Knight Residence
Early August 2019
The sun was shining the day I made the decision, it was one of the perks of living where I do these days in Santa Monica, CA. A house just a short walk from the beach what more could you ask for out of life, well I’m sure there is more one could ask but when you’re me I felt like I had finally hit the jackpot. It’s no secret my life or career has had its ups and downs over the years, there would be times where I felt I had won big. But ultimately it always led to something or someone pulling the rug up from under me. When I first met my first ex-wife, Kerry she was a diamond in the rough. Beautiful no doubt, I use to love red heads. She was a barmaid actually and a damn fine one at that and our love was real, a whirlwind romance for sure but it was real all the same and the sex, shit the sex was fantastic.
But despite all of that when you don’t bat an eyelid at a guy who isn’t me sticking their face in your vagina on TV, that’s when the alarm bells start to sound off just a little. Well I say TV, I think it was on TV... You know what for all intents and purposes I can’t remember if the DRWF was on TV or some shitty internet feed which was bounced off many a satellite and scrubbed through Russia given half the shit that went on at the shows then. How times have changed though over the years.
Or I’ve just gotten soft in my old age.
There are many stories to tell of course, too many for now and none really good for the ears of my eight year old son whose mother was Kerry but now Trinity… Caleb was sitting at the desk in my office trying to play the role of me, only doing a better job of it with his wrestling toys not to say that I do that myself... The business is funny isn’t it, fans in general are usually funnier. You look at all the talent on SCW’s roster, just look at it and have to laugh when he had developed a fondness of these two guys in masks that had appeared on the shows recently which were hooked on coffee or some shit.
Kids these days never ceased to amaze me, especially my own son or Amber for that matter. He though was in his own little world when I walked in and stood against the door with a drink of the Infamously Dangerous spiced Rum, David and I had been working on. We were in the taste testing stages.
Trinity and Amber were out visiting Kennedy, so the boy and I were about to have some bonding time…
Caleb: “Si senior, I would love coffee to go with my donut!”
My chuckle snapped him out of his little world, he looked up at me and grinned happily to see me. He was growing up so fast now. Felt like yesterday I was worried about him when Kerry lost him to Aiken Frost of all people… Honestly despite it all I’m glad nothing came of that, he never developed anything mentally and honestly, I don’t think he remembers, he was young then…
Lucas: “You alright mate, having fun?”
Caleb: “I’m playing with coffee bros!”
Lucas: “I can see, though I don’t think that is their name mate, more like El Starbucko or something…”
I shrugged and Caleb laughed as did I.
Caleb: “That isn’t their name!”
Lucas: “You’re probably right, so what you are doing in here anyway?”
I walked into the room taking another sip of the glass finishing its contents and placing it on the desk before lifting him up and taking my seat back only to sit him on the desk now. He had a photo laid out in front of him. One of me and Trinity in the ring…
Lucas: “So, I don’t believe this was here earlier.”
I now looked down at a drawer where I kept somethings locked away for my own use, must have forgot to lock it…
Caleb: “Sowwie… I was just looking…”
Lucas: “It’s alright mate, you like this one? Want me to frame it and put it in your room?”
He nodded; it wasn’t lost on me that he was beginning to take more notice of pro wrestling lately. I think Trinity’s stint as brief it was in SCW helped ignite that spark. He was too young before to really care and Amber never really took an interest from what I knew. I always wanted to keep him away from it if possible, but kids will be kids…
He looked at me and inquisitively before looking back down at the photo…
Caleb: “Why don’t you do it anymore?”
Lucas: “Do what?”
He pointed at the photo, I almost said in response that I do Trinity often but figured that wasn’t suitable for his ears ever and not the answer he was looking for...
Lucas: “You mean wrestle?”
Caleb: “Yes… How come? Do you hate it now?”
I never really thought about it if I were to be honest with myself…
Lucas: “Hate it a strong word, you could say I fell out of love with it mate. Sometimes I get the itch that I want to go back, then look at what is going on and think better of it.”
Caleb: “Why?”
Lucas: “Why? Because there are a lot of dickheads in it…”
His eyes lit up at the sound of that word and he covered his mouth before giggling…
Lucas: “Shit don’t repeat that...”
Biting my bottom lip, he laughed again, maybe I shouldn’t have had that spiced rum…
Lucas: “Fuck don’t… Sonova… Don’t copy me, okay?”
He continued to cover his mouth while giggling, I gave up in the end he was my son sooner or later he was gonna start dropping f bombs.
Caleb: “I won’t… I promise!”
Lucas: “Good… Anyway, there are a lot of people that probably don’t want to see your dad wrestle again.”
