Post by Jay Stevens on Jan 26, 2022 14:02:24 GMT -5
[F45 Fitness in downtown Halifax, right around the corner from the Scotiabank Centre and a block from the hotel.]
[6:25am local. Roughly 2:24am Pacific.]
[Jay Stevens has already been at work for nearly an hour when his phone chirps. A video call.]
[It's dad.]
[Jay sighs and towels his head before accepting the call.]
Jay: Hey dad, what's going on? Why are you up so early?
[On the screen is Jay's father Stephen Greer, one half of the legendary Team Danger.]
Greer: Early? Shit, we just got in. Store opening was a huge success, wish you could have been there but I get it, staying in the Great White North until your next match.
Jay: Yeah, it just made sense to not lose time to travel days. So what's up?
Greer: Just got off the phone with Nicole…
Jay: You called her first?
Greer: You know she called me. She caught me up to speed, linked me to the spot you did with Spencer. Good stuff, you seem really dialed in.
Jay: I am.
Greer: I saw your opponent came calling too. Is it true his dad's a dinosaur?
Jay: I think he's a snake.
Greer: That seems right. Sounded like 'Big Daddy Slithers' was feeding his boy lines, according to Nicole.
Jay: Doesn't matter. He has no idea what he's in for. He keeps saying I'm old and doesn't even realize we're the same age.
Greer: In my day we'd have a field day with that.
Jay: Julius Fristik is struggling to find an identity, I've been there too. Maybe I'm still there, I just don't expect you to bail me out like he does his father.
[Jay pauses. In a rare moment, Greer doesn't immediately fill the silence with words or attempts to humor his son.]
Jay: I think maybe I'm lost. Too many goals, too many directions I'm being pulled in.
Greer: I know I'm probably the last man qualified to give you this kind of advice, but just focus on one thing at a time. You have a jump on all of us and you have an entire lifetime to take over the world.
Jay: Yeah, but by your second year in the business you were already a World Champion. I'm still just… toiling away.
[Greer laughs.]
Greer: And look how that turned out for me. Too much too soon, short reign and chasing the dragon every day after… in one way or another. But you think it was always easy for me and Ty? You came into our world by the time we'd already put in all the hard work. You were seeing the fruits and not the labor. And those early days?
[Greer mimes a shudder.]
Greer: Cringe. But we kept trying until we found what worked. You're already finding your way, and far earlier than Ty or I ever could have dreamed. But I understand, believe me. You're racing yourself to death. You've always been cut from the same cloth as your old man, just with a different pattern.
[Jay nods that he understands. His father's eyes widen.]
Greer: Wait, you're not using me as inspiration for things, right? It's a pretty tired trope to have the old man swing in to take up space from the new guy. I get it, all the other second-generation wrestlers are jumping off that bridge so you want to do it too.
[Jay breaks his stone visage with a chuckle.]
Jay: Hey, you called me, old man. I think maybe it's you looking for some of that shine.
[Greer laughs heartily.]
Greer: You know me, gotta keep a toe in that limelight. But hey, stop doubting yourself, get out of your own head. Try some new things and just let it take you where it takes you.
[The father scratches his chin, searching for some wisdom.]
Greer: And if all else fails, just drop them on their heads really, really hard. And if THAT fails… I dunno… sweep the leg.
[Jay smiles.]
Jay: Alright, thanks. I need to get back at it.
Greer: Yeah, me too.
[The old man lifts a bottle of Jack Daniel's into frame and Jay delivers a healthy eyeroll as he ends the call.]
"Okay."
[Jay smiles as he sits down, tossing his towel off to the side. He sets his phone up on the edge of a piece of equipment and taps the screen to record.]
"Julius Fristik.
I was going to give you a break because you're naive and clearly from a broken home.
I was going to show you respect so that maybe you would learn to show it to others.
I was going to out-maneuver you and show you that you are simply outclassed.
I was.
But then you opened your mouth. That's fine, you have to, but you need to actually consider the words before you allow them to spew out.
Your claims of being a learned student were immediately contradicted by your next statement.
You truly believe my experience is a hindrance instead of recognizing that it gives me my greatest strength. You haven't been here before. You haven't made the climb only to have that last pinnacle snatched away. You're still afraid of that feeling of failure… I'm not. I've embraced it and allowed it to drive me.
Your immaturity causes you to be arrogant. 'The Pegasus of Perfection'. That's… something. I'm sure the animal theme will help you in your quest to differentiate yourself from your father.
And perfection? Never.
Never can a man be perfect because there is always room for growth and always a challenge before him. Unless you don't challenge yourself, that is?
I am a challenge like you've never seen.
