One For The Road

It's Sunday evening in West Philly, and sitting on the porch of a rowhouse is Russ Reynolds sitting in a wicker chair, sharing a beer with the older man in his 70s next to him. He is a mountain of a man. He wears a white henley shirt with the sleeves pushed up, showing a myriad of tattoos on his thick forearms. He is anything but fragile. His thick faded copper beard covers most of his scarred face, and his wide smile peeks through showing his slightly crooked teeth, no doubt a result of decades of fighting. His warm green eyes are tired, but nonetheless content. Historians of wrestling may recognize him as "Good Luck" Chuck Dagherty, an Irish immigrant boxer who was spotted by a wrestling promoter by the docks shortly after his arrival in America, and quickly captured the hearts of legion halls, auditoriums, and territories across the country during the Golden Age of wrestling. But for Russ, this is Ol' Coach Chuck, owner of the Lion's Pit Fight Academy.

Russ: Wait, so what'd you say to her husband, then?
Chuck: I said to him, "Listen, I'd never mess around with another man's wife! I was in Oregon last week anyway, do you honestly believe your wife took a bus all the way out to Portland just to see busted up ol' me?" But what he didn't know, was that was the exact case! His wife did take a bus all the way out to Portland just to see busted up ol' me!
Chuck's thick Irish accent resonates down the street as they both laugh heartily. Russ smiles and takes another sip from the beer bottle in his hand.
Russ: Yeah, I don't think I'll be messing with any promoter's wives in WiR.
Chuck: Well if you do, at least call me first, I'll tell you how to actually get away with it, you couldn't cheat a blind fella out of a quarter. Now getting her to marry ya, that's something I'm still not sure how I did...
Russ: You and me both, Chuck.
Chuck: You think I'm kiddin'! Margie's way too good for me!
Russ: You make her happy, I dunno! You don't stick around with someone for 40 years if you hate them, you're gonna have to admit you're a solid guy one of these days.
Chuck: Well, you can't make me. Maybe one day I'll leave her for a nice tender piece o' ass like you!
Chuck bellows with laughter again and playfully slugs Russ in the arm.
Russ: Yeah yeah yeah, don't hurt your hand.
They both take a drink again.
Chuck: So you're leaving tomorrow, is that right? Michigan, isn't it.
Russ: Flight leaves tomorrow, yeah. Dearborn.
Chuck: Dearborn...eight man tag, isn't it?
Russ: That it is.
Chuck: You nervous? Don't tell me you're not, I know y'are.
Russ: I mean sure, I'd be worried if I wasn't at least a bit nervous. Big debut, lots of talent in that ring, not to mention thinking about Academy on top of all of that. I just...I got a lot of people watching me now, y'know? I don't wanna let nobody down.
Chuck: Sure, I get that. Lots of people to impress. But as soon as you get in that ring, you're a firecracker, you know that?
Russ: I'm alright, sure.
Chuck: Alright?! Fuck me, you're amazing!
Russ: Ah, c'mon...

Chuck shifts in his seat and starts to lean towards Russ, punctuating his sentences by pointing his beer bottle at him.
Chuck: You think I'm blowin' smoke, but I'm not! If you were shite, I'd tell you you were shite! You know that! But you're a hell of a talent, Russ! Whenever you get in that ring, something just clicks behind your eyes, I've seen it! You just lock on to whoever you've got, it's like you were meant to be out there. It's first nature for you! You're a natural! You're a literal fuckin' natural, Russ!
Chuck readjusts and gets back into his seat. He realizes his bottle is empty.
Chuck: Ah fuck me, I'm dry. You want another?
Russ: Yeah, I'll take another.

Chuck leans over to the cooler next to him and pulls out two more brown glass bottles of beer and hands one to Russ. They open them.
Russ: I just wanna do right by you guys, y'know? You've done a lot for me, you gave me a lot of opportunities that I couldn't afford, and you...I dunno, you gave me my livelihood, I guess. I wanna live up to that, I just wanna make you and my folks and the kids proud, y'know? I always looked up to you, so, y'know, I wanna show you that you didn't waste your time or nothin' on me.
Chuck: Boy, you've done good. Don't ever doubt that, alright? By me and by the academy, and by your parents, you've done good. And you're not done yet!
Russ: I know. This is just where it starts for me, I got a ton more climbing to do.
Chuck: I envy you, y'know? I really do. You've already taken a hell of a journey, but this...this is where it gets real excitin'. The struggle n' all that. To be 25 and handsome again...
Russ: Handsome again is implying you were handsome to start with.
Chuck: Got me there!
Chuck slaps Russ on the back and keeps his thick hand on Russ's shoulder, and raises the bottle to Russ with the other.
Chuck: I'd wish you luck, boy. But I don't think you need it. So, to the bastards who'll try to stop you!
Russ smiles again.
Russ: To the bastards.
They drink.
Chuck: And do me a favor, will ya?
Russ: Sure, anything.
Chuck: That Chinese lad you called out the other day.
Russ: Chinese...Hwo Rang? He's Korean, Chuck.
Chuck: Sure, do me a favor. Stretch him out good, will ya? I taught you the Lion Trap for a reason, and it's for whelps like him, who don't know a thing about hard workin'.
Russ: You got it, Chuck.
Chuck: And see if you can get me a job in there, I got a few more matches in me, I think.
Russ looks at the 70 year old man skeptically.
Chuck: What?! I do! I'm a well-oiled and lubricated machine, I can still go!
Russ: Whatever you say, champ.
Chuck: Yeah, go tell Margie that, would ya? Margie! Margie, come listen to Russ, he said whatever I said goes! I need a witness, love!