Written @ 8:16 p.m. on 2007-07-01
Mrs Cowboy
The Wrestling show was a hurricane of positive force. I am so proud of B. I could just bust. Everyone said,"Get a job, you bum!", myself included, and he said,"Oh, no, I am starting a wrestling federation." They laughed, they jeered, they threw fruit. With no money, no training, no equipment, no venue, how the hell was this skinny dumb guy going to start a federation? With a whole boatload of personal sacrifices, that's how!
So, he got a friend with a ring. He got some guys, they trained and practiced and obsessed. They networked. They hobnobbed. They bought professional wrestlers dinner and conducted autograph sessions. They worked out and they studied. They did free demonstations. They got sponsors. They found a venue. They got licenses. They talked to people who knew people. They went to everybody's shows in the area. They made flyers. They made teeshirts. They kissed babies. They got music. They got lights. They got security guards, they got concessions. After YEARS of all this, they finally had a real-really-real show. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!
It did not go perfectly, nor did it turn a profit, but the owner of the venue is happy with them, and has invited them back, and invited them to advertise in front of his place which happens to be right on a main drag of the city. The place was full of happy people. I consider this show a giant advertisement for the next one.
I worked concessions, being trustworthy with the money, so I didn't see the all action. I either looked cute, or like a moron, with my super-bleached hair tied up in knots on the side of my head, dark makeup, and a federation tee-shirt I had liberally slashed and punked out. Cute or not, I was slapping slices on the plate faster than you could say lickety-split. I made brownies, and one little puerto rican thug-lette bought three of them. He was so cute. He kept coming back, grunting,"give me a brownie" and thrusting his dollar in my face. I like to make the kids happy, what can I say?
The guys all worked so hard, setting up the ring, wrestling, and then breaking down themselves. They were all so happy to do it. I felt immediately accepted because I was given a proper nickname right off the bat (wrestlers are very fond of nicknames)..."Mrs. Cowboy," perhaps a bit of an obvious choice, but coming from the heart, I'm sure.
There were all types there. There were wrestler's mothers, looking like scared hound dogs with their tails between their legs. There were kids from the neighborhood, out for a special night. There were girlfriends, and wrestling fans, and regulars. B. had quite a following. Five of his friends showed up, and my friend, Snowflake, and, most notably, B.'s Dad was there. This is outstanding because B.'s family really hates his involvement with wrestling. They think of it kind of how my family might react if I got a job as a stripper. They want him to move out, and get a job, understandably one might say, or you could argue that they just don't share his artistic vision. They are horrified by the whole thing, and have never attended any of his functions. When his dad waltzed in, we all felt our hearts swell in out chests.
The show was long and full of fun. The main drawback was one of the ropes snapping in the ring right in the middle of the show. They fixed it, but no one quite trusted it, and everyone had to improvise in their matches. B.'s match was switched to a brawl, which to me looked very much like my fiance getting the shit kicked out of him, but my eye is so untrained.
B. had a bloody nose and a black eye by the end of it, and couldn't have been more delighted. He didn't mind that he didn't come off as a superstar, he just wanted the show to be a success, and it definately was. I stood at the door and handed out flyers advertising next month's show, and everyone was excited to come back.
After the show, we helped break down and clean up, and our sponsor was a restaurant-bar that stayed open late just for them. The place was full of happy wrestlers, and the One Armed Commissioner was already making plans for the next one. B. didn't tuck me in until about three in the morning. I had a blast!
My mom was kind enough to babysit for me, and she even deep cleaned house while I was gone. I think she might have used nuclear weapons. My mom is an absolute angel. I am so grateful for her! When she arrived I was feeling so bad about myself, and she helped me with the house, helped me with the kids, filled my pantry with groceries, let me have a night out, and told me I was doing a great job. Really, I think she might be Jesus.
Today, my mom and I brought the girls to the art museum in town, which is free on Sundays, and then she had to go back home, three and a half hours to the north. As I have mentioned before, they have a fabulous program at this museum for kids, and all four of us love art. Mom bought some stocking stuffers at the museum shop. I can't wait to see what she got! We were so sad to see her go.
So, I'm feeling refreshed. Thanks for reading-Hil The Thrill, aka Mrs. Cowboy