The Broken Hero
Written By Gabe Ricard
"Did you get the tickets? Did you?" Rick was nearly trampled by his best friend Tom as he walked into Toms house.
Rick shoved him back and glared "Of course, Jesus these aren't tickets to the Super Bowl."
Tom ignored him and yanked two tickets away from him. "Front row too, kick ass."
Rick shook his head and sat down "Look I like wrestling too but explain to me why you're so obsessive about tickets to a wrestling show at our high school gym?"
Tom put the tickets in his pocket "Because Jack Windham the greatest wrestler in history is in the main event!" He checked the clock "Okay, Its 6:24 we got an hour and thirty six before we go."
Rick laughed as he realized why Tom had been such a mad man about some tickets to a local wrestling show usually filled with nobodies. "You know, why do you want to see a wrestler that hasn't even been on TV?"
"You've only been watching wrestling since we started hanging out which was a year ago." Replied Tom "Had you been watching a few years ago you know that Jack Windham was on Raw Is War every week kicking ass and wining every match he fought in. Did you know by the time he won-"
"Ten world titles, two Intercontinental titles, five Tag Team titles, three European, he won the Royal Rumble twice and was King Of The Ring I know you've told me god knows how many times." Interrupted Rick,
Tom "Anyway tonight you'll get to see what i've been talking about."
"He's a little old I would imagine." Said Rick sitting down on the couch.
Tom shrugged "So what? I'll bet he's even better then he was in his prime."
"If he's so damn good then why isn't he wrestling on TV anymore?"
"Because he said he wanted to step aside and let the young talent rise up which shows you what a true legend of the sport he is."
Rick sighed, 'Come on We may as well get going."
Tom nodded "You go on ahead I have to get ready?"
Rick said nothing and just walked out the door shaking his head.
"You know who never got much respect in his day." Said Tom "KO KO B. Ware"
"Yea because he sucked ass and lost all his matches." Replied Rick
"But no one could take an ass kicking quite like him."
"True"
"I remember this one match where he was wrestling Earthquake ever see him wrestle?"
"Yea"
"Anyway he was wrestling Earthquake and I don't think he ever even got in an offensive move it was funny as hell. One thing they never give these jobbers credit for is their ability to make the ass whipping their taking as real looking as possible."
"Best Jobber ever was The Brooklyn Brawler" Said Rick as they came to the high school
Tom nodded "Without question."
"Shit…there's more people here then I though there would be." Commented Rick sitting in the bleachers of the high school gym that he had already been in once today for third period. He turned around and stopped and groaned as Tom sat down next to him. 'Jesus fucking Christ what the hell are you wearing?"
Tom clad in a Jack Windham T-shirt that was at least a decade old took off his equally aged Jack Windham #1 foam finger and picked up a large piece of cardboard writing something on it. He looked up at his friend as he writing and noticed the look he was giving him "What? This is the first time I have ever seen the man live and I wanted to do what I had dreamed of doing when I was little."
Rick looked around hoping to god no one from school would recognize him. He then turned to Tom "And what was that?" "Cheering on my favorite wrestler decked out in all his merchandise."
"You need some other hobbies" Replied Rick "Just don't bitch at me when Jennifer Gold won't go out with you because she thinks your weird."
"She thinks I'm weird?" asked Tom who had had a crush on Jennifer ever since she started at their school a month ago. Before Rick could reply the ring announcer got into the ring and announced the first match was about to begin. Tom turned to Rick "We'll probably have to sit through a lot of boring matches since Windham will probably be in the main event."
"Hurrah" said Rick sarcastically. Just as Rick said this the ring announcer came into the ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen in our first match from Red Bank, New Jersey weighing in at 260 pounds the legendary Jack….Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiindhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaam!"
Tom nearly choked. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. THE Jack Windham curtain jerking? "What the fuck is this?" he cried angrily.
Rick shot him glare "People are staring, stop it." He laughed, "So that's the legendary Jack Windham?" Both looked down to see an aged man with a beer gut that as far as Tom was concerned couldn't possible be the legendary Jack Windham. He continued to watch as Windham got into the ring and a moment later another wrestler some 21-year-old kid named Mickey Helmsley came down and entered the ring.
He turned to his friend who was still laughing off and on. "Shut up just watch, Windham will take this punk and beat him inside of five minutes."
The match itself was nothing noteworthy for either man in the ring. It appeared to Tom that Windham was carrying the rookie through the entire match despite this the crowd of 146 including Rick chanted "Boring" through the entire 10 minute match. Then when Helmsley pinned Windham after a flying clothesline. Tom was in shock and wanted to crawl into a nice dark hole as he watched his idol crawl out of the ring and breathing heavily and wiping blood away from his busted lip limped away.
"Great wrestler is this one of his good nights?" laughed Rick who was enjoying riding his friend on this after the endless lectures about the greatness that was Jack Windham. Tom said nothing throughout the card and was ready to leave by the time the main event, a 20 man battle royal was announced but stopped as he saw Jack Windham making his way down along with 19 other combatants.
