Post by Melinda Rhodes on Feb 22, 2019 12:01:58 GMT -7
As the camera finished rolling, the last couple minutes of show left with me airing my thoughts on the interruption of my main event, I lowered my head into my hands and sighed hard. Here I sit in my replica Captain's chair, wearing my old red coat and feeling miserable as fuck. So many times I've said to myself, I could be better than some asshole running a wrestling company, that I could outbook their bookers and run a tight ship where everyone gets a fair shake. So. Many. Fucking. TIMES! I believed that if the promoters just let the talent do their job and stop interfering that it'd work out for the best. Yet here I am, full of doubts because I'm making the same fuck ups they did.
There was a knock at my door and I looked up. I took only a moment to compose myself and leaned back in my seat, mentally prepared for the first of what I imagine would be many complaints from my talent. With a rumble and slight cough, I cleared my throat and said, "The door has hinges."
In steps through that door, Joe Koss with a look of concern on his round, bearded face. I'd known both him and Mike Spazz since the start of my wrestling career. Joe was the one that suggested to the bookers that I could be more than a valet and for years, I'd wanted to pay him back in some way for that kindness. Enter his job at Galactic. I feigned a small smile as I greeted him.
"Hey Joe, good to see you, man."
Joe nodded and took a seat in one of the guest chairs by my desk, then asked me, "How are you holding up?"
"Honest answer or fat bold faced lie?"
"I'm not picky, Mel. Whichever makes you feel better," He replied with a smirk.
With a soft sigh, I sagged forward in my seat and proceeded to lay the truth upon him, "I'm starting to think that becoming a GM was a bad idea."
Joe tilted his head slight, his eye brow quirked, and then let out a chuckle. Of course I got a little hot at that, feeling as if the man were laughing at my misery.
"Why do you think that's funny? This show was a fucking disaster Joe and it's been one thing after another for while now."
He reached out and patted my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Mel, sweetheart, you've been on both sides of the fence. You do realize that you can't control the entire thing, right? Chaos is going to happen, mayhem is a thing, and anarchy is a big part of the game. Without it, things won't be interesting or exciting. No matter what you do, how much security you have, or how hard you try, these things are going to happen," He stated, then asked, "Please tell me you don't believe that promoters and GM's have total control and that it's all really part of their master plan?"
I gave him an honest answer, "Yeah, kind of. I mean what kind of a promoter willingly allows shit like what happened tonight to go down? Seriously?"
The answer he gave me shocked me, given the circumstances of the evening.
"A fair one," He said, "Mel you're putting the weight of the world on your shoulders when really, this job is one of the simplest out there. All you have to have is a head for booking and a ear to the pulse of that crowd. Will they like every show? hell no, because if they got what they wanted twenty-four seven they'd complain it's boring and too predictable and you'd still be dealing with the other thirty to fifty percent of the audience that didn't get what they wanted either. You can't please all the people all the time, but you can please most of the people some of the time. Do you see what I'm getting at?"
A slow nod of my head was my response.
"I've been at this gig in various capacities for over thirty years. This business has given me some hard earned grays but you know what? I wouldn't trade those experiences and moments for anything in the world. The ups, the downs, the good guys, assholes, and clowns, I wouldn't change a thing because the truth is, the spirit of professional wrestling is fun chaos. You have to embrace it and realize that while you can guide it, you can't control it because the moment you actually put in the effort to have that kind of exacting control, the magic dies, the fun goes out the window, and it becomes just another job."
I listened to him intently, hands clasped in my lap and learned forward.
"There are major wrestling companies that do that and slowly but surely, kill off their audience and drive off their talent. In my honest opinion, I think you're doing alright, but you've got to find that fair balance between chaos and order, then ride that line into the sunset like a female John Wayne, you feel me?"
A smile cracked my face, the first time I'd truly, honestly smiled the entire evening.
"Right on," I answered, "Thanks Joe."
"Don't mention it, Boss."
I chuckled and shook my head, "Remember when I used to call you Boss?"
"Yeah how the mighty have fallen, right?" He chuckled right back, "I've always said be cool to everyone on your way up because on your way down, you'll probably be answering to them. I know I only have a few more years myself, Mel and while you've had your troubles, at the same time? I'm proud of you. I think I made the right decision back in 2009 when I was booking for Diamond Back. You are a terrific talent in the ring, have held quite a few championships, made a decent enough splash, and now you're a General Manager that is actively competing in other feds as well."
He gave me a thumbs up with a wry grin.
"I've seen you get absolutely shit-kicked in your woman balls sometimes, but it doesn't stop you Mel. They knock you down? You get up with a middle finger and a big fat fuck you, coming back hard each time."
"Again, thank you for always having an ear to lend, Joe."
"Hey it's what I do, listen, observe, analyze, and advise."
"So is there anything else you need my friend?"
He thought about it for a moment and said with a devilish grin, "A raise?"
We both had a laugh and I fired him on the spot.... nah just kidding.
"If I give you a raise, Mike Spazz will get jealous and I don't want you two having a lover's quarrel at the announce table."
Joe snickered, "You know he's the bottom, right?"
"Oh definitely," I said with another cackling laugh.
