Journeyman

Chapter 7

He didn't usually like hanging out with the boys after his matches, but Marc enjoyed being around Randy Cooper and Rocky Dawson. Both Cooper and Dawson had only been in the business a few years and had struggled individually as single competitors. It wasn't until they were paired as a team that they seemed to find their niche. Hensley didn't have a spot for either on the card in Brighton and had asked them if they wanted to work together to fill an open spot against the Mercenaries. Both reluctantly agreed in order to maintain some sort of relevancy in the area. They had never spoken to each other before and weren't expecting much. Having never teamed before, they just wanted to earn a few dollars towards their paycheck and escape the match without any injuries. Whether it was fate, luck, or happenstance, magic happened that night.

After suffering a beatdown from both of the Mercenaries for most of the match, Cooper was able to make the tag to Dawson. Rocky exploded on both Mercenaries with a furry of fists and kicks. While the referee tried to get one of the Mercenaries back to his corner, Randy snuck back in the ring to help Rocky deliver a double-drop kick to the other Mercenary as he sprung off the ropes. Neither was sure where the move had come from. They hardly communicated with each other in the ring and had winged it most of the match. It was as if they were on the same wave lengths telepathically. The move caught the Mercenary by surprise and was enough for the pin. While Art raved about the upset win to the cameras filming for the matches to be shown on Saturday's television, the crowd went wild.

Randy and Rocky had been teaming for several months since their initial match together in Brighton. They had added colorful matching outfits to their ring attire, and they would run to the ring upon their entrance to the sound of rock music blaring from the speakers of the auditorium. Their youthful charisma, good looks, and energy captured the imagination of the fans. While they were once fighting for a spot on the cards, Randy and Rocky were now top contenders for the Central States Tag Team Championship.

Although they had won the fans over, it wasn't so easy to earn the respect of their fellow wrestlers. Many of the boys were jealous of their newfound popularity. Now that Randy and Rocky were getting spots on the cards, it meant less spots for some of the other guys. The pair became the object of sarcasm and lewd jokes amongst conversations in the dressing room. Their masculinity was questioned because of the tassels that they tied to their tights and the unusual, tight bond between them. Randy and Rocky rarely communicated in the ring, yet their teamwork was unparalleled. It was as if they knew what the other was thinking. "I'm telling you, something's not right about those guys," one wrestler complained to Hensley. Hensley shrugged the comment off. It wasn't the first time a disgruntled wrestler had came to him attempting to discredit and blackball another wrestler. Besides, Randy and Rocky were making him money. That's all he cared about.

They didn't exactly win Marc over at first either. He thought they were just a flash in the pan. It wasn't until Randy and Rocky fought members of Johnny Handsome's thugs, Mean Mike Milligan and Tony Stud, in Valdosta that he took a liking to the kids. After winning their match from a double-drop kick to Milligan, Stud attacked the team as they celebrated their win. Recovering from the effects of the drop kick, Mean Mike joined in the attack as the melee spread outside the ring. To make matters worse, Handsome jumped in as well with his array of powder, chains, and weapons that he somehow always managed to conceal while at ringside. Milligan, Stud, and Handsome bloodied Randy and Rocky before leaving them lying at ringside.

When they finally regained their senses, Randy and Rocky were bloodied, embarrassed, and pissed. They ran back to the dressing rooms in search of their foes. While Handsome and his henchmen were laughing about the beatdown, Rocky and randy stormed their dressing room and attacked them. Caught off guard, Handsome and crew attempted to retreat from the arena. Randy and Rocky were not going to let them get off that easy. They followed them into the hallway, beating Milligan and Stud with picture frames, stools, and anything they could get their hands on. The brawl continued into the concession stand and souvenir stand. It was the craziest brawl Marc had ever seen. The wrestlers fought amongst the crowd all the way out the doors of the arena. By the time it was all over, all four wrestlers were covered in blood and mustard. Milligan and Stud were finally able to escape into a car Handsome had driven to the entrance while the wrestlers brawled in the arena. The duo fought for their lives as they tried to make their way into the awaiting Lincoln. Handsome sped off with the doors hanging open as his beaten men barely managed to get in the car. Bloodied and battered, Randy and Rocky stood victorious amongst the crowd of fans that had gathered to watch the brawl. It was at that moment that Marc and everyone else realized that Randy Cooper and Rocky Dawson were more than just pretty boys. They had earned their spot.

Marc had teamed with Randy and Rocky that night in Augusta against the McNeely brothers and Johnny Turbo. Hensley usually booked light cards on spot shows. He had to book top stars in the towns to satisfy the fans, but he reserved his main event cards for the Wednesday night shows in Brighton. The match against the McNeely brothers and Turbo was an easy win for Marc, Randy, and Rocky. It allowed them to showcase their talents and have a little fun with the fans. The McNeely brothers and Turbo weren't much of a threat.

Marc knew better than to take his opponents lightly as anything could happen at any time. Randy and Rocky had proven that when Hensley randomly paired them against the Mercenaries. While the McNeely brothers had improved their skills somewhat, they weren't fully committed to traveling the circuits to gain the experience they needed to be credible opponents and contenders. Their main priority was the plumbing and electrical business that they owned together in Macon. Turbo, on the other hand, was a preliminary wrestler whose main goal at the time seemed to be attempting to impress Johnny Handsome. While it usually didn't take much to impress Handsome, he never expressed any interest in Turbo. Turbo needed to reestablish his priorities if he wanted to learn anything in the business.

The match had been an easy night's pay. While Marc would like to think Hensley booked them lightly to give them some rest and make an easy payday, he knew it was just to protect his main events in Brighton. Whatever the case, Marc was just glad he would be able to get home early like he had promised Alexis.

"What's your hurry?" Rocky asked Marc. You got dressed and out of those tights in no time. Hot date tonight, or has your old lady got you on a leash?

Rocky could kid around all he wanted to. Marc had promised Alexis that he'd be home early tonight. Not only did he not want to miss her "surprise", but he also didn't want to go through what he had went through the night before. What he had intended to be only a few beers after the matches turned in to an all-nighter. Alexis was waiting up for him when he staggered in the front door. She let him have it non-stop until he finally passed out from sheer fatigue and the alcohol he had consumed earlier. He considered himself lucky that she wasn't still pissed when he got home from the studio. He sure wasn't expecting a "surprise", but he wasn't about to question her either.

"I didn't get in bed until after 5 this morning. I gotta get some rest," Marc answered.

"You can sleep when you're dead," replied Rocky. Besides, we got the night off tomorrow night. Come on and grab a beer with us. Colleen will be there."

Colleen was a former stripper who followed the wrestlers around from town to town. She was usually accompanied by Charlotte and Constance. Like rock star groupies, they made it to all the shows, hung out backstage, and sacrificed themselves sexually to their idols. Amongst the boys, they were known as ring rats. Charlotte and Constance were usually seen with Randy and Rocky after the shows. Marc wasn't sure if they were exclusive or not. For all he knew, they might swap partners. Hell, they were young. "Let them have their fun," he thought to himself.

While Charlotte and Constance were occupied with Randy and Rocky, Colleen was infatuated with Marc. It was getting increasingly more difficult to turn down her advances. He kept telling her that he was married, but the temptation was hard to resist. Colleen was a vixen. Alcohol only made the temptation stronger.

"Not tonight guys. I got a filly to take care of," Mark said.

"A filly? You and those damn horses. What are you gonna do with a horse that can't wait until tomorrow" Randy asked.

"Run the Kentucky Derby," Marc answered as he walked out of the locker room.