Post by Drakz on Mar 25, 2018 9:45:39 GMT -5
A Clean Sweep
*Knock Knock*
Lila Sleater: I know, can you believe him? The gall he has to call me out time and time again….
I poke my head round the open office door to see Lila in her office chair, mid conversation. She waves me in with a little smile and I move to stand across from her, hands behind my back, standing straight.
It takes a moment for me to slip out of the formalities that 6 years of service drills into you. I relax a little and only hope that Lila didn’t notice. Kind of makes me feel a little silly.
Lila: …and then he goes and pulls that? Talk about pot calling the kettle. Listen, I better go, I’ve got a meeting to get to.
Damn. Maybe I timed this badly.
Lila: Okay, yep. Talk to you soon. Bye.
She hangs up and turns her chair to sit square on with me.
Lila: Take a seat Bill.
Still subconsciously responding to orders I find myself on my way to the chair as I start my sentence.
Billy: Erm, sorry if this is a bad time Ms Sleater. I can come back?
Lila: Not at all. How can I help?
Billy: I thought you had a meeting to get to?
She holds out her hands.
Lila: This is it.
Wow. The boss is making time for me? Turns out my status around here may well be on the rise.
Billy: Oh, well……thank you. I’ll try not to keep you.
Lila: Bill, relax. There’s still plenty of time before we open the doors for tonight’s show. Congratulations on your win over Ahriman by the way. She’s a tough cookie……..and a pain in the ass if I’m honest.
Billy: Well actually that’s why I’m here to speak to you.
Lila: Oh?
Billy: I want something done about Trevor Wolf. What he did after my match was reprehensible. If I’d known what was going on at the time I would have done something to help, but…..oh Jesus. That poor young lady. Is she going to be okay?
Lila: Anna? She’s a little beat up but in the long run she’ll survive.
Billy: Survive? Ms Sleater I’m not sure surviving is the best we should be hoping for.
She raises an eyebrow. Did I overstep the mark?
Lila: With all due respect Bill, let me worry about the health of my talent. You focus on clearing up after them.
Ouch. That hurt. I’d like to say maybe she’s right but the thought of Jenny seeing me tuck my tail between my legs is enough to spur me on.
Billy: Will all due respect Ms Sleater you’re the one who took me away from my custodial duties and put me in the line of fire. I think I have a right to ask these kind of questions given the risks I’ve taken for you recently.
Now both eye brows are raised and she sits back in her chair, looking at me, weighing up the situation. Probably thinking of the best way to word my dismissal.
Billy: I just want Wolf to be held accountable for what was essentially GBH. Surely an attack like that outside of the confines of a match is just an assault?
Lila: And how do you feel about him being put in there with David Brennan? Isn’t that a punishment in itself?
Billy: Being throw into the main event in his first week back? No, I don’t deem that a punishment at all.
Lila: What would you have me do?
Billy: Fine him. Suspend him. Fire him?! I don’t know.
Lila: Let you teach him a lesson?
Me?
Billy: Me?
Lila: Yes, you. You were reluctant about your match with Anna Ahriman because to you she was just someone’s little girl. What about Trevor Wolf?
Billy: Listen, Ms Sleater, I….
Lila: You, what?
Billy: That’s the other reason I came here to speak with you. I don’t think I can do this. I’m not comfortable with the idea that one false move leaves me in a wheelchair, and my daughter and me having to switch roles.
Lila: Didn’t you serve in the military?
Billy: Yes, but that was a long time ago. I’ve since come to understand that being their for Jenny is what’s important to me. Not fighting “the bad guys“.
Lila: But someone’s gotta do it, right?
Billy: Sure, but that someone’s not me. I’m 49 years old. Hell, I’m a janitor.
Lila: Were a janitor.
Billy: And I want to be a janitor again. Ms Sleater I won’t be competing tonight, or again for that matter.
Lila: So you’re willing to deny Jayson Sykes his debut match here? You’re just gonna leave the kid high and dry?
Billy: Can’t you find a replacement? You found me!
Lila: We’ve got 2 hours until show time Bill. Not a chance. This is gonna crush him.
