Politics

[Garreth]

OOC: Apologies, this is the work of a very rusty writer. But I had fun and its good to be back.

There was very little Sean Morley could do to avoid staring with wide eyed surprise. His mouth was wide open, his expression that of incredulity.

Sean: You’re offering me a contract… as a talent?

Stephanie McMahon, who seemed undeterred the shock in his voice simply smiled and nodded earnestly.

Sean: As in you want me to wrestle?

Steph: Yes…

Sean: As in, me, wrestling, on television and everything?

By this point it was McMahon who was looking baffled, as if stunned by his slow comprehension.

Steph: Of course… after all that is what being an active roster member entails. Why are you so stunned? Surely you must have known what this meeting was all about today?

He certainly had not. North of fourty with well over a decade gone since the height of his fame, an EBWF contract was not something he expected to have lying before him when he woke up in the morning.

Sean: I thought I did, but obviously I was wrong. I figured you wanted me as some kind of creative consultant or trainer or something. I mean, when you e-mailed me you said you thought I could help develop the company’s young stars.

Steph: And I certainly do… as an active wrestler.

Sean: Ah, so you want to sign me up just so I can be a jobber?

Steph: Wait a sec Sean, we don’t like the word jobber, I prefer enhancement talent.

Sean: Do you? I prefer to call a spade a spade. And it sounds to me like you want to bring me in just so I can job to your up and comers.

Steph: I didn’t actually say that. I just think that we’ve got some young guys who could benefit from your experience.

Sean: I’m not sure Steph. I don’t really think I’m the man for the job… maybe you should bring in Bob Holly or something?

Steph: Are you kidding? I want to help enhance talent not injure it. You’d be great, folk could learn a lot from you both in and out of the ring. Besides, don’t you reckon The Big Valbowski has one more run left in him?

Sean had to stifle a sigh. If there was one thing worse than being a jobber, it was being a jobber with a porn star gimmick. He’d been trained by Dory Funk Junior, been in the business over twenty years and wrestled all over the globe, and yet he still couldn’t escape that gimmick.

Sean: Would I have to be Val Venis?

Steph: Honestly? Yes. Who else would you be?

Sean: I could just be… Sean Morley.

Steph: Oh wow, that’ll draw. Stunning Sean Morley… or maybe we could make you a Chief of Staff. Oh wait, hold on… that won’t get over. Val Venis on the other hand? Who could forget that persona? The nostalgia alone will be enough to get people going again.

Sean: You didn’t see my little TNA run did you?

Steph: Not gonna lie, no I didn’t. But I wouldn’t worry, ratings would suggest no one else did either.

Sean winced, a cheap shot perhaps, but undeniably true.

Sean: People were chanting “washed up porn star”. It’s just passed it, and I’m too old to carry it off anyway. I mean, just look at me. Fifteen years ago, maybe I was The Big Valbowski. Now? Not a chance.

Steph: You can still carry it off fine.

Sean: Seriously? I’m the wrong side of 40, bald, and I come from freaking Ontario. And you want to oil me up, hand me a towel, play that awful music and hail me from Las Vegas, all the while expecting that I’m some dude who spends his time fucking on film and then fighting in the ring. Maybe it was a fun gimmick once, maybe. But now its old and quite frankly so am I.

Steph nodded, as if in understanding, and smiled reassuringly.

Steph: I hear what you’re saying, and I respect that, I really do. But let me be honest about where we’re at. We’ve got a lot of young talent, we could do with one or two older faces. You’re a good guy, a solid worker and whilst this may not be your hay day you’ve still got a few years in you and, for the time being, a degree of name recognition. If you don’t want to join the roster that’s fine, we’ll shake hands and maybe chat again someday. However, if you want to take this job, you’re coming back as the guy we all know and love, Val Venis. And unless you’ve got some fantastic new gimmick up your sleeve, that’s just how it’s gonna have to be.

Sean: I understand.

He stood up. His shoulders slightly hunched. Although he may not have come in expecting a great deal, his excitement had been piqued by the prospect of wrestling again. But at this stage of his life, he just wasn’t ready to quite be that guy again. He’d been that guy for years, across countries and promotions. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to be him anymore.

