Breakdown 11-18-21 #2
{{Saturday, November 6
Orlando, FL
Dick's Sporting Goods
}}
The day before Under Attack, Spencer and Amy were booked by SCW to make a promotional appearance at a local Dick's Sporting Goods. Spencer knew that he would be asked to do these kinds of things when he signed his contract, but he had no idea what to really expect. Amy had done her best to tell him how it worked, but all the explanation and preparation in the world can't prepare someone for their very first meet and greet. Not that Spencer hadn't been around fans before, he attended Rise to Greatness FanFest, and had a few people approach him following his exhibition match. But now he was an SCW wrestler, appearing on Breakdown, and with Amy Chastaine as his manager. Spencer wasn't naive enough to believe that everyone standing in line to meet them was there for him. In fact, he assumed that every single one of them was there for Amy, and he was just a bonus.
They were scheduled for two hours, seated a table underneath a pop-up tent on the end of the sporting goods' store parking lot. Both he and Amy have a stack of 8x10s on the table for signing. Spencer could see a lot of people holding their own items to be signed, though.
“This is really one of your favorite things to do?” Spencer asks Amy skeptically.
“Yes, it is. I know it looks daunting at first, like how can you be expected to talk to all of those people? But it really goes by fast, most people are really polite, and sometimes you hear some really good stories.'
“I don't know, man. There's a lot of people here. And I don't think a single one of them is here to see me.”
“You'd be surprised. From what I can tell, you've made a really good impression so far.”
“That's that perception thing, right?” Spencer smirks. Amy raises an eyebrow.
“Yes. Don't think I haven't noticed you've toned yourself down, by the way. I know I probably sounded like a spoil sport, but-”
“I know, I know. It's for the best. You're just doing your job.” Amy gives him a sideways look. “What, can't a guy change his mind?” He had taken Bree Lancaster's advice to heart, and paid a little more attention to things Amy said. Kept his head down on the road, that kind of thing. He didn't want to tell Amy he had asked Bree about her, though.
“Sure.”
Before Amy could say much more, such as the fact she was surprised Spencer had seemingly changed his tune, security pulled the rope back and the first pair of fans walked up, a mother and daughter. The daughter was a teenager, around fourteen or fifteen. Spencer gives them a smile as Amy takes the lead.
“Good morning, we're glad you came! What's your names?”
“I'm Lori, and this is my daughter Shelby.”
The teenager smiles shyly. “Hi...” She looks back and forth between Amy and Spencer. Spencer figures he should say something.
“I'm glad you ladies started this off, gives the day a beautiful start.”
Amy grins, trying not to roll her eyes. The fans though both smile big, Shelby blushing. Amy grabs a picture and starts to sign, and Spencer follows her lead, doing the same with one of his.
“One each, right?”
“Um, sure. Please. Thank you.”
They finish signing and slide the prints over. “Alright, pictures?”
The pair are led around the table by the security guard, and an SCW staff member takes Lori's phone to snap the picture for them, all four in one shot. Shelby though hesitates to walk away.
“Um... sorry, but... could I take one with just you?” She looks up at Spencer. He smiles, genuinely surprised.
“Sure you can, sweetheart.” Spencer gestures for her to come back. The teen stands next to him and he places his arm around her shoulders as the staff lady takes the pic.
“Thank you so much!”
As the pair walk away, Amy leans in to Spencer, speaking in a near whisper. “Just a bit of advice... be very aware of your arm and hand placement... you don't want anyone accusing you of being inappropriate.”
“What, was that wrong? It was her shoulder...”
“No, that was fine. I'm just saying for the record.”
“Got it.” It was something Spencer hadn't considered, and he was glad for Amy's advice this time.
The line of fans continues, and Spencer soon feels more comfortable speaking to people. It turns out that quite a few had been eager to meet him, not just Amy. He even gave a teenage boy some advice about high school and college wrestling. About an hour into the signing, Spencer notices a drop-dead gorgeous woman next in line. Tall, jet black hair, thin but with enough curves to make a man look twice. It was all Spencer could do to pay attention to the man and his two kids in front of them. He's pretty sure that when they get home and look at their picture, they will see Spencer looking off sideways instead of at the camera. Finally, the beautiful woman is next. She's there alone.