Rick turned to Tom and smirked "Lets see if Windham can make it to the ring without having a heart attack." Tom said nothing only shooting Rick an angry glare. The battle royal went on quickly and to Toms surprise Windham was throwing people out of the ring numerous times. Tom was in shock when Jack Windham was one of the last two in the ring along with an awesome 7'4 400 pound monster of a man by the name of Mr. Duke.
"This is gonna be great!" exclaimed Rick "I hope they have an ambulance handy."
Tom said nothing and saw Mr.Duke pummel Windham with little effort then Mr. Duke had Windham on the ropes and went for a clothesline. "This is it Windham's finished" grumbled Tom in bitter disappointment. Then as Duke went for his clothesline Windham ducked and back dropped Mr.Duke over the top rope and to the outside making Jack Windham the winner.
"A fluke that's all it was." Said Rick as people began to clear out of the gym.
Tom ignored him "I'm going to try and get his autograph. Rick figured this would happen and nodded and walked in the other direction. Tom headed for the area where the wrestlers where but was stopped "Sorry I can't-oh hey Tom."
Tom nodded "Hey Mr. Anderson they made a security guard?"
The janitor of Sussex Central nodded "Twenty extra bucks too."
"Can you sneak me by I really want to get Jack Windhams autograph."
"No can do, Tom they told me no one can pass, sorry."
"Come on Mr.Anderson if I get caught I'll tell them I got in another way."
Mr. Anderson sighed, then smiled "Holy shit look at that woman's tits. Why I think I'll be able to stare at them long enough for at least one person to sneak by." Tom smiled and darted past the high school janitor to look for Jack Windham.
"It's him." Said Tom to himself stopping and ducking behind a corner to get a look at the conversation Jack Windham was having with who appeared to be the shows promoter
"What the hell do you mean I only get 145 fucking dollars" growled Windham "We agreed to 250."
The promoter shrugged "I'm sorry Windham but I agreed to that because I thought there wouldn't be enough guys for the battle royal so I thought I'd have money to spare." He held the check in his hands "Your not much of a draw anymore anyway I'm only giving you this much because you jobbed to my son in his debut for which I'm appreciative. So you coming to do another show for me next week at the armory in Lake Cowichan? If so I can pay you 120 for that show 140 if you job to this kid I'm debuting."
Jack Windham shook his head "Promoters, such little fucking worms." He snatched the check away and stormed off.
Tom knew it was a bad idea but decided he had to get an autograph. He bolted past the promoter and was able to cut Windham off before he could get out the door. Windham turned around "Yea?"
"Mr. Windham I've been a fan of yours since I was three years old and I thought you where-"
Jack Windham interrupted him with a hint of heavy annoyance "Kid that's real nice but I could give a rats ass if you like me or not. You need to get a life or something. You can start by not wearing ten-year-old kids shirts and brining ten-year-old foam fingers meant for small children. Get the hell out of my way." He shoved Tom past him and pushed the door open storming off into the night.
Tom couldn't even manage to speak and simply stood there for a long time taking in what had just happened and then the most oppressing and heavy of disillusionment set in and Tom felt like crawling into a hole and dying. As he was about to leave he noticed a piece of paper on the floor. He walked over and picked it up and realized it was Jack Windhams check. At first the idea of tearing t up here and now came into his mind and for a moment seemed like what he would do. Then Tom realized it would do nothing but make him as bad as Jack Windham and with that headed out to give him his check.
"Windham you ass hole, all the kid wanted was a fucking autograph you didn't have to be such a jack off he sighed talking to himself as he came to his truck a beat up 1987 Ford. He threw his duffel bag into the back of the truck and got in. He cursed at how painfully cold it was making it worse was that the heater on his truck had been broken for the last two years but he hadn't been able to afford it. "At least I got a little-" He stopped as he felt around his pockets for his check but couldn't find it. "Shit shit shit my check" he hit the dashboard of his truck with all his anger denting it severely. He rested his head on the steering wheel and sighed "This has been a bad fucking day." He looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw the same kid he had shoved aside earlier. Jack Windham shook his head "Kid I thought I told you to fuck o-" Windhams words where cut short as Tom handed him his check. Windham was deathly silent for a moment then sighed "Thanks kid I didn't mean to bite yer head off its just been a bad day. Hell the last few years have sucked pretty bad."
"Why?" asked Tom
"Lot of things" He replied "I had my head a little too far up my ass to notice what was going on around me. And when I was on my way down the people who I had stepped on to get to the top where only so happy to return the favor. Add in a lot of bad business decisions as well as too much partying you can see why I'm now wrestling in high schools for less then a bag boy at the supermarket makes." Tom stood in silence as Jack Windham continued to speak "Its not like I can do anything else either, another mistake I made I thought my immature wrestling would carry me for the rest of my life. You go to school kid?" Tom nodded. Jack smiled for the first time "Good I know this is gonna sound corny but stay in school don't rely on any sport or anything else like that."