Sean: I appreciate the offer, I really do… I just, can’t.

Steph: Are you sure now? We may even have a spot for you at Wrestlemania this month. A small one admittedly, but an in ring one nonetheless.

He paused. He did like the idea of his name on major pay-per-view again, even if that name was Val Venis and not his own. And yet, somehow he knew, somehow he was sure, this was something he had to turn down. After so many years, it was time to take a stand and write a new chapter where he could be who he wanted to be – himself. If that meant sacrificing fifteen more minutes of fame and a payday or two then so be it.

Sean: You know what, I’m not gonna say I’m not tempted. But for whatever it just feels right to walk away.

Steph: Fair enough, have it your way. A shame really…

He turned away, his heart heavy but somehow certain that he was walking away in wisdom. He’d reached a stage in his career or indeed his life that could well be a pivotal one. This was the first day of the rest of his…

Steph: Hope you have fun blogging and whatnot…

For some reason, that comment really caught his attention.

Sean: Do you read me blog?

She looked at him with amusement and shook her head dismissively.

Steph: Nope. But don’t take it personally. I’ve absolutely no interest in politics.

‘Politics’ – that was the word that hit home and pricked the ever growing bubble of certainty. Suddenly his creative faculties were bursting, his excitement increasing and a wry smile was emerging on his face. Taking a backward step he turned back around and looked back at Steph, a renewed sense of vigour in his eyes.

Sean: Maybe I was too hasty in turning down that contract. However, I was wondering if we might take a second just to talk about that whole new gimmick deal…


*****


Getting into character was not something he found that easy. Not that there was anything beyond surface to explore with the character he was portraying anyway. Perhaps he did have one gimmick where a method actor approach might have been rather enjoyable preparation, although he was somewhat certain that his wife would not be so approving of that. She’d never been hugely approving of the entire adult film star shtick. That was of course until it had propelled his career to such a point where he could pay off their mortgage.

By now he may not have had a mortgage to pay or even young kids to feed but he did have a retirement to fund. As far as he knew he had a few good years left in him but not much more. At his age you were one nasty bump away from your last bout. It was that thought, alongside the glimmer of creative hope Stephanie had afforded him that had led to this where he was now. That being, finding himself alone in a sauna, clad in nought much else but a towel, alone except for the camera crew filming.

Val: Hellllooooo Ladies…

He frowned, for some reason he couldn’t quite get the husky tone he once had.

Val: Heeeeeeellllllooooooo LAaadies.

The crew, all feeling more awkward than he was, stared blankly at him as he kept repeating those two words until happy. ‘Lets do this’ he muttered as the cameras started rolling, his head as much in the zone as it could be.

Val: Helllooooo Laaaaadies. Recognise me? Hehe, Of course you do – how could you forget? Just like the Big Valbowski himself my return has been a loooong tiiiiime coming!

He grinned and winked at the camera. It was meant to look seductive, somehow he doubted it did.

Val: You see tonight, not only is the Big Valbowski back on your screens, back on prime time, back on pay-per view, he’s back at Wrestlemania. Once again, the biggest stud that ever laced up a pair of boots will be on the biggest stage of ‘em all. And you know, it seems to me oh so appropriate to me that on this fateful night, I should be competing in a strange bedfellows match.

He gave what he hoped was a winning smile.

Val: Ladies, I’m gonna be honest with you. Over the course of my career I have had some bizarre tag team partners and in all truth, some veerrry strange bedfellows. After all, the Big Valbowski experimented in college, time and time again. But you know, in all my years I don’t think I’ve ever found myself in bed with a stranger character then Bray Wyatt. But you know what? That doesn’t even concern me one bit. You can put me in the ring or in bed with anyone, I’m always gonna come out top hehe. In fact, when the Big Valbowski steps back in the ring, there is nothing, absolutely nothing that’s gonna rain on my parade. Not my opponents, not my tag team partner. So get ready, strap yourself in, lock up your sisters, daughters and mothers, because the Big Valbowski is back and back with a vengeance!