Lately, it’s been non-stop oversite of many facets of operations. Selecting this location however, was the best thing they could have done. They had the beach of course, but one of the main selling points for them was the close proximity to the Santa Monica airport. They had done a few rentals recently, but now that they were settled in, Butch had connected with someone that got them setup with a pilot and a lease of a helicopter. It was only a 45-minute flight between home and headquarters… it was a godsend for when they needed to make quick trips. Now her attention was strictly on business, and while she hadn’t missed all the latest things, she finally had this moment to breath and respond before diving back into the work jungle. Just as she walks around her desk, she’s reminded of the camera crews everywhere. Most of the time she forgets they are there, it was an old habit that had quickly returned now that the limelight was back on them.
(Wisdom): Maniac, Matt…guys…look…I know Butch has already addressed this and I don’t want to be a broken record here, but I feel the need to chime in one more time. I know how much you want this Asylum Match, but like we’ve said…it simply isn’t going to happen. It certainly has nothing to do with trying to protect you Matt in the way you may think, and definitely nothing to do with any lack of faith in Matt’s abilities as you suggest Maniac. You don’t think we see your perspective Matt? We do! Like Butch said, we were seeing and living that perspective long before you were, but there’s another perspective to consider outside the ring. I hate for every conversation to descend into rehashing 2015 and hard times for HWA, but Maniac…you weren’t even here then and Matt you had just walked in the door. You two have no idea the magnitude of what was taking place behind the scenes and what it took to keep it alive and bring it back to where we are now from a business standpoint. Asking for an unsanctioned match isn’t an excuse for us to throw our hands up and feign ignorance of our responsibility because you want to step outside of rules and expectations. This is about protecting this company, it’s about seeing the doors that have been closed in our face for years, finally start to open and us keeping them open. It’s about watching our vision come to fruition as this company grows and once again becomes the number one promotion in the world. You might not like a run of the mill 2-out-of-3 pinfall match, or falls count anywhere, but like Butch said before…the “Hardcore” in Hardcore Wrestling Alliance isn’t about the blood and brutality it used to be. We’ve redefined it for the passion of this business and heart displayed between those ropes.
We’ve made it clear from day one what we’re about and you accepted that when you signed on the dotted line.
To be honest, it really isn’t fair to us that you even ask already knowing what the circumstances are. If that isn’t enough for you two, then perhaps you need to reconsider what you’re doing here. And Maniac….as far as that bet of yours goes. It wouldn’t matter if every vote was in your favor, it doesn’t change the reality of our situation as a company and it wouldn’t change our minds. Besides, I don’t have time for a survey…I’m too busy trying to do PR because someone called TMZ trying to sell them some story carrying on about (Wisdom holds up a piece of paper, that she just pulled off the small copier in her office.) “Maniac, Mandy and some camera dude” apparently causing a scene at a pizza joint in Chicago. He didn’t seem to have any video evidence so he didn’t get 2-cents out of them. The rumor alone was enough to have the phones ringing with news vultures. Oh, and Maniac…as far as Butch’s order to check in with HR…who you’re involved with is your business. No one is trying to stop you or Mandy from having a relationship, but you’re both HWA employees and subject to the code of conduct in your contracts. As you know this protects the both of you from certain things known to occur in workplace relationships. This is to help you, not hinder you…and I suggest you both take it seriously.
Wisdom goes around her desk and sits down. Earlier this morning she had just had the opportunity to finally see the footage from the incident a few days back in one of the training areas between Alexis and Michelle. She sighs!
(Wisdom): Alexis, like my husband, let me also officially welcome you to HWA. No one knows better than me what its like to walk into a wrestling promotion as a woman, competent, confident, and unapologetic. Moolah tossed women around by the hair and had a few submission holds, Medusa and Sherri brought some spirit and managed to up the game, Trish and Lita brought a new age “attitude” into the mix, ICE and Blush combined real ring work with beauty and grace, but when I hit the scene…I changed women’s wrestling above an beyond any of its preceding eras. As I was so recently reminded at the Reunion Show…I called out every women on the roster, and I was far from afraid of calling out the boys as well. Like you, I knew what I wanted, I knew what it took to get it, and nothing was going to stop me. No one, especially me can fault you for that.
Whether you bruised Michelle’s neck or just bruised her ego is beside the point. You stepped your toe, a little outside the line that you damn well know is there. You’ve got a lot of known experience and it’s great that you recognize your room and potential for even more growth. You’re testing the waters…I get it. I adore your passion, I love the fire in your eyes, and I want to help you reach your goals of being the best wrestler in the business and having your name up there with others like mine…but there is a way to go about it. You want to bring out the best in those around you and use that as a platform to elevate yourself…you need to be part of the team…not isolate yourself from it. And lastly Alexis, you say you’re trying to make a point?
Wisdom stands up from her desk and leans in, her hair falling around her face looking like lioness on the hunt.
(Wisdom): Let me be the one to make an important point for you. Remember who you’re talking to sweetie. Don’t ever tell my husband he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, or suggest any course of action he needs to take. He is the boss! His toenail clippings do better flips falling to the floor than most people in this business and you will show him the respect he deserves.
Wisdom goes over to her fridge and grabs a bottle of sparkling Voss, screws the cap off and takes a sip before settling back in her chair.
