Breakdown 10-19-23 #1
So, a quick and dirty little update for those keeping tabs. Dom is still not working, because the actors are still striking. He's made weekend trips to both LA and New York for protests, along with the rest of the cast and crew of his show, that's barely even off the ground. He's starting to be worried that the project will be killed rather than start up again when things are settled. Some people think it could last ti l past the new year. That would massively suck, for a dozen reasons.
As for me? I've been really enjoying working with Amy's students at BOA. I guess I should say the students, considering they're kinda mine, too? Amy has classes separated into the two rings by skill level. After everyone does warm up drills together, she and Josh are working with those with some experience, while Simon and I are with the beginners. Personally I thought that was backwards, Josh should have been with me with the beginners, considering he previously had his own school and had experience with getting people started. But knowing what I know now about what happened between Amy and Simon (and kinda wish I didn't know, to be honest) I completely understand why she set things up this way. I still wonder why after all of that mess Amy didn't just fire him. Maybe he's too valuable to the students, or maybe he has a contract... I don't know. I don't plan to ask. It's bad enough that she knows I know... I could never actually talk to her about it.
And finally, SCW returned from the post-RTG break. I had a rematch against Deanna Frost for the United States Championship immediately. I went into it with a different strategy than I had at Rise... I even stepped back into some old habits, that's how badly I wanted to win the title back, because I feel she's disrespected it. But... that plan failed. She still has the title and I acted in a way I never wanted to do again for nothing. Needless to say, I am not happy with myself. I decided to turn my attention to Liz and the Tag Division. Just a few days ago, Statera was entered into a Tag Turmoil match, the winner of which would become the next challengers for the Tag Team Championships. We got through two teams – with Liz getting the win for both – before being eliminated. We still have not had one single traditional tag match together. I'm starting to wonder if we are making a mistake.
I'm starting to wonder a lot of things about myself.
{{ Monday, September 18
Gretna, LA
BlackOut Academy }}
In the month or so since Josh Hudson came to work at BOA, we've sort of become friends again. Blame our kids. I've been taking Heath with me almost every day that I'm at the academy, so he can play with the other kids in the daycare. It's a good thing for him to learn to socialize. So, every morning as I'm dropping him off and chatting with April, Josh comes with with his daughter, Jalyn. The babies had taken to each other as soon as they met. They smile as soon as they see the other and play together most of the day. So if they're friends, we kinda have to be, right?
Today I am late getting to the gym, because there was stupid traffic on the river bridge. Accident closed two lanes, blah blah. Typical city morning commute BS. I walk in carrying Heath with one arm, my bag slung over the other shoulder, and go straight to the day care room. April, the morning care worker, gets up from the small table she's sitting at with some toddlers.
“There you are! I was worried you were caught in that accident.”
“Just the traffic, thankfully.” I look around and see Jalyn already here, sitting on a blanket off to the side by herself. She looks less active than usual. “Is she okay?” I nod towards the little girl.
“Seems so, just tired. Her dad said she didn't sleep well.”
“Oh. Poor girl. Well, everyone has bad days, even babies. Should I put him somewhere else, or..?” Heath sees her, and is trying to get me to put him down so he can go to her.
“Nah, let's see what they do.”
I shrug, and set my son on his feet. He's more sure of himself walking now, and he makes a beeline for his friend. She looks up and smiles when she sees him, but it's not as bubbly as I'm used to seeing. Heath plops down next to her. She leans, and ends up laying down, her head close to his leg.
“Aww, maybe she just missed him, since you were late. You're usually here first.”
“Maybe. Speaking of late, I'd better get upstairs. See you later.” I turn to the babies. “Bye-bye! You two behave for Miss April.”
Heath waves at me. Jalyn appears to be asleep, but I see her hand wave slightly.
* * * * *
Upstairs, everyone has started with drills already. Apparently the accident made the news and everyone knew why I was late. The rest of the morning went by as a typical Monday. It's now lunch time, where there is a two hour break. Most of the students have left, and I am putting away kick pads when I hear a phone ring. I know it isn't mine because it's a generic ring tone, but I'm curious who would use one of those shitty ones so I look up. Apparently it's Josh's. Ha. He's still in the ring so I can't hear him, but I definitely notice his expression change. He ends the call and slowly slides the phone back into his pocket. I walk over to the apron and lean on it.
“Hey... is everything okay?”
“I'm not sure. That was April, downstairs. She thinks Jalyn might be sick?”
“Oh no. She did look a little extra tired when I saw her this morning.”
“Yeah, she didn't sleep much. Didn't seem to want to lay by herself. Anyway, April asked me to come down and check on her.”
“Oh okay. I hope she's okay.”
Josh slides out of the ring, landing stood in front of me. “Yeah, me too. Thing is...” He scratches the back of his head. “I have no idea what I'm looking for.”
I keep forgetting the child's mother isn't around. “Has she never been sick before?”
“Yeah, once when she was just a few months old. But her mom took care of her, I... wasn't home at the time. It was before my last SCW match.”
“I see. Well... would you like me to come with you and-”
“Would you? I was going to ask.”
I grin. “Of course.”
* * * * *
As I follow Josh through the day care door, April walks up to him carrying his little girl. She's awake, but listless. She picks her head up when she sees her dad, though.
“Here you go... I think she feels a little clammy, but we don't want to do anything without a parent checking in, giving an okay, that kind of thing.”
Josh takes her, and she leans on his shoulder. “Thanks. I'll, uh... just go sit with her a few minutes and get back to you.” April nods and walks away, back to the other children. Josh turns to me. “What do you think?”