But the real question is where will you go?
What will you do when you fail?
We'll find out very soon."
[The end.]
[6:25am local. Roughly 2:24am Pacific.]
[Jay Stevens has already been at work for nearly an hour when his phone chirps. A video call.]
[It's dad.]
[Jay sighs and towels his head before accepting the call.]
Jay: Hey dad, what's going on? Why are you up so early?
[On the screen is Jay's father Stephen Greer, one half of the legendary Team Danger.]
Greer: Early? Shit, we just got in. Store opening was a huge success, wish you could have been there but I get it, staying in the Great White North until your next match.
Jay: Yeah, it just made sense to not lose time to travel days. So what's up?
Greer: Just got off the phone with Nicole…
Jay: You called her first?
Greer: You know she called me. She caught me up to speed, linked me to the spot you did with Spencer. Good stuff, you seem really dialed in.
Jay: I am.
Greer: I saw your opponent came calling too. Is it true his dad's a dinosaur?
Jay: I think he's a snake.
Greer: That seems right. Sounded like 'Big Daddy Slithers' was feeding his boy lines, according to Nicole.
Jay: Doesn't matter. He has no idea what he's in for. He keeps saying I'm old and doesn't even realize we're the same age.
Greer: In my day we'd have a field day with that.
Jay: Julius Fristik is struggling to find an identity, I've been there too. Maybe I'm still there, I just don't expect you to bail me out like he does his father.
[Jay pauses. In a rare moment, Greer doesn't immediately fill the silence with words or attempts to humor his son.]
Jay: I think maybe I'm lost. Too many goals, too many directions I'm being pulled in.
Greer: I know I'm probably the last man qualified to give you this kind of advice, but just focus on one thing at a time. You have a jump on all of us and you have an entire lifetime to take over the world.
Jay: Yeah, but by your second year in the business you were already a World Champion. I'm still just… toiling away.
[Greer laughs.]
Greer: And look how that turned out for me. Too much too soon, short reign and chasing the dragon every day after… in one way or another. But you think it was always easy for me and Ty? You came into our world by the time we'd already put in all the hard work. You were seeing the fruits and not the labor. And those early days?
[Greer mimes a shudder.]
Greer: Cringe. But we kept trying until we found what worked. You're already finding your way, and far earlier than Ty or I ever could have dreamed. But I understand, believe me. You're racing yourself to death. You've always been cut from the same cloth as your old man, just with a different pattern.
[Jay nods that he understands. His father's eyes widen.]
Greer: Wait, you're not using me as inspiration for things, right? It's a pretty tired trope to have the old man swing in to take up space from the new guy. I get it, all the other second-generation wrestlers are jumping off that bridge so you want to do it too.
[Jay breaks his stone visage with a chuckle.]
Jay: Hey, you called me, old man. I think maybe it's you looking for some of that shine.
[Greer laughs heartily.]
Greer: You know me, gotta keep a toe in that limelight. But hey, stop doubting yourself, get out of your own head. Try some new things and just let it take you where it takes you.
[The father scratches his chin, searching for some wisdom.]
Greer: And if all else fails, just drop them on their heads really, really hard. And if THAT fails… I dunno… sweep the leg.
[Jay smiles.]
Jay: Alright, thanks. I need to get back at it.
Greer: Yeah, me too.
[The old man lifts a bottle of Jack Daniel's into frame and Jay delivers a healthy eyeroll as he ends the call.]
"Okay."
[Jay smiles as he sits down, tossing his towel off to the side. He sets his phone up on the edge of a piece of equipment and taps the screen to record.]
"Julius Fristik.
I was going to give you a break because you're naive and clearly from a broken home.
I was going to show you respect so that maybe you would learn to show it to others.
I was going to out-maneuver you and show you that you are simply outclassed.
I was.
But then you opened your mouth. That's fine, you have to, but you need to actually consider the words before you allow them to spew out.
Your claims of being a learned student were immediately contradicted by your next statement.
You truly believe my experience is a hindrance instead of recognizing that it gives me my greatest strength. You haven't been here before. You haven't made the climb only to have that last pinnacle snatched away. You're still afraid of that feeling of failure… I'm not. I've embraced it and allowed it to drive me.
Your immaturity causes you to be arrogant. 'The Pegasus of Perfection'. That's… something. I'm sure the animal theme will help you in your quest to differentiate yourself from your father.
And perfection? Never.
Never can a man be perfect because there is always room for growth and always a challenge before him. Unless you don't challenge yourself, that is?
I am a challenge like you've never seen.
But the real question is where will you go?
What will you do when you fail?
We'll find out very soon."
[The end.]