“And how are you this morning, sweetheart?”
“Much better now that it's my turn! I'm so happy you guys came here, I never get to come to these.”
“We're glad you made it today. What's your name, sweetie?” Amy has her Sharpie ready to sign a picture.
“It's Natalie.” Both Amy and Spencer scribble on their pictures. As Amy slides hers over, Spencer scribbles something on the back of his print, before sliding it over. The woman hadn't noticed Spencer writing on the back, and doesn't look. “Thank you... um, am I allowed to do separate pictures?” Spencer saw the security guy start to shake his head, but Amy cut him off.
“Of course!” She then gives the guard a look. He nods, and leads the woman around the table, to Amy first. They smile, snap. Spencer then motions for her to stand next to him.
“Are you coming to the show tomorrow night?”
“I am! I really wish you were wrestling, though.”
“So do I. But I hope you have a good time anyway.” They pose and smile, picture taken. Spencer says to her in a low voice, hoping Amy wouldn't hear. “Look at the back of your print.”
Natalie scrunches her face a bit, then does so. Her eyes widen and she looks up in shock. On the back of the picture.... is Spencer's phone number.
“Is this for real?”
“Text or call it later and find out.” Spencer winks.
“Oh my God....” Spencer puts a finger over his mouth, telling her to keep it quiet. She smiles, and nods.
“Thank you so much!”
Natalie walks away. Amy seems to have found something odd about the exchange.
“What was that about?”
“I told her she was the prettiest girl I've seen all day.” Spencer shrugs.
“You're incorrigible.”
Spencer just shrugs, suppressing a smirk as the next group of fans walk up. He really hoped Natalie didn't think he was just messing with her, and actually texted or called.
Another hour passes, and everything goes smoothly. As the last couple walk away and security start tearing down the set up, another guard arrives to lead Amy and Spencer into the back door of the store so they can get ready to leave. As they are walking through the parking lot, a pre-teen boy runs up from behind and stops directly in front of Amy and Spencer, but behind the guard.
“Oh man, I almost missed you, it's so cool you're actually here!”
Amy smiles but before she can speak, Spencer does.
“Actually kid, you did miss it. Sorry.”
He starts to walk away. Amy stares at him, incredulous. The kid frowns.
“But you're right here, I can't get-”
“Disappointment in life is real. Better you learn that now than when you're older.”
The guard finally notices that Spencer and Amy aren't behind him. He turns back, and quickly walks up to the boy. “Sorry son, event is over.”
“Wait, let me.” Amy glares at the guard. He wasn't going to refuse Amy Chastaine. She turns to the boy and reaches out for the DVD he had in his hand. He smiles and hands it to her. Amy pulls a Sharpie from her pocket and signs it for him.
“Thanks! You're the greatest!” The kid then looks at Spencer and glares at him, before running back where he came from. The guard gestures for them to continue following him into the store. As they start walking again, Amy smacks Spencer's shoulder.
“What the fuck was that?!”
“What, I didn't think we were allowed to-”
“It was one kid! And that shit about disappointment? Now that little boy is gonna go home and get on the internet and write a rant about how you were an asshole to him. What did we talk about perception?”
“Like you said... he's one kid. How much damage can he do?” Amy glares harder. “I'm sorry, okay? I thought we weren't supposed to.”
Amy just shakes her head and sighs as they enter the back door of the store. There was nothing else to say if Spencer didn't think he did anything wrong.
Inside they spoke to some of the store workers, took a few more pictures, and signed one each to be framed for the store's wall. As they were leaving, Spencer gets a text from an unsaved number. He opens it.
“Hi... this is Natalie. I got this number from your picture?”
