Back to school...literally. -- GWA Tryout board

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 19:40:00 03/21/02 Thu
Author: Jarret Anthony - "Boy Wonder"
Author Host/IP: mt21-3-p36.warwick.net / 208.199.21.141
Subject: Back to school...literally.

If you're a long time wrestling fan, then you've heard the stories. You've heard "Hot Rod" Rowdy Roddy Piper yell out in his wavering, and somewhat obnoxious voice, "I've been wrestling since I was 15 years old". You've heard Pat Patterson telling people he came to this country as a young boy, looking to break into the wrestling business any way possible. The list goes on and on filled with names of true Icons of the sport of professional wrestling, men who were true WRESTLERS, not "sports entertainers", all who started in this sport when they were still "boys" and not "men". With wrestling the way it is, with so many people training hard and setting the bar higher each and every day, is it possible to do what Hot Rod, and all the men of the old days, did? Is it possible to break into this sport at such a young age? That's a good question...we're about to find out.

Liberty. No, not the liberty that Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and all of the other American forefathers fought so bravely for, this is a different kind of Liberty...this is Liberty, New York. A small town located in Sullivan County, just a two hour drive northwest of New York City, population of just under 10,000 or so. There aren't many people who have heard of the town, and those who have only remember it because it is a veritable speed trap, and the state troopers have nothing better to do with their lives than sit in their car and enjoy tormenting motorists, nice bunch of fellows those Liberty Police are. At any given time there are hundreds of tourists, and people who are just passing through on their way to bigger and better destinations, but we don't care about hundreds of visitors, all we care about is one visitor... Jackson Thomas, a writer for GWA magazine. He's not on assignment, why would his superiors waste his time assigning him to this tiny blip on the map of the country? But Jackson had heard the rumors, and he had talked to people who saw the clips, so he acted on his journalistic instincts, packed a suitcase, and set out for Liberty, New York. After driving down main street, getting directions from a local, Jackson sees a giant rooster standing on top of a building. "The Dairy Barn" the sign below the rooster reads, an ice cream shop. What a rooster has to do with dairy products, he had no idea, but hey, he didn't live here, so he didn't care. Taking a left at the rooster, he pointed his rental car up a steep hill. Just moments later, he took a right into the parking lot of the Liberty High School. It was a little after three, just after school let out for the day, and hordes of teenagers crowded the sidewalks. They paid no attention to him as he got out of his car, most of them probably assuming his was a substitute teacher or something. He stretched his legs while he looked around. The school building itself wasn't overly impressive...it was just a high school, nothing more, nothing less. He shook his head and wondered to himself what the hell he was doing here, and how was he going to find who he was looking for? Well, he reasoned, he's looking for a person in the school, so he had better start asking people. He quickly scanned the throngs of students exiting the building, and milling around, enjoying their freedom, and his eyes came to rest on one student in particular. He was sitting alone, back against the school building, his eyes shaded by a pair of sunglasses, his unruly blond hair covered with a backwards hat, a pair of ear phones over his ears, and a skateboard in his lap. He was oblivious to the people around him as he pounded on the skateboard in time with the drumming beat he must have been listening to. Jackson figured that he was as good a person to ask as any. He walked over to the young man, and stood in front of him, waiting for him to look up. Jackson gently nudged the youth's foot to get his attention, causing him to look up, and slide the head phones off his head.

Jackson: Hey, sorry to bother you, I'm looking for Jarret Anthony, do you know him?

The youth lowers his sunglasses and looks Jackson in the eye

Youth: Boy Wonder? Yeah, I know him, why, who's asking?

Jackson: I'm Jackson Thomas, I'm a writer for GWA magazine, I just wanted to talk to him. Why did you call him Boy Wonder anyway?

Youth: That's what everyone around here calls him. GWA? That some wrestling federation? Doesn't surprise me, he's always had reporters or scouts or other people like that hounding him over here.

Jackson: You mean other people have been here before me? Who? From where?

Youth: Hell if I know, hard to keep track. Ever since he retired from the KLW a couple years back, people have been trying to get him to come back. Is that what you're here for?

Jackson was amazed, the rumors he had heard were true...this was incredible...he would have never believed it...

Jackson: No...well...kinda. I only heard about him through rumors and things like that, I didn't think that they were true. Where is he?

Youth: *checking his watch* He's usually at wrestling practice around this time. Head for the gym, it's right over there. *He points to a door a little ways away* You say you've never seen him yourself?

Jackson: That's right.

Youth: Well, you're in for a real surprise.