"I just came in to check on you. I know how you love to beat yourself up even for little mistakes. If you'd stop that and just kind of drink in everything you've gotten right so far, I'd say you'd be much happier. Just sit back, make the calls for better or worse, and do you to the best of your abilities. Remember, when the shit hits the fan, it's not always you hurling the turds."
He rose from his seat and I from mine, the two of us sharing a fist bump and hug.
"See you at the PPV, Mel."
"Likewise, Joe."
And on that note, he turned and left my office. A soft smile spread across my face as I began to gather my things and workers came in to start prepping the office for transport. That was a good talk and definitely something I needed. I can't control it all with an iron fist, but I damn sure can make life a bit more 'fun' for my newest problems.....
"Hey Joe, good to see you, man."
Joe nodded and took a seat in one of the guest chairs by my desk, then asked me, "How are you holding up?"
"Honest answer or fat bold faced lie?"
"I'm not picky, Mel. Whichever makes you feel better," He replied with a smirk.
With a soft sigh, I sagged forward in my seat and proceeded to lay the truth upon him, "I'm starting to think that becoming a GM was a bad idea."
Joe tilted his head slight, his eye brow quirked, and then let out a chuckle. Of course I got a little hot at that, feeling as if the man were laughing at my misery.
"Why do you think that's funny? This show was a fucking disaster Joe and it's been one thing after another for while now."
He reached out and patted my shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
"Mel, sweetheart, you've been on both sides of the fence. You do realize that you can't control the entire thing, right? Chaos is going to happen, mayhem is a thing, and anarchy is a big part of the game. Without it, things won't be interesting or exciting. No matter what you do, how much security you have, or how hard you try, these things are going to happen," He stated, then asked, "Please tell me you don't believe that promoters and GM's have total control and that it's all really part of their master plan?"
I gave him an honest answer, "Yeah, kind of. I mean what kind of a promoter willingly allows shit like what happened tonight to go down? Seriously?"
The answer he gave me shocked me, given the circumstances of the evening.
"A fair one," He said, "Mel you're putting the weight of the world on your shoulders when really, this job is one of the simplest out there. All you have to have is a head for booking and a ear to the pulse of that crowd. Will they like every show? hell no, because if they got what they wanted twenty-four seven they'd complain it's boring and too predictable and you'd still be dealing with the other thirty to fifty percent of the audience that didn't get what they wanted either. You can't please all the people all the time, but you can please most of the people some of the time. Do you see what I'm getting at?"
A slow nod of my head was my response.
"I've been at this gig in various capacities for over thirty years. This business has given me some hard earned grays but you know what? I wouldn't trade those experiences and moments for anything in the world. The ups, the downs, the good guys, assholes, and clowns, I wouldn't change a thing because the truth is, the spirit of professional wrestling is fun chaos. You have to embrace it and realize that while you can guide it, you can't control it because the moment you actually put in the effort to have that kind of exacting control, the magic dies, the fun goes out the window, and it becomes just another job."
I listened to him intently, hands clasped in my lap and learned forward.
"There are major wrestling companies that do that and slowly but surely, kill off their audience and drive off their talent. In my honest opinion, I think you're doing alright, but you've got to find that fair balance between chaos and order, then ride that line into the sunset like a female John Wayne, you feel me?"
A smile cracked my face, the first time I'd truly, honestly smiled the entire evening.
"Right on," I answered, "Thanks Joe."
"Don't mention it, Boss."
I chuckled and shook my head, "Remember when I used to call you Boss?"
"Yeah how the mighty have fallen, right?" He chuckled right back, "I've always said be cool to everyone on your way up because on your way down, you'll probably be answering to them. I know I only have a few more years myself, Mel and while you've had your troubles, at the same time? I'm proud of you. I think I made the right decision back in 2009 when I was booking for Diamond Back. You are a terrific talent in the ring, have held quite a few championships, made a decent enough splash, and now you're a General Manager that is actively competing in other feds as well."
He gave me a thumbs up with a wry grin.
"I've seen you get absolutely shit-kicked in your woman balls sometimes, but it doesn't stop you Mel. They knock you down? You get up with a middle finger and a big fat fuck you, coming back hard each time."
"Again, thank you for always having an ear to lend, Joe."
"Hey it's what I do, listen, observe, analyze, and advise."
"So is there anything else you need my friend?"
He thought about it for a moment and said with a devilish grin, "A raise?"
We both had a laugh and I fired him on the spot.... nah just kidding.
"If I give you a raise, Mike Spazz will get jealous and I don't want you two having a lover's quarrel at the announce table."
Joe snickered, "You know he's the bottom, right?"
"Oh definitely," I said with another cackling laugh.
"I just came in to check on you. I know how you love to beat yourself up even for little mistakes. If you'd stop that and just kind of drink in everything you've gotten right so far, I'd say you'd be much happier. Just sit back, make the calls for better or worse, and do you to the best of your abilities. Remember, when the shit hits the fan, it's not always you hurling the turds."
He rose from his seat and I from mine, the two of us sharing a fist bump and hug.
"See you at the PPV, Mel."
"Likewise, Joe."
And on that note, he turned and left my office. A soft smile spread across my face as I began to gather my things and workers came in to start prepping the office for transport. That was a good talk and definitely something I needed. I can't control it all with an iron fist, but I damn sure can make life a bit more 'fun' for my newest problems.....