Caleb: “Why?”
Lucas: “Because I wasn’t nice to em.”
Caleb: “Why?”
Lucas: “Is that all you can say, why?”
Caleb: “No!”
Lucas: “Okay… Well it was because I wasn’t a good person if I’m honest…”
Caleb: “Why?”
Lucas: “…”
He’s fucking with me now…
I glared at him and he laughed again, he was smart, and I liked to think he knew he was fucking with me… I humoured him…
Lucas: “I was a very angry person back then, that’s not me anymore mate not since I had you and got you back. Maybe one day you’ll learn that yourself when you have kids.”
Caleb: “Ewww, I’m never having kids that’s disgusting!”
I just laughed and ruffled his hair and shook my head. He shuffled on the desk to look at my wall, a wall of various championships and photographs. My own personal hall of fame if you will because god knows I never was gonna get in on the SCW one at the way things were going…
I mean they inducted Tommy Valentine, why would they scrape the barrel further with me? Shaking my head to myself, I was only partly joking. Tommy deserved the recognition if I’m honest he busted his ass throwing himself off shit after all.
I got up from the chair and put the toys down on the desk before lifting Caleb up and holding him so he could see the pictures and replica belts a lot closer as I approached the wall of fame as it were… Looking at it put a smile on my face you know? Seeing some of my crowning achievements and seeing my son taking an interest was always something I had wanted, it brought back memories of when I used to be enamoured with my father and his career as a kid.
If you ignore the fact, he fucked every woman he laid his eyes on beside my mother…
God bless the horny old cunt.
Lucas: “Like what you’re seeing?”
Caleb: “They’re shiny…”
Lucas: “They are, they aren’t the real ones unfortunately… SCW wouldn’t let me take em.”
Caleb: “Why not?”
Lucas: “Were still be used at the time, though see that one there?”
I pointed towards the replica Underground Championship. He nodded.
Lucas: “That belt is no longer active, they got rid of it.”
Caleb: “Why?”
I chuckled again, there was that question again…
Lucas: “Honestly, I don’t know… Always thought it was a fun division that company had. Hurt like hell admittedly when I was champ but give me one of my greatest rivals if I’m honest.”
Caleb: “What’s a rival?”
Lucas: “Someone you compete against a lot to see who is the better out of the two.”
Caleb: “Like Amber and me? We always compete to see who can do things first.”
Lucas: “Uh yeah I guess that kind of explains it… You know who my rival was?”
Caleb: “… Trinity?”
Lucas: “Oh god no… We both know she’d win all battles. It’s your uncle David, he and I never used to be mates.”
Caleb: “Why?”
Lucas: “I’ll tell you when you’re older… But this belt was one of the reasons. He always got the better of me most of the time baring the odd exception… You know when he retired, I was going to be his last ever match in a ring, but he went with his good friend Tommy instead.”
Caleb: “Tommy?”
Lucas: “Yeah…”
I moved along the wall a little to where the replica SCW Championship hung with a photo of me holding it in my hands crying while Thorn was laid out behind me…
Lucas: “Yeah, see I won this off him in a hard thought match. Didn’t think I had it in me to be honest with you more I think back, I probably shouldn’t have had the shot, but the company had people injured left n right, I made my chance and took it…”
Caleb reached out to touch the belt, I lifted it off the wall and handed it to him which he struggled to hold so assisted best I could.
Lucas: “Looks good on you mate, maybe one day you’ll follow in my steps eh?”
Caleb: “I will be the greatest champion in the world!”
He throws his arms up celebratory and the belt falls to the floor, he looked sad when it happened thinking I might shout at him, the old me might have but not this version of me, the better one.
Lucas: “Don’t worry about it mate, it’s only a replica…
I smiled to reassure him it was okay and stepped across the wall and pointed at something else.
Lucas: “Moving on, these are for when your Trinity and I won the Tag titles in SCW. Beat Shaun Cruze and your Auntie Kelcey… It was when Monarchy was formed, loved that name and loved teaming with Trinity as well.”
Caleb seemed to love when I talked about wrestling lately, I think it started when Trinity would talk to him about it all.
Caleb: “I want to see you wrestle.”
Lucas: “You want to see me wrestle? Well pick a Blu-ray and…”
He shook his head, that wasn’t what he meant…
Caleb: “Like that there…”
He pointed at a picture of me grappling someone from back in the day, I was younger then, but I got what he was asking and I never really thought about it…
Lucas: “You want to see me wrestle again in a ring? Since when?”
Caleb: “Now.”
