Chapter 20:

One Last Pep Talk

PSW AU: The Amazon's Dream


"Afternoon Simon. Ow are you?" Asked Sanka Williams, owner and CEO of Psycho Style Wrestling.

His voice was deep and lilted. He spoke with a Jamaican accent. Calm, quiet and composed,

Simon straightened and adjusted his tone of voice, eliminating the growls of annoyance and speaking with sincerity,

"Afternoon, Sir. I'm… fine thank you, how are you?"

"Likewise," Williams said, "I been told yuh now taking on an apprentice,"

"Indeed. Though I… must confess…" He gave Gamal a sideways glance, "I wasn't given a favourable alternative,"

"Yuh tink it beneath you?"

Simon paused, looking away as if the man on the phone was in the room with him before saying,

"I… I wouldn't… phrase it… like that… but… yes,"

Williams paused now, for an uncomfortably long time and then he spoke. Loud, deliberate and blunt like he was cutting a promo in his prime,

"Let mi put it tuh yuh straight, Simon. Nuttin is beneath yuh cuz yuh at di battam pan yuh way out like di tail end of digestion!"

Simon's eyes widened and Williams continued,

"Yuh memba wah happen wen yuh try out fi us? Afta Daniel pulled his annual trick in di battle royal an yuh were eliminated?"

"I... refused to leave,"

"Refuse tuh leave? Yuh refuse… tuh leave? Yuh refuse tuh - Yuh climbed back inna dat ring an trow everybody out! Rookies, security, coaches! Neva sey a word. Neva even really hurt anybody. Yuh stand there an command dat ring til di cops come,"

"I... did do that, yes," He said, his mouth forming a small pseudo-smile, placing two fingers on his forehead. Not his proudest moment, but spending the night in jail was... interesting.

"As soon as I see di footage, I seh tuh Gamal: 'Get him back in here! Wi cyaa let him wuk aniweh else',"

(I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not.)

"Yuh si, fi betta or worse, yuh remind mi of miself. I wanted tuh si eff yuh cud back up all a dat bravado wen it matta most, suh mi give yaah a ball an fi a gud while yuh run wid it. Yuh stiff-armed everyone wi put in front of yuh. Yuh get di crowd pan yuh side chanting yuh name, yuh memba that?"

"I do," Simon said softly, "I... think about it often.

"But den yuh stop. Right wen yuh get tuh di end zone. Yuh turn round, guh back di way yuh come an yuh trow dat ball back in mi face,"

Simon looked down, "I... did do that..."

"Di only reason yuh still here dat I understand why an mi believed in mi heart of hearts, an still duh dat yaah generational talent who cya lead dis industry inna di future,"

Simon's eyebrows raised,

"But yuh also an asshole, pretending to be a high school delinquent in orda tuh hide from yuh potential,"

His eyebrows dropped as Williams went on,

"Dis a bizniz, Son. One weh yuh eitha at di top or you’re a wrung pan di ladda. Yuh nuh wa be di face of di brand? Dat's fine but yuh guh help us find a new one,"

"... Yes, Sir,"

"Wi si a lotta potential in dem new recruits especially dat Lee'aja gyal but shi's raw as a shoot. Eff shi nuh get di training shi needs shi'll guh out there, embarrass haarself, an us, or God forbid shi'll kill sum'ady.

"Now mi sure Mrs Gamal ave aready tell yuh dis but mi wa there fi be no confusion. Dat gyal's future an yours are linked. Eff shi nuh mek it, neitha do yuh. Understood?"

Simon sighed, "Understood, Sir,"

"Gud. Don’t let mi down,"

Williams hung up. Simon stood there staring at the phone for a moment before handing it back to Gamal,

"That will be all Mr Thompson," She said, before putting the phone away, sitting down and returning to her work, "Good day to you,"

"And to you... Ma'am," He said as he walked to the door. He stopped with his hand on it, "I would like to reiterate an earlier point,"

She stopped and looked up.

"I don't want anyone whining about my methods,"

Gamal resumed her work, "You do what you need to. All I care about are results,"

Simon hummed, shook his head and left the room.

Gamal's hand started breaking again. She sighed, pulled out her phone and called a number,

"Please send a medic to my office at the Samartino Centre," She said as tears slowly welled up in her eyes, "Right away. Thank you,"

She hung up and continued to work with one hand.