Billy: I’m sorry, but I just can’t. I don’t enjoy the idea of beating on another kid. This Jayson Sykes seems like a good egg. I’ve seen his schtick. He’s someone the fans can finally look up to. You want me to go out and beat the tar out of him? You’ve not made this run very easy for me.
Lila: I want you to go out there and have a fair, competitive match with him. If I wanted to see him hurt then I’d have put him in there with someone like Trevor Wolf. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind breaking Sykes in with that cat of his. Maybe I give Brennan the night off and switch things around?
Billy: No. You don’t have to do that. Fine. But this is my last match. Then I want to slip into the background again. I was happy with my job. Can you grant me that if I do this for you?
Lila: And what about Trevor Wolf?
Billy: What about him?
Lila: You sure you don’t want the opportunity to straighten him out?
I see what she’s doing. I’m not that naive. While the idea of kicking that piece of trash Wolf around the arena sounds therapeutic I don’t think I’d come out of it unscathed.
Billy: I can’t take that kind of risk. Sorry Ms Sleater, you’ll have to dish out the discipline yourself.
Lila: Is that everything?
And just like that my time has run out.
Billy: I suppose it is.
Lila: Break a leg out there tonight Bill.
Billy: Don’t worry. I won’t.
I’m fairly certain this isn’t the last I’ll hear about this. Lila has a tendency for pursuing things to the ends of the earth, even if it ends up costing her. I mean just look at what happened with Frank Lynn……..or Trace Demon. Obviously I have no proof she was behind that kid’s attack on Trace, but as a janitor you tend to hear things. People don’t notice you’re there. Even now, 3 matches deep into my wrestling……career? People still look right through me. I’m fine with that though. I’m not here to make a name for myself, hell I’m not really here at all.
I’ll have to consider this last match a favour to Jayson. I hope he’ll see it that way when I get the chance to talk to him. Maybe later.
For now I need to focus on warming up, making sure I stay safe out there. Staying safe while I’m kicked in the head seems like a laughable idea, and maybe the safest thing to do would be to feign a knock out at the first opportunity, but I’ve got honour to think about as well. I can’t sell this kid a lie. If he wants a good competitive fight out there I’ve gotta give it to him.
If this is my last hoorah then I’d like to go out swinging.
*Knock Knock*
Lila Sleater: I know, can you believe him? The gall he has to call me out time and time again….
I poke my head round the open office door to see Lila in her office chair, mid conversation. She waves me in with a little smile and I move to stand across from her, hands behind my back, standing straight.
It takes a moment for me to slip out of the formalities that 6 years of service drills into you. I relax a little and only hope that Lila didn’t notice. Kind of makes me feel a little silly.
Lila: …and then he goes and pulls that? Talk about pot calling the kettle. Listen, I better go, I’ve got a meeting to get to.
Damn. Maybe I timed this badly.
Lila: Okay, yep. Talk to you soon. Bye.
She hangs up and turns her chair to sit square on with me.
Lila: Take a seat Bill.
Still subconsciously responding to orders I find myself on my way to the chair as I start my sentence.
Billy: Erm, sorry if this is a bad time Ms Sleater. I can come back?
Lila: Not at all. How can I help?
Billy: I thought you had a meeting to get to?
She holds out her hands.
Lila: This is it.
Wow. The boss is making time for me? Turns out my status around here may well be on the rise.
Billy: Oh, well……thank you. I’ll try not to keep you.
Lila: Bill, relax. There’s still plenty of time before we open the doors for tonight’s show. Congratulations on your win over Ahriman by the way. She’s a tough cookie……..and a pain in the ass if I’m honest.
Billy: Well actually that’s why I’m here to speak to you.
Lila: Oh?
Billy: I want something done about Trevor Wolf. What he did after my match was reprehensible. If I’d known what was going on at the time I would have done something to help, but…..oh Jesus. That poor young lady. Is she going to be okay?
Lila: Anna? She’s a little beat up but in the long run she’ll survive.
Billy: Survive? Ms Sleater I’m not sure surviving is the best we should be hoping for.
She raises an eyebrow. Did I overstep the mark?
Lila: With all due respect Bill, let me worry about the health of my talent. You focus on clearing up after them.
Ouch. That hurt. I’d like to say maybe she’s right but the thought of Jenny seeing me tuck my tail between my legs is enough to spur me on.