I lean a little closer, and brush her fine hair back away from her forehead. I see what April meant about being clammy, but it's not too bad. “Hey sweet girl. Not feeling well?” She sighs at me. “Let's see here, okay?” I put my hand over her forehead. “She's a little warm. She might have a fever.”
“Really? How bad?”
“I'm not that good. We need a thermometer. Where's her bag?”
“I don't have one in there.”
I stare a moment.”You don't?” He shakes his head. “You should.” I go over to the hook where I hung Heath's bag and dig mine out. Josh looks at it strangely as I come back.
“What the hell kind of thermometer is that?”
“A thermal one. It doesn't have to touch to get a read. Never seen one?” It's a smaller version of the ones doctor's offices use to check temperatures before entry these days.
“Not that small.” I just grin a little, and point it at Jalyn's forehead. A few seconds later, it beeps.
“Hmm. Ninety-nine point nine.”
“Is that bad? For her age, I mean?”
“Uh... how old is she?”
“Just made a year.”
“Okay. So it's not anything to be super worried about. But she should have some baby Tylenol and probably some Pedialyte. Babies dehydrate easily with fevers.” Josh gives me a blank look, and I think I detect a slight bit of panic behind it. “You... don't have any of that, do you?”
“No. Like I said, her mom handled that kind of thing.”
I really want to ask why he can't just call her mom and ask what do to, or why she hasn't better prepared him to take care of their child if she had to leave for... whatever reason it was she left. But it's none of my business, and right now isn't what's important.
“Right. Okay, well I don't have any of that in my bag, so you'll have to pick some up. There's a Walgreens just down the street from here...” That slightly panicked look starts to come back. “Tell you what. I'll come with you, show you what to get, and explain how to give it to her.”
“You don't have to do all of that. Just write down-”
“No. I don't half-ass my help. And I want to make sure you get the right things for her.”
He looks down at Jalyn for a second, then back at me. “Okay. Thank you.”
* * * * *
Thirty minutes and a phone call to Amy to explain later, I park my car next to Josh's at his apartment. I admit it's a little weird being here, but I wanted to make sure the little girl was taken care of, and Josh clearly had no idea what he was doing. I knew he had older kids, adults now, and I wondered if he wasn't around much when they were babies, either. Once inside, Josh takes Jalyn immediately to her bed and lays her down. She seems content to be in her bed.
“Should she have a bath maybe? That helps fevers, right?”
“For adults, yes. But not babies, it'll make it worse. Just make sure she drinks and let her rest.” I show him how to measure the baby Tylenol dose, then give it to her myself, to demonstrate. “Check her temperature again in about two hours. If it stays the same or goes down, good. The next dose would be six hours from now. If it goes up, well... call me. I'll refer you to Heath's doctor. But that's not likely to be necessary. She probably just picked up a cold from the daycare.”
Josh hands her a bottle half filled with the Pedialyte he bought. He'd also bought a thermal thermometer like the one I have. I watch as she takes the bottle from him and drinks some. She seems to like it. Josh shakes his head a little as he looks back up at me.
“You're really calm about all of this.”
“Practice, I guess. Heath hasn't been sick a lot of times, but a few months ago he was very sick for a few weeks with a rare infection.”
“I remember hearing something about that, they mentioned it on TV.”
“Yes, he was in the hospital for a while. Got released right before his birthday. Getting through that makes a little fever seem like nothing. I know its not nothing to you, but... you know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I do. Still, this kind of thing is very far out of my wheelhouse and comfort zone. I appreciate your help.”
“Of course.”
We both look down at the sick girl. She's sleeping, still holding the bottle. I grin at her. Looking back up, I put a finger over my mouth and nod towards the door. We leave the baby's room and Josh closes the door softly. Standing in the living room, I continue the conversation. “I'm happy to help out, anytime. I have a weakness for kids.” I grin. Its true, though.
“I've noticed. And thank you, but I'd hate to keep bothering you.”
“It wouldn't be a bother, I promise. Would I offer if it was?”
“Fair point, but I'd then feel like I owe you-”
“Stop that. We don't keep score here. One day I'll need advice or help with something that's in your area of expertise, and it'll all even out.”
“I feel like all I could offer you is training, but I don't want to sound like I'm suggesting you need it in a insulting way.”
I cross my arms and grin. “So, you're suggesting I need it in a constructive criticism way?”
He smirks back at me. “I'm saying... that if you feel you could benefit from picking my brain, so to speak, the offer stands.”
“Hm. On call baby nurse in trade for on call personal trainer? Sounds like a deal to me.”
“Wait, hold on... I didn't say on call...” He's smirking though, not actually protesting.
“I mean it's not like I'm gonna call you at three AM with a sudden need for leverage theory on an armbar.”
“If you called me at three AM I would hope it wasn't for that.”
We laugh, while in the back of my mind I wonder if that was supposed to be some kind of innuendo, despite the fact that part of our relationship was a long time ago. I'm sure I'm wrong.
“I should get back to the gym. Don't forget to check her temp in a few hours, and make sure she drinks. Text me if you have any questions.”
“Got it. Thank you again.”
“Of course. And in all seriousness... I might just take you up on that training offer.”
Josh just nods in reply. I give a smile and a wave as I walk out.
The truth is, I would love to take the extra training. I've felt off for a few weeks now and maybe I need something different. But I can't help but wonder if it's a good idea to get it from Josh.