Spencer smiles as he types a reply. Maybe this weekend would be entertaining and exciting even though he wasn't wrestling, after all.
ON CAMERA
Wasn't Under Attack a spectacle? I mean, it was no Rise to Greatness, but what is, am I right? But Under Attack is special in that every year, there's a massive Chamber match. This year we saw a new Adrenaline Champion crowned, and watching backstage, I have to admit I cheered like a fanboy when Jordan Majors was handed that title. She's got some fortitude, let me tell you. But that wasn't the only huge match, far from it. It seemed like every single match on the card had massive ramifications for SCW. Trios finals, almost every title on the line.... It made me more than a little disappointed that I wasn't involved in any way.
But, it's all good. SCW seems to be making up for that this week. Not only am I in an epic six person match, but the winner? Oh man, I can't believe I'm even saying this so soon after I made my debut here, but the winner... gets a chance to become United States Champion.
What an opportunity! Look at the six of us, would you? All new to SCW. Some with a little experience, some just getting our feet wet. Most of us have already faced each other in some way. Back at Apocalypse I battled with Tsunami and Pixie. I met Marie Caedes and G Money in singles matches. The only person in this thing I haven't gotten into the ring with yet is Jaxton Matthews. Most of us have won and lost. But I feel the need to point something out, and I don't want anyone to think I'm being cocky about it, cause I don't mean to be... it's just a fact. Out of the six of us... I'm the only one who hasn't been pinned or submitted. I did technically lose the Apocalypse match, but I wasn't the one who took the fall. I'm only mentioning it because I read some static online talking about what did any of us do to earn a shot at one of the most prestigious championships in the business? I can't speak for the other five, but I'm just assuming I've impressed someone.
Let's talk about the United States Championship for a moment though. That strap has some history. One woman once held it for damn near two years! For the last few years it's been one of the most hotly contested championships in SCW, almost as much as the World Championship. It takes someone at the top of their game, competing on the highest level, to be able to become US Champion. It's almost a representation of the actual United States.
Don't worry, I'm not gonna go all crazy patriotic on you. I just mean that this country is a place where anyone can make something of themselves, if they put the hard work. And don't nobody come at me about privilege and systemic suppression or any of that shit, okay? I understand more about that kind of thing than you realize. But even with all that taken into consideration, hard work and determination can result in anyone making their situation better than the one they grew up in. All you gotta do is push yourself.
That's how I've always seen the US Title. I've watched SCW since I was a kid, I'm not walking in here blind. This championship I could actually have a shot at is the one that always seemed to push people to fight harder, to dig deeper. To pull up out of themselves something they didn't have before. In the hierarchy of SCW's titles, it's second only to the World Championship. Some might consider it a stepping stone or a launching pad, but I think that would be unfair to the championship itself. I see it as a title that, once someone has won it... means they made it. Not trying to diss the other titles at all, every one of them is highly competitive here and would be an honor to hold.... there's just something about the United States Championship though.... I can't put my finger on it, can't really find the words to describe it, you know?
Take a look at our current United States Champion, Christy Matthews. The woman is a legend among us. One of the first women to become World Champion in SCW, back when I was still a skinny kid with attitude and hadn't even thought about doing this for a living yet. She's literally done it all... but that title is important to her. It means something, because every person who held it before her made it mean a little more, and a little more.
Look, I know the same could be said for the World Championship, but I'm just a kid from Texas who's had a handful of matches here, I'm not trying to get ahead of myself. It almost feels like that internet static I read has a point.
What did this bunch of kids do to deserve this?
Maybe we don't deserve it. But that's what I mean about the United States Championship being a lot like the United States. It's something to fight for. An inspiration to be more than you thought you could be, more than a lot of people might think you should be. Maybe not a single one of us has done enough here yet to really deserve a shot at the United States Championship.
But I damn sure plan to go out to that ring on Breakdown and earn it by outwrestling everyone and picking up the victory. A chance to go on to face the legend that is Christy Matthews, for one of the most sought after championships in the world? What could be more epic than that?