Billy: Will all due respect Ms Sleater you’re the one who took me away from my custodial duties and put me in the line of fire. I think I have a right to ask these kind of questions given the risks I’ve taken for you recently.
Now both eye brows are raised and she sits back in her chair, looking at me, weighing up the situation. Probably thinking of the best way to word my dismissal.
Billy: I just want Wolf to be held accountable for what was essentially GBH. Surely an attack like that outside of the confines of a match is just an assault?
Lila: And how do you feel about him being put in there with David Brennan? Isn’t that a punishment in itself?
Billy: Being throw into the main event in his first week back? No, I don’t deem that a punishment at all.
Lila: What would you have me do?
Billy: Fine him. Suspend him. Fire him?! I don’t know.
Lila: Let you teach him a lesson?
Me?
Billy: Me?
Lila: Yes, you. You were reluctant about your match with Anna Ahriman because to you she was just someone’s little girl. What about Trevor Wolf?
Billy: Listen, Ms Sleater, I….
Lila: You, what?
Billy: That’s the other reason I came here to speak with you. I don’t think I can do this. I’m not comfortable with the idea that one false move leaves me in a wheelchair, and my daughter and me having to switch roles.
Lila: Didn’t you serve in the military?
Billy: Yes, but that was a long time ago. I’ve since come to understand that being their for Jenny is what’s important to me. Not fighting “the bad guys“.
Lila: But someone’s gotta do it, right?
Billy: Sure, but that someone’s not me. I’m 49 years old. Hell, I’m a janitor.
Lila: Were a janitor.
Billy: And I want to be a janitor again. Ms Sleater I won’t be competing tonight, or again for that matter.
Lila: So you’re willing to deny Jayson Sykes his debut match here? You’re just gonna leave the kid high and dry?
Billy: Can’t you find a replacement? You found me!
Lila: We’ve got 2 hours until show time Bill. Not a chance. This is gonna crush him.
Billy: I’m sorry, but I just can’t. I don’t enjoy the idea of beating on another kid. This Jayson Sykes seems like a good egg. I’ve seen his schtick. He’s someone the fans can finally look up to. You want me to go out and beat the tar out of him? You’ve not made this run very easy for me.
Lila: I want you to go out there and have a fair, competitive match with him. If I wanted to see him hurt then I’d have put him in there with someone like Trevor Wolf. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind breaking Sykes in with that cat of his. Maybe I give Brennan the night off and switch things around?
Billy: No. You don’t have to do that. Fine. But this is my last match. Then I want to slip into the background again. I was happy with my job. Can you grant me that if I do this for you?
Lila: And what about Trevor Wolf?
Billy: What about him?
Lila: You sure you don’t want the opportunity to straighten him out?
I see what she’s doing. I’m not that naive. While the idea of kicking that piece of trash Wolf around the arena sounds therapeutic I don’t think I’d come out of it unscathed.
Billy: I can’t take that kind of risk. Sorry Ms Sleater, you’ll have to dish out the discipline yourself.
Lila: Is that everything?
And just like that my time has run out.
Billy: I suppose it is.
Lila: Break a leg out there tonight Bill.
Billy: Don’t worry. I won’t.
I’m fairly certain this isn’t the last I’ll hear about this. Lila has a tendency for pursuing things to the ends of the earth, even if it ends up costing her. I mean just look at what happened with Frank Lynn……..or Trace Demon. Obviously I have no proof she was behind that kid’s attack on Trace, but as a janitor you tend to hear things. People don’t notice you’re there. Even now, 3 matches deep into my wrestling……career? People still look right through me. I’m fine with that though. I’m not here to make a name for myself, hell I’m not really here at all.
I’ll have to consider this last match a favour to Jayson. I hope he’ll see it that way when I get the chance to talk to him. Maybe later.
For now I need to focus on warming up, making sure I stay safe out there. Staying safe while I’m kicked in the head seems like a laughable idea, and maybe the safest thing to do would be to feign a knock out at the first opportunity, but I’ve got honour to think about as well. I can’t sell this kid a lie. If he wants a good competitive fight out there I’ve gotta give it to him.
If this is my last hoorah then I’d like to go out swinging.
I dont know good luck