The video that played on the Havoctron plays through Sean’s mind over and over on a loop. He was only six years old when Butch won the Ring Master tournament in 2004, not only his rookie year in HWA but also his first-ever pay-per-view appearance for the company. The win had catapulted Butch from young upstart to main event status. Ring Master was only the start and Butch would end the year with a HWA World Championship reign to his resume, having been involved in memorable feuds with the likes of Thane Givens, Buff Bridges and Maniac.
For Sean though, he was just a kid, starstruck by this brick shithouse of a man on his TV screen. And finding out he was related to him made things even more incredible. From that moment on, from the final bell of Butch defeating Thane Givens and David Hollis in the 2004 Ring Master final, Sean’s decision had been made up. Not only would he seek out his uncle, the only male relative he had left in his life, the younger brother of his late father, he would be a pro wrestler himself.
Fast-forward 20 years and Sean was in a position he could never have envisioned. Not only was Butch Parker the father-figure he didn’t have growing up, but he was fully-fledged Parker in every sense of the word. Tenacious, stubborn, pigheaded. He’d fought back from a crippling spinal injury at 16 and now he was one of the most exciting technical and high-flying professional wrestlers in the world, one of the faces of a new era for HWA. He had best friends in the form of Matt and Jeremy, a beautiful and loving girlfriend in the form of Michelle. After a tumultuous childhood, things were finally going his way.
He sits in the waiting room of the private hospital on the periphery of the Edinburgh city center, staring absentmindedly at his left knee ensconced in the ominous brace. Truth be told, with the money he was making and the healthcare afforded to him, he could have had his choice of the best knee specialists in the States.
However Dr Metcalfe was one of the best and had worked on Butch with his previous knee issues. So having him on the other end of the phone was a no-brainer. One phone consultation later, Sean was on a non-stop from LAX to Edinburgh airport within a couple of hours.
Tapping his foot anxiously on the floor, Sean thinks back to the conversation he’d had with both Butch and Wisdom as well as Michelle in the aftermath of the Havoc announcement.
Knowing him all too well, the three had united into a triumvirate of reason. They knew where Sean’s mind would instinctively go when the Ring Master announcement was made. They weren’t wrong either. He was determined to be in that tournament, be the first HWA World Champion of the new era, the first second-generation HWA World Champion. Make history.
Michelle had warned him in her own sweet way that there would always be other opportunities but she knew it was a waste of breath. Butch knew it was also useless and he knew Sean would call him a hypocrite for trying to convince him otherwise given the plethora of life-threatening injuries he himself had fought through without getting the proper medical care.
A dark-haired receptionist then called over to him.
(Receptionist): Sean Parker?
The call of his name snaps Sean out of his stupor and he stands up.
(Sean): Yeah, that’s me.
(Receptionist): Dr Metcalfe is in Room 13, it’s down the hall to the right there and first on the left after the double doors.
Sean gives the receptionist a smile and nod of acknowledgement before following her directions towards Dr Metcalfe’s room. Once outside, a polite knock on the door is swiftly greeted by a muffled “Come in” to which Sean duly obliges. Dr Metcalfe greets him with a warm and welcoming smile, shaking Sean’s hand and giving him a pat on the arm.
(Dr Metcalfe): Sean Parker, well I’ll be damned. I’d say you’re the last person I expected to see but given your line of work and your family history, I’m surprised this is the first time I’m seeing you professionally.
He points down to the brace around Sean’s knee.
(Dr Metcalfe): I hear you’re having some ACL troubles.
(Sean): Yeah, it’s been nagging at me for a while.
(Dr Metcalfe): Well, take a seat on the bed here, let’s get that brace off and have a look.
Sean obliges and hops up onto the gurney-style hospital bed in Dr Metcalfe’s office, unfastening the straps of the brace. Dr Metcalfe, with gloved hands, grips Sean’s knee, both at the back and front.
(Dr Metcalfe): Extend your leg for me.
Sean does as he’s instructed and straightens his leg out.
(Dr Metcalfe): And back again.
Sean brings his lower leg back down again.
(Dr Metcalfe): Oh yes, 100% it’s your anterior cruciate, Sean. What did you get told before?