Perplexed by that comment, Jackson thanks the young man nonetheless, and heads excitedly for the gym doors. Upon entering, Jackson is greeted with a loud thud, followed by an even louder groan. On the wrestling mat is a 6'6", extremely muscular monster, clad in a wrestling singlet and head gear, standing over the young man he just tossed to the mat, obviously the source of the thud and groan. Jackson hurries over to the monster on the mat, extending his hand

Jackson: Jarret Anthony? It's a pleasure to meet you, I'm Jackson Thomas from the GWA.

The boy just looks at Jackson's hand, and shrugs it off

Boy: I ain't Boy Wonder, he does that fake ass wrestling, I'm a REAL wrestler.

Jackson: *confused* Well, if you're not Jarret Anthony, who is?

The boy on the mat just nods his head over Jackson's shoulder, at the door which Jackson entered through. Jackson turns around, and there, with a huge grin on his face, stands the young man he talked to earlier, his skateboard standing up against the wall while he leans against the door frame

Jackson: You? But I...you said... what's going on here?

Jarret: It's really fun messing with you guys. You could have played along with it more though Tank.

Tank: I ain't got time for your games Boy, I got the state tournament tomorrow. Why don't you step onto the mat and try a REAL sport?

Jarret: Maybe some other time, I gotta talk to our friend Mr. Thomas here, but give me a rain check on that one.

Jarret turns and exits the gym again, while Jackson stands there, utterly confused for a moment, before hurrying out after him. Jarret is leaning against the side of the building, waiting for Jackson.

Jackson: What gives? So YOU'RE Jarret Anthony? The one I came here looking for?

Jarret: Boy Wonder, at your service. *He bows mockingly*

Jackson: So why send me into the gym?

Jarret: It's like I said before, you're not the first to come here looking for me, if you're going to subject me to a long, boring speech as to why I should join your federation, then I'm going to have fun with you before you put me to sleep.

Jackson: But it's like I told you before, I'm not here on official business, I just heard rumors, and wanted to see if they're true. Are they?

Jarret: Depends on what rumors you've heard. If you heard that I'm the best lover in the world and am capable of taking on at least 5 girls at once, then that's not true. I'm a virgin. If you've heard that I'm some 7 foot freak that thrives on kicking the living hell out of people, that's not true, as you can see I'm no where near 7 feet tall, hell, I'm not even 6 feet tall, and the only way I hit 200 pounds is if I'm wearing every single piece of clothing I own, while holding 2 bowling balls. However, if you managed to hear that I broke into the world of professional wrestling at age 14, became KWL world champion at age 15, the youngest ever to win a title of any kind in any federation, then yes, that's true.

Jackson: How old are you now?

Jarret: 17 in a couple of weeks.

Jackson: What grade are you in?

Jarret: 10th.

Jackson: So let me get this straight, you're a 16 year old sophomore, who's a professional wrestler? And have held a world title?

Jarret: Give the boy a prize, right on the first shot. Of course me having JUST said that, helps you a little bit, but I won't take away from your glory of getting something right for a change, it'll be our little secret.

Jackson: How do I know you're not just pulling my leg?

Jarret: Give me a ride home and I'll prove it to you.

Roughly 20 minutes later, Jackson and Jarret pull up to a small, modest looking house, on the other side of town. Jarret leads the way up the front steps, unlocking the door, and stepping inside, picking up the mail that was dropped through the mailslot earlier in the day. Jackson looks around the house, and while it is small, it does have a very "homey" feeling to it.

Jarret: Make yourself at home. Want something to drink? All I got is water really, haven't had a chance to go shopping yet this week.

Jackson: No thanks. Where are your parents?

Jarret doesn't answer, just points to a shelf in the corner. Jackson looks and sees two urns sitting on the shelf, each with a picture over it, one picture is the portrait of a woman, Jarret's mother, and the other picture is a portrait of her husband, Jarret's father. Jackson is a little taken aback by this.

Jackson: I'm sorry. When did it...

Jarret: *interrupting* I was eight, they died in a car accident.

Jackson: What about your other family?

Jarret: Don't have any. Both sets of grandparents died before I was born. And both my mother and father were the only child in their family. Mom was pregnant when she died, I was going to have a baby sister.

Jackson: So who lives here with you?

Jarret: It's just me. Here's your water. *handing Jackson a glass* I lived in foster care for a while, but managed to get the courts to make me an emancipated minor. So here I am.

Jackson: Amazing.

Jarret: If you say so. Didn't you say you wanted proof of my wrestling career?

Jarret leads Jackson into another room of the house, which is obviously his trophy room. There are not a lot of trophies, but there are still more than most teenagers can claim to have. Several newspaper and magazine clippings adorn the wall, along side a "rookie of the year plaque", and in the center of the wall, hanging in a glass case, is indeed the KWL World Championship Belt. Jackson takes it all in, then returns with Jarret to the living room, where they both take a seat on the couch.