Lucas: “Well I guess at least you’re honest…”
I laughed again before putting him back down and crouching to his height…
Lucas: “I don’t know if I got what it takes these days mate, a lot has changed.”
Caleb: “Like what?”
Lucas: “I’m older now, haven’t done it in a while… Take your pick?”
Caleb: “But… I want to see you wrestle?”
His tone made him sound a little sad now and his pouty face didn’t help matters… I sighed and winced a little that I was buying into what he was asking of me…
Lucas: “Even if I make a twat out of myself?”
Caleb: “ESPECIALLY!!! TWAT!!!”
Christ I really need to think before I say shit…He laughed again as did I, might as well dive into the fire all the way now it felt like.
Lucas: “Tell you what, let me think about it yeah? Not something I can just decide on.”
Caleb: “Oookay…”
I ruffled his hair a little more before standing up, he walked to the desk and took his toys and started to play a little more before the sound of a door shutting downstairs caught our attentions.
“Trinity: LUCAS, CALEB YOU HOME?”
Caleb’s eyes lit up like Christmas, even mine did as we looked to each other. He quickly run out of the office with his toys to go meet Trinity as I picked up the SCW Championship and held the replica in my hands… It didn’t carry with it the weight of original which sat on the shoulder of an Allocco…
I begun to hang it back on the wall before I heard the steps behind me, I turned to see Trinity standing there with Caleb beside here. She looks across at me with a smirk as I polish the plate of the belt.
Trinity: “Reminiscing, are you?”
Lucas: “Something like that, boy n I were just talking about stuff.”
Trinity: “Oh really, what were you talking about?”
I stood there watching as he grinned….
Caleb: “Dickheads and twats!”
He then runs off back downstairs as my eyes widened… That little shit... Trin looked at me wide eyed and laughed which made me do so as well, I shrugged my shoulders innocently enough and like to think she knew me better than anyone and probably expected me to say shit like this, she wouldn’t be wrong.
Lucas: “I can explain…”
Trinity: “You don’t have to, I understand… It’s good you two are bonding...”
Lucas: “Yeah, I know but he said something I didn’t expect… He wants to see me wrestle…”
Trinity: “He does? Well that’s unexpected… How you feel about that love?”
Lucas: “I don’t know…”
I stood there with an unsure look on my face as I glanced back at the wall of my trophies… Trinity walks over and rests her head on my shoulder while sliding her arm around my back, she knew how I was feeling. She’s felt the same way, it wasn’t an easy thing to answer even if there was only one that made sense to people like us…
The GOLD Hall
Mid - August 20019
The smell of blood, sweat and tears was all too familiar to me. That coupled with alcohol and cigarettes was what made up the GOLD Hall of Santa Monica… It was run by a guy called Goldstein who was someone I had been friends with a good while now, long before I moved to Santa Monica and met the circle of people I’ve introduced into my life. He was a short fat guy whose age hadn’t killed him yet, though he looked like one of those troll dolls which was all the rage in the nineties…
He was polishing a glass clean while a wrestling ring was being tended to on the dance floor, it was a place which doubled as a club at night most the time with the odd wrestling event here n there for those who wanted to whet their whistle as it were. I walked over towards him and he didn’t even look up when he addressed me while some men and women drank away and talked amongst themselves.
Goldstein: “Show doesn’t start for a few hours, but you’re welcome to have a drink.”
I chuckled.
Lucas: “Good thing I’m not here for the show then mate.”
He did a double take for a moment and looked up to see me now leaning against the bar with a smirk on my face. Seeing the shocked look on his was worth it.
Goldstein: “Lucas? LUCAS?! What the hell! What you are doing ‘ere?”
He put the glass down and threw his arms up into the air with a smile a mile wide as he rushed around the bar to meet me properly. It had been a while since we had seen each other admittedly…
Lucas: “Thought I’d visit an old friend, you look good.”
He approached me and we shared a hug as he patted me on the back before pushing me away.
Goldstein: “Fuck off, I look like shit, feel like it too if I’m honest. Had my gall bladder out a few weeks ago only got back on my feet last week. Running this show to help pay the bills, fucking Republicans I tell you…”
I wanted to laugh but I showed a little concern and put my hand on his shoulder…
Lucas: “You alright for money mate? If you need a loaner just ask.”
Goldstein: “That’d be rich, this Jew owning Lucas Knight money. Nah I’ll be alright man, why you here?”
Lucas: “Just thought I’d see how things were, was in the neighbourhood looking at some of the old haunts.”
He looked at me with squinted eyes, a look of confusion on his face as he scratched his head.