"What about your wife and kid?" asked Tom still feeling disillusioned. Windham said nothing at first then nodded slowly.
"Shera…. That's my wife got tired of my bullshit and wisely left. My daughter was only 2 when my wife took her and she's going to be ten this Friday."
"Why don't you go and see them?" replied Tom.
"My daughter wouldn't remember me anyway and Shera to my knowledge lives alone and has a great job in a nice neighborhood she doesn't need some washed up piece of garbage like me fucking it up."
"I can relate far as the family thing goes," said Tom wanting to offer something to his favourite wrestler in their conversation.
Windham laughed "How's that kid?"
"My Mom and Dad don't live together. They where divorced when I was two and I live with my Mom. I don't remember anything about my Dad and I never will because my Mom won't talk about him and he's never dropped me a line or anything. Mom says its because he doesn't care but for some reason I cant explain why I really think thats because he's scared he'll ruin my life. I know how stupid that sounds since there's no basis whats so ever for thinking that and I really don't know why I think this."
Jack Windham "I'm not saying all dads are in my situation but who knows? You could be right."
"Can I ask you something?" asked Tom
Jack Windham shrugged "Sure I got nothing better to do?"
"Why are you working in high schools and armories for less then minimum wage? I know a lot of former WWF stars who now have jobs as trainers at the power plant commentators, managers or even road agents?"
"Another fuck up on my part" sighed Jack Windham "Towards the end when my career was winding down I knew my days where numbered at the top. There where a lot of new talent in the federation and all of them wanted they're run for or at the top." I used my backstage power to pull a lot of strings and make a lot of lives miserable. When WWF owner Gabe Ricard threatened to fire me I told him I would bring out all of the companies dirty secrets if he did. Meanwhile the ratings for Raw Is War fell as did PPV buy rates and attendance. I didn't give a shit I just wanted to be the guy with the belt and the most money. Finally my contract expired and they took the chance to not renew me and gave me ten grand not to write a book or anything."
"Isn't his son Owen Ricard running things now since Gabe died?"
"Yea but he didn't like me much either." Replied Windham checking his watch "Heh I gotta go need to be in the next town by tomorrow night."
" I hope things work out for you Mr.Windham."
"So do I kid." He nodded "Thanks kid you made thin a little more than usual. I'll drop you a line somewhere down the road." Just before he shut the door to his truck he asked "By the way what's your name kid?"
"Tom Cameron" replied Tom.
Jack Windham said nothing only nodding before shutting the truck door and slowly driving off. Tom stood there for a long time not really able to say much about what had just happened to him. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Rick.
"Oh hey Rick," said Tom absent-mindedly.
'Where the fuck have you been man its like 10:30 your psycho mom has been calling our house for the last hour wondering where you are." Rick laughed " Who where you talking to?"
Tom shrugged "No one in particular. So how many times she call?"
Rick laughed again "Like six times what the hell is her problem?"
"You remember that party Tina Potts had a few weeks ago?" Rick nodded. "You went home at 11:00 right?" Rick nodded again "I went home at 2:00 am"
"Why?" asked Rick checking his watch
"Well Tina needed someone to help clean up after everyone left and I was only too happy to oblige."
Rick's eyes widened "You fucked Tina Potts?!" Tom said nothing and burst out laughing. Rick shook his head "Incredible a wrestling obsessed geek like you gets laid and me the best runner at Sussex Central doesn't." Soon the two came to Rick's house and Tom walked the last block alone thinking about the conversation he had had with his hero and hoped that he would turn his life around as he came to his house and walked in.
"Tom! Mail!" Tom came down the stairs of his house and came into the kitchen to see a large yellow envelope on the table. He picked it up and saw that the return address was Jack Windhams. At that moment memories of the conversation the two had had over a year ago came to him and remembering this he eagerly tore open the envelope to reveal a wrestling magazine. Upon closer inspection Tom realized it was next months issue and wouldn't hit the newsstands for another two weeks. He looked at the cover which was autographed with a message that spread through the entire cover.
Tom,
Thanks for talking to me. As you can see I got a decent job. You also might be interested to know Shera and i got back together and even though you may not think you did much but listen it still made all the difference. Thanks Kid keep in touch. Check out Page 45 to see what I meant about having a decent job.
10 Time World Champion
Jack Windham
Tom flipped the magazine to the page and stopped on a medium sized corner article which said that WWF legend Jack Windham had rejoined the WWF as a road agent.
Tom said nothing and just smiled putting the magazine back into an envelope and walking back up the stairs to his room to go back to getting ready for his date with Jennifer.
End
Well that was it. Sounds mostly like a bad after school special with foul language doesn't it? Any way all comments are greatly desired and can be directed to
Gothglam_666@hotmail.com. Thanks for reading.