Jackson: Sorry for not believing you.

Jarret: Don't sweat it, I get that a lot.

Jackson: I'll bet. Can I ask you something?

Jarret: Am I being interviewed?

Jackson: Just by me, for my own curiousity. I may encourage my editor to do a story on you down the road in some form, but I won't use this coversation.

Jarret: I would appreciate it if you didn't lie to me. I know you've been recording our conversation ever since you found out who I was, so you can take your tape recorder out of your pocket and do this right.

Surprised at the youth's perceptiveness, Jackson has no choice but to admit he'd been caught. He had brought the tape recorder just in case he found a story, and he believed he had. He just didn't want Jarrent knowing that yet, damn.

Jackson: Ok...fine... why wrestling? Why so young?

Jarret: I have two responses to that question. First, I chose wrestling because I love the sport. I love its intensity and physicality, and it has always appealed to me. As far as breaking into it so young, well, that was just a stroke of luck really. I was messing around in a gym doing some moves in the ring they had, and a promoter saw me there. He told me he saw a lot of talent in me, and signed me up on the spot. I was 14 years old an a pro wrestler. It was a dream come true. That's my first response, which is a complete load of horsesh!t. I tell that to the people who don't give a damn what I say, and go make it up anyway, because that's what they'll usually say. But if you want my second response to those questions, the TRUTH, then I'll tell you. Why wrestling? I have no idea. It could have just as easily been bobsledding, or growing those god damned Chia Pets. After my parents died, I was incredibly lost. It was like I was in a dark room, and everyone had a candle but me. By the time I got done stumbling through the dark and found myself a candle, I was 15, on my own, and a professional wrestler. Maybe one of these days I'll go to a shrink and get hypnotized to figure things out, but not right now. And as far as getting in so young goes, why should I do it this young? I've never had any patience, so if it's something I want to do, I'm not going to wait 10 years or something to try to make it, I'm going to make it now. Like I said, I was pretty messed up in the head when I got into it, so I'm still pretty hazy on all the little details. You can make up whatever you want, everybody else does.

Jackson: How did the other athletes react to having a kid in the locker room with them?

Jarret: *Standing up and pulling his pants down a little ways to reveal his upper thigh, which sports a nasty 6 inch long scar* Broken glass bottle. *He pulls off his white tank top and turns around, revealing a HUGE scar running straight down his back* Scar from back surgery required after getting hit by a car. Neither of those part of any storyline, how do you think they reacted?

Jackson: And no one did anything about it?

Jarret: Who's going to do something about it? I was on my own by then...looking out for myself. The only one who cared about me was me.

Jackson: Why put up with it?

Jarret: Because it was better than feeling alone all the time. I was thinking that negative attention was better than no attention, so I dealt with it.

Jackson: Why'd you stop wrestling?

Jarret: School was taking a back seat to wrestling, and that's a no-no in my book. Before she died, my mom always told me the importance of an education, when I realized I was neglecting it, I had to make a choice, and I chose education over wrestling.

Jackson: Do you still have the ability to wrestle?

Jarret: They don't call me "Boy Wonder" for nothing.

Jackson: How'd you get that nickname?

Jarret: The guy who gave me the scar on my leg gave it to me. He had meant it to be a sarcastic dig at me, but I liked the way it sounded. So I thanked him...he got upset and that's how I got the scar. He called me "Boy Wonder" when I offered to dive out of the rafters in my match that night, just to get a rise out of the crowd. Was only a bingo hall, so it wasn't like it was THAT high up, but I guess they all thought I was trying to show them up.

Jackson: Were you?

Jarret: Maybe. I didn't think so at the time, but now looking back at it, I'm always trying to prove myself, so maybe I was.

Jackson: Hey listen, I have to get back, you should really consider joining the GWA if you're as good as you say you are.

Jarret: Yeah, there's something I want to go through again...nightly locker room beatings, and people unwilling to put me over in ANY way. No thanks.

Jackson: Too bad.

Jarret: Why? Because you don't get credit for the story?

Jackson: No...because it's a shame to see a kid like yourself giving up so early in life.

Jackson stood, letting himself out, smiling as he turned away. Jarret sat on the couch, stunned at what Jackson had just said. Jackson got into his car and drove out of Liberty, knowing that he would be hearing from the "Boy Wonder" soon. And he did...a call came just one week later.Jackson picked up the phone, and heard Jarret's voice...

Jarret: All right Jackson, I'm in. Who do I talk to to get a contract?

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]