Goldstein: “Why?”
Lucas: “Don’t you start, you sound like my kid.”
He laughed that cackle before making his way back to the bar and grabbing a couple of glasses and snagged a bottle of whiskey and pouring two glasses.
Lucas: “Nah I’m good mate, though I do come baring gifts.”
He looked at me surprised, not the first time I’ve turned down a drink and wouldn’t be the last, just consider it the subconscious decision I had already made about what my future held, I just didn’t realize it…
I held up a bottle of Infamously Dangerous Spiced Rum, one of the first batches David and I had got. It had a quaint union jack ribbon on it. I put it on the counter and showed him it. He put the whiskey back and snatched the bottle of the bar and lifted it up to the light after adjusting his glasses…
Goldstein: “Infamously Dangerous, Spiced Rum eh? You are making booze now?”
Lucas: “Something like that, mate n I put our faces on a brand we found. It’s good, consider that a free sample if you like, I can hook you up and I think your fans will love it. Especially when they know David Helms and Lucas Knight are promoting it, wrestling fans will lap this shit up.”
Goldstein: “HA, You and helms? You’re shitting me, thought you two hated each other?!”
Lucas: “Life finds a way I guess; he’s a good guy and I can’t hold a grudge forever unless you’re a complete cunt.”
Goldstein: “I hear ya, well thanks for the booze n all but that don’t explain why you’re ‘ere.”
Lucas: “Like I said, just visiting old haunts really mate, been doing a lot of thinking lately.”
Goldstein: “Bet that hurts.”
Lucas: “It does… It really does; I’m not used to it…
I chuckled again…
Lucas: “But a talk with my kid got me thinking and now with an announcement I’m finding it hard to not really consider it…”
Goldstein: “Sounds serious… What you are thinking about?”
Lucas: “Getting back into the ring… My old company SCW are hosting a tournament and my kid wants to see me wrestle…”
Goldstein: “And you come here for what… Guidance?”
Lucas: “From you, fuck no. This place is sentimental to me mate, you gave me my break over here in the states.”
Goldstein: “Well why don’t you stay a while, talk to some of the lads sure they’ll be happy to listen to a guy like you. Expecting a sell out tonight.”
Lucas: “So like 30 people?”
Goldstein: “Fuck you, you know we hold more like 200 here.”
Lucas: “Not knocking it, when you’ve wrestled in front of 100k people you miss places like this, simpler times…”
He didn’t’ know if I was being serious or joking, I was being serious nothing quite like wrestling in front of a smaller hotter crowd. SCW was blessed with some incredible fans of course, but even then, grew bored of the product at times, never seemed the case on the Indy scene.
Goldstein: “Whatever man, offer is there you’re welcome all the same.”
He looked around the place and could see more people turning up, some were beginning to recognize me now which put a smile on my face I’ll admit. There are times you wonder if people would remember who you are, showed whether you left a lasting impression on the business… Which for me wasn’t that hard…
Lucas: “Alright I’ll stay a bit.”
I even offered to help around the bar which he loved the idea of, as the minutes turned to hours the crowds begun to grow larger before the show started. I never recalled this place being so stacked with punters but here we were, I was helping around the bar, even taking selfies with a few people. It was a good night; the atmosphere though is what did it for me though if I’m honest. It’s what really convinced me…
The roar from this 200 strong crowed for no name showing off their talent for a few dollars, it put a smile on my face and re-lit that fire in my gut. It wasn’t about the destination, but the journey and it was one I wanted to take for the one person I loved more than my wife and step-daughter and that is my Son…
He wanted to see me wrestle live, what kind of father would I be if I denied him that…
A cunt…
And that isn’t who I am anymore… Probably.
God of Wrestling Tournament I
Vs. David Callahan.
Sitting in my office, at home with a camera pointed at me. It felt weird to be honest with you, it had been two years since I did this, 4 years since I set foot inside an SCW Ring and I was going to be doing both for a tournament which was going to be streamed on Twitch.TV and to cap it off, it’s a tournament that is sponsored by David and I’s bloody spiced rum. All of this was wild to me, it was one of those things that if you told the old me would be on the card’s I’d laugh out loud and slap you for be a twat.
But here we are, 2019 and I am sat here doing just that…
[Rec.]
Lucas: “Sup… You might remember me from such events as beating Fred Debonair for the SCW Underground Championship. Or maybe beating Thorn for the SCW Championship, or hell maybe it was when I become a triple crown winner with my wife and beat Perfect IMPACT for the Tag Team Championships…? The reason WHY I’m here sat in this chair is sat behind that camera with Trinity at her side, that is my son Caleb and stepdaughter Amber who are both smiling from ear to ear. Doing this for him feels right you know, it gives me a feeling in my gut which isn’t all nerves though I’ll admit I do have those, but it’s more a semblance of pride and excitement to actually wrestle a match and have them being able to watch.”
