‘enhancement’ claims are totally false I tell you!), but more … emotionally. Spiritually. Psychologically. Any more “allys”? Probably not. Anyway, yes, like, I see everything here in APW so differently now.

APW isn’t a hunting ground for me this time around. It’s not a chance to build a record or a resume. It’s not what it used to be. For me, APW means legacy. It’s a way to leave something behind this time. It’s a proving ground …

… but not for me.

You see, APW’s return has opened up the doors for some of the brightest talents to come and prove THEIR worth. To prove THEIR skills. to earn THEIR accomplishments. APW is, before anything else, the hottest place in the business for the hottest wrestlers in the world to put on the hottest matches anyone’s seen and to prove themselves.

But what good is a proving ground without, say, a test. A challenge. A little something that MAKES you prove yourself?

Say hello to the Last Magician! Say hello to that test. That challenge. That little something. Because, you see, if APW is going to help me build a legacy, it’s only going to come from the greatness that APW produces. And what better way to help that process than to push that greatness to be the greatest great that has every greated the great world that we great in?

That made sense, right?

Anyway, that means I need a volunteer for my act. A willing participant. A worthy adversary for this first piece of theatre and spectacle.

Any you would think I’d be hoping for someone that’s an easy start, right? Someone that, well, I could get off to a strong start against. Right? Right??? Wrong! I only wanted to stand toe-to-toe with only new APW talent. I only wanted the best that had walked through these doors. I only wanted someone that would force me to up my game and, thus, prove themselves against one of the best that APW has seen.

I wanted that, and I got that, right Crusher? I got one of the best to sign up as a new APW megastar. Pound-for-pound maybe the biggest guy we have seen in the ring. Pure strength. Pure muscle. Pure aggression. Take no prisoners, pull no punches, leave none alive style of fighting, yeah? Because wrestling is far too tame of a word for what I’ve heard you do to a man … or, this time around, a woman … in the ring.

And, honestly, I don’t blame you for having an attitude like that. I mean, a guy who has gone through what you have? Wow, man. I really do empathise with you. I wish I could understand what that loss and that pain must feel like. Losing your family, you wife, you kids? That downward spiral that I’m sure was no fun at all? And then this … transition you’ve been on?

Yes, I’ve read your history. And yes, I truly feel sorry for you. But for a moment do I think that my sympathy will earn me any reprieve from the onslaught I am looking at like storm could on the horizon rolling in with merciless glee? Of course not; I’d be stupid to expect it and you’d be stupider to give it. For while you might have you own passions and drives and emotions pushing you further and further towards the abyss … I have mine that have, time and time again, taken me away from that place you’re in.

Trust me - I know that Nietzsche was more than right when he warned of the dangers of fighting monsters and staring at the abyss. I know those dark and terrible feelings that can consume your mind and warp your reality. I know what it feels like for the abyss to also gaze into me, as I’m sure it has begun gazing into you.

But I also know I have the strength to overcome monsters. To shine a bright light into the darkest corners of our minds. To stand up to the biggest and the toughest and the meanest and find a way to overcome it. I’ve done it before, and APW’s return is a testament to the fights that I’ve gone through because of it. The world has seen it, time and time again. The fans have lived through it, match after match. And I have grown from it, each and every time

I mean, I hate to brag … but I will if it helps the picture: Lester Only … Terry Marvin … Biggs … Bryan Payne … Pence Weatherlight … BDC … CJ Gates … Jason Kash … monsters that I have overcome. Monsters that I have shone the light on. Monsters that I have stood up to when beaten, bloodied, and bruised and still found what it takes to win.

They are names which probably mean nothing to you, but mean everything to the tried and tested APW fan.

But when I say all that, your reply should be: Who cares. The history is history, and tomorrow hasn’t happened yet, right?

Truth be told: I agree with it.

This is a new era of APW and none of us can ride on the coattails of what we’ve done before. This APW is not the APW of old, and you are testament to that, right? Of course you are. This APW is a measure of the skills and talents and abilities of today.

And today I want to know what you’ve got, Crusher. I want to know what all that drive and passion do for you. How long CAN you go for? How fast CAN you move? How far CAN you stretch? Because you’d be silly thinking I’m going to try and fight this match on your terms. 315 pounds against 140 pounds? 6’8” against 5’11”? No no no, my dear Crusher - I’d have to be suicidal to try and match you on your skills.

I’m going deep into the top-hat to pull out all the rabbits I’ll need for this bout. Fact: I can’t hit as hard as you. Fact: I can’t lift you up by your exceptionally thin waist which is so flattering to your figure. Fact: I can’t reach your head without an assist from a stepladder. There’s not much really going for me, is there?

Well, no. Come to think of it. You’re big. And if you’re big, you need energy. You need to carbo-load with more carbs than a Chucky Cheese serves in a day of ‘toddlers eat free’ special. All that muscle is going to weigh you down, so you’re going to be slow. You’re going to lumber. And, you’re going to tire. Your heart will hardly be able to keep up if you try and match my speed. And then, when the breathing begins to take longer to ‘reload’ and the rests begin to grow by seconds … that’s when I’ll strike.

No, it’s won’t be a KO move. That’s more your style, remember? No, this will be a grind it down and earn it style of match. So there’ll be a bit of wear here and a bit of wear there. Then the resting takes longer, the time it takes to get to your feet grows, and the holds you have up your sleeve get slightly weaker. And then weaker again. And then weak enough to find some way out quicker and easier than before.

Soon enough, you’re beat. Maybe not officially, but it’s just a matter of time before your shoulders are on the ground long enough for everyone around the world to hear the bell that they’ve all been waiting for. And then we all get to see the sight that we’re all waiting for: Sally Talfourd, hands raise, smiles bright!

Well … everyone except you.

And you know something?

You’re going to have to fight DAMN hard to prevent that. Because that’s what APW is all about. Wrestling has never been about bodies, it’s been about minds. It’s not been about strength but about strategy. It’s not been about force but tactics.

You want this new APW to be YOUR APW? You want this new chapter to be written in YOUR handwriting? You want to see the old APW be left behind in the dirt and the dust? What better way that defeating the symbol of that old APW! Beat me, Crusher, and APW will be yours for the taking.

But be careful: You’re going to need your best to do it.

That’s what I’m here for: To make sure APW’s future is ONLY in the hands of the best. Defeat me … get over my hurdle … see through my magic and you deserve to be here. You deserve to rise up. You deserve to take a slice of APW all for your own. Titles and records and accomplishments will be yours for the taking. And you’d deserve it all …

… if you can beat me.

… if you can meet my benchmark.

… if you can match the APW standard.