(Sean): I got told there were both non-surgical and surgical options.
(Dr Metcalfe): And what’s your personal thoughts? There’s a million doctors Stateside who could tell you the same thing.
(Sean): Let’s not bullshit each other, doc. You got my uncle ring-ready after his knee issues. You had him on the table, under the knife and he was back in the ring within what? Six weeks? I need that.
(Dr Metcalfe): Sean, I’m not sure this is the best course of action. You’re not even 27, you literally have your entire career ahead of you. This could easily be remedied by careful and concise rehabilitation for the next four, five months and you’ll be able to have a long-lasting career.
Sean shakes his head vehemently.
(Sean): No can do, doc. I need to be back in the ring as soon as physically possible. This tournament that’s coming up in May? I need to be ready for it. I only get one shot at this. This isn’t a case of “there’s always next year”. I need you to work your magic like you did my uncle. I’ll pay whatever it takes, I’ll do whatever rehab is necessary after the surgery, I’ll jump through whatever hoops you need me to, but I need to be back in the ring ASAP. Can you help me?
Dr Metcalfe doesn’t say anything for a moment. He stares at Sean, exhaling resignedly through his nose. The cogs are turning in his head.
(Dr Metcalfe): This won’t be easy, Sean. An ordinary ACL repair is a simple procedure, it’s a keyhole surgery so minimally invasive. However it means a long recovery time. Even with the best rehab and bodily response, it can sometimes be eight to nine months before you can be physically active. This though…
He points to Sean’s knee.
(Dr Metcalfe): What you’re asking for, we’ll have to deconstruct the entire ligament and build you a new one, one with a tensile strength that not even the strongest bolt cutters could tear through.
(Sean): Why do I feel a but coming?
(Dr Metcalfe): The stress this will put your body under for the first fortnight following the surgery will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. And after that, you’re talking about a solid month of intense rehab. It’s not quite learning to walk again but your leg will have to adjust to something that will, after the pain goes away, feel alien to it. It will take some getting used to.
(Sean): And after that?
(Dr Metcalfe): After that, in theory, you’ll be fighting fit and good to go. But like I said, you need to understand the amount of pain and discomfort this is going to cause you for the first seven to ten days.
Sean tilts his head to the side, giving Dr Metcalfe a deadpan look. He lifts his t-shirt up and turns his upper body to show off the snake-like scar tissue contouring down his back from his spinal surgery.
(Sean): Trust me doc, whatever pain you’re talking about, it doesn’t scare me. Whatever it is, the scale of it, I guarantee it won’t even touch the sides of what I’ve been through.
(Dr Metcalfe): You’ll have to sign a waiver, Sean. This isn’t a normal procedure, it’s still experimental. Your uncle Butch is the only other patient I’ve performed it on and it looks you’ve inherited every ounce of stubbornness he had when he walked into this very office.
(Sean): I’ll sign whatever you want me to sign, doc. When’s the quickest we can get things rolling?
(Dr Metcalfe): I can have you on Monday. I’ll clear my schedule. It will be a long surgery though, you’re talking a good ten hours at least. You’ll need a support system to help you in that first recovery phase.
(Sean): That’s fine, doc. Get me those papers and I’ll sign whatever you need and let’s get things moving.
Sean hops off the table, refastening the brace back around his knee.
(Dr Metcalfe): I really hope you know what you’re doing, son. Whatever this tournament or match is, I really hope it’s worth it.
(Sean): Believe me, doc, it is.
(Dr Metcalfe): Well, I’ll get the papers sorted and have you booked into triage for Monday. If you have a seat in the waiting room, I’ll give you a shout once they’re done.
(Sean): Thanks doc, I really appreciate it.
After shaking his hand again, Sean leaves Dr Metcalfe’s office, making his way back to the waiting area and he pulls his phone out. He checks the time. 5pm. Michelle would be up by now, he thought. He thumbed through his recent contacts and hit “call” on Michelle’s number.
(Sean): Hey babe, it’s me…so I have some news but before I tell you, please don’t freak out….
The scene fades to black.
Message Thread
« Back to index