Lucas: “They don’t care if I win or lose, they want to just see me do what I spent the better part of my life doing as a career… While some people sit behind a desk, others sell coffee or work in their dead-end job. I was getting paid to kick people in the nuts, slap em in the face and drive their heads into the canvas on a weekly, biweekly or on some occasions a monthly basis given the company I was working for. The only question I’ve been asking myself right now was whether I have what it takes… Trinity believes in me; Amber believes in me and Caleb my son believes in me… So, I guess all what’s left is to see if I believe in myself…
That was a lot harder than I made it look, I wanted to drop many an F bomb like usual, but god knows I couldn’t…
Lucas: “So here we are, I imagine the first words out of your mouths were what year is this?! Lucas Knight entering a tournament. I’m sure somewhere Robin Williams is looking down and laughing at the idea of that meme being used now. But I know the feeling all too well ladies and gents. I’m sat here wondering just what the hell am I thinking looking to step back into the ring in what is an eternity in dog years. I took part in the God of Wrestling tournament before, the same one my ex-wife Christy Matthews won which’ll get a few groans given what she is up to these days and I digress, at the time she was a different person but so was I.”
I shrugged.
Lucas: “That was then, and this is now, things change, people change and honestly I’ve changed since then, I’ve changed since a few years ago if I’m honest. A lot has happened, a lot of bad recently with the death of Ricky Octavius who is a kid I didn’t know personally, but one I knew about and know people who knew him. He was taken way too soon for my liking and it puts a lot into perspective for a guy like me, I’m a father after all and I sit here looking at my son and I can’t help but wonder how I would feel if I were to lose him like that… I mean I’ve been there, done that with losing custody the way I had back then which you know about. But like that, I can’t even begin to… anyway I’m going off track here…”
I shook my head and started to regain my focus, I had a match to promote, a tournament to talk about and an opponent to talk to in less than five hundred words…
Lucas: “When I first agreed to come out of retirement for this, I wanted to do it for my boy over there. That is the truth but the more I look at the landscape of this thing and the people in it, the possibilities begin to take shape and the idea of facing David Helms in a match, well it’s money innit? I’m not just talking about a few lump sums of cash, real money it’s big fight night. It’s something Sasha and SCW must be salivating about really with dollar signs in their eyes. The only disappointing thing about this is it won’t happen in the final should that even happen. Could you imagine what people would say if that were the case, the fix is in or something like that.”
Lucas: “When Helms n I agreed to create this brand of rum, it was just to make some quick cash. But seeing the name of it labelled as the sponsor of this tournament, well it adds a certain levity to things for me. The sum of so many parts as it were, from myself to my family watching, to this sponsorship I have a lot on my shoulders right now, a lot of people to please. All but my opponent though. This guy… What can be said about him other than he looks like the kind of guy to pleasure himself by rodgering me in the ass before setting me on fire. If that were the case, I guess I’ve had worse first dates.”
I laughed and shrugged, he looked like a crackhead so wouldn’t put it past him.
Lucas: “I get it mate; I wouldn’t hold it against you if that were the case, I’m not that popular. I’ve been where you are sorta, I’ve seen that look in your eyes countless times before when I have looked at myself in the mirror, seems like you need a hug. I’d like to tell you things are going to get better, and they will but It won’t be when you and I stand in that ring. You might be a few petals short of a full flower mate but I’m not going to stand idly by and allow you to have your way with me either. That isn’t how this is going to work, there is too much on the line for me to let someone like you rain on my parade. Which right now that is exactly what this is sunshine. MY Parade because it’s my first match back in SCW for little over four years so count yourself blessed to stand in the ring with me.”
Lucas: “Or don’t it doesn’t matter because I’m not here for your amusement, I’m not here for the fans, I’m here for my son and daughter and to see if I still have what it takes. Despite everything about you that probably will grind my gears, you’re in this thing either because you hate yourself or because you have this deep seeded desire to try and win it. You want to give the middle finger to the establishment, right? Beating me on my return would certainly help you mate. But I’m prone to give middle fingers too and I’m here to tell you it isn’t happening… Well I hope not anyway, got a lot more to give this tournament other than my spiced rum which I’ll be sure to give you a bottle once I beat you and move on in this thing because I got a Scotsman I wanna face in the next round.”
I wink.
Fin.