(Wisdom): I have one more piece of business to address. Not everything that happened to HWA in 2015 was disastrous. We didn’t have much, but there was something that Butch and I both felt very strongly about and that was the development of a Talent Relations Division, and so we built it. It started small, and at first there was a lot of apprehension about our intent and ability to follow-through, but one person led to two, and two to three and so on over the years. Unlike other promotions we wanted to be the first to take care of our talent entirely. For those of you not already familiar…this translated to healthcare, mental health and wellness programs, and a lot of outreach to people that we knew needed help, and not those just associated with HWA, but wrestlers and wrestling professional from around the world. It’s the very same program that we offered Ash Phoenix to be a part of at the Reunion Show, and again recently at Havoc. We are pouring more resources behind this effort day-by-day. The 4th floor of this very building is dedicated to the Talent Relations Division and their work.
I’m very pleased to announce that we’ve just reached 350 members and that as of June 1st we will be launching our new retirement savings benefits package for all current HWA employees. Wrestling names like Superstar Bully Graham, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Sabu, Brian Knobs, Deranged, Bushwacker Butch who recently passed…the list goes on. Men and women who have put their bodies on the line and entertained us for years have all been on social media, crowdfunding and begging for money to help pay medical expenses and other needs. They deserve better, and this is what the Talent Relations Division work is all about, from sending someone out to mow Perry Saturn’s lawn to just doing wellness checks on Virgil. We know what this business can do to people, and HWA has and will continue to step up, speak out, and support this industry’s talent. I think back to Maniac and Matt, and I only listed a few of dozens of names of established superstars that are paying a very dear price for their days in that ring and what they pushed their bodies and minds to endure. So when they come asking for some Asylum match that pushes them closer to being on this list someday, it just reaffirms why we shouldn’t go there.
Wisdom nods to the camera crew that she’s finished with that bit. It was 4:37 p.m. and she still had a lot of work to do, and was probably going to stay a little late. There was potentially a new sponsorship opportunity to be announced, but she decided to….just as she was about to decide on something her phone buzzes and she sees a text from Butch. She smiles and looks at the clock again.
(Wisdom): You know what?....Tomorrow!
Wisdom grabs the phone on her desk and dials.
(Wisdom): Looks like I’m heading home a little early today….yeah…thank you so much…be right there.
She grabs her purse, her jacket and makes her way out the door. She takes the elevator to the roof and on the helipad is their helicopter waiting. The attendant opens the door for her and she steps up and in. The pilot fires it and the blades begin to whirl. Soon she’s up in the air, looking down at the amazing coastline and on her way home for some much needed and anticipated family time. The weather was great and the flight took a little under 40 minutes this time. Not having completely removed her boss hat, she was busy sending emails the entire time. After they landed, it was just a short ride home. Butch had talked about renovating part of their property and having a helipad put in at their house but when word hit the neighborhood people balked. “Fuk em”, she thought. Oprah had one at her place just a couple miles up the road. She didn’t mind the short drive home, but she didn’t object to Butch’s idea if not just to spite the local Stepford Wife bitches. As she pulls in she sees Sean’s car and another she doesn’t recognize, but notices it’s a rental from a tag on the side window.
(Wisdom): I swear to God…if he’s in there training, I’ll have his balls!
Wisdom pulls into the driveway, behind Sean who was in front of the garage. She heads to the front door and reaches in her purse for the keys when the front door opens and so does her mouth when Cody Rhodes steps out. Their eyes meet and she’s caught quite off guard.
(Cody): Wisdom!
Cody politely greets her with a slight smile and a nod as he heads to his car in the driveway. She finally finds her voice and greets him back.
(Wisdom): Cody!
His name is all she manages to get out, turning and looking at Butch in the doorway whose face is about as stone as Mount Rushmore. The car door closes and she turns her head back hearing the noise and watches as Cody drives off. She turns back to the house and Butch isn’t in the doorway anymore having retreated back inside. She hurries in after him.
(Wisdom): Babe, what happened?
Butch is pulling his shirt off, nearly power walking down the hall to head upstairs.
(Butch): I should change, we’ll be heading out for dinner in a bit, Sean is here, he’ll want to join us.
Butch continues upstairs making his point that he is not going to discuss this right now. Sean comes from down the hall, peeking around the corner to see if the coast was clear. Wisdom eyes him and waves him over abruptly.
(Wisdom): What the hell just happened in here Sean?
Sean throws his hands up in innocence.
(Sean): All I know is I stopped by about an hour and a half ago, there goes a knock at the door, I answer and there he is asking to talk to Butch.
(Wisdom): And then what?
(Sean): And then that was it. He came in, I took the kids to the den and closed the door. I just heard you pull up, Cody leave and figured I didn’t hear anything breaking so it was safe to come out. He’s not talking is he?
(Wisdom): No, he’s gone into that goddamn Fort Knox mode of his.
Wisdom sighs heavily, her hands on her hips.
(Wisdom): I’m glad they talked, they needed to, that’s all I really wanted. Whatever was said, that’s between them…I respect that. I’m gonna go shower and change and I guess we all have a night out for some dinner.
Wisdom gives Sean a peck on the cheek and heads to the den to see the kids first before she goes for her shower and change, you hear the kids happily shout “Mommy” very as she enters the room and the scene fades to black.
Message Thread
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