Post by kosmos on Jun 4, 2019 17:18:57 GMT -5
His fingers fumbled with the laces at the back of his head as soon as the door clicked closed behind him. Loosening after a stream of Spanish curses, he practically tore the mask from his head.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Ahhhh! Qué chingados?!
Throwing it violently into a faux leather armchair that sat in the corner, he blamed the mask.
Truth be told, he hated the mask. As much as he could hate any object, he hated the mask. He hated it, and all the self-doubt, insecurity and disappointment it had come to represent.
Despite a strong showing in the early moments, he allowed himself to get ahead of himself. All it took was one mistake. The bigger man capitalized on his impatience, he didn’t see it coming. Pequeño Dinosaurio had lost his debut match. He blamed the mask.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I should’ve had him!
Sure, Leon Dread had pinned him. But the mask had beat him. He’d obsessed over it from the moment the match ended. He couldn’t help but to feel like, no. He knew. Leon Dread would have never beat Tiranosaurio Jr.
He took to the air too soon. Elusive, stick and move tactics, those were working. Then the crowd. The crowd!
He heard them! He could remember their cheers! He felt their cheers, his heart raced. The adrenaline rushed through his veins! And then it was all over, and he’d lost.
That was his mistake! He lost focus, he wasn’t trying to win so much as he was trying to impress the crowd.
Glancing around the small room, his one allowed luxury was a private room.
As a true Luchador, his identity was part of the character’s mystique and had to be protected at all costs.
A reasonably comfortable double bed took up a fair portion of the room, a small bathroom with an equally small tub and cramped shower were to the left just inside the door. It was enough and far more than most rookies received. He tried to remain humble, thankful for the opportunity he had been given.
The roar of the T-Rex from Jurassic Park startles him from his daze. Franticly, he fumble through his bag producing his phone. It was his father.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Hello papa. Thank you.
Strangely, the legendary Tiranosaurio was complementary. At first.
He was at his core, a father proud to see his son begin his own journey, even if it had begun with a setback.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I know father, I know. I let my early success go to my head. I jumped in too quickly, head first. I don’t believe I am Pequeño Dinosaurio.
The line went silent for a moment. His father’s voice deepened. The voice he had grown up associating with Tiranosaurio took over. He was disappointed.
For some minutes, he sat on the edge of the hotel room bed like a child being scolded by his father. For that was what he was now.
The legendary, rarely ever defeated Luchador asked him, a rookie with two matches under his belt what turned out to be a very important question. ”Do you think I won my first match boy? Or that I was always Tiranosaurio?”
Pequeño Dinosaurio had never considered that possibility. He sat up, his posture instantly changing as he heard his father’s voice return to captivated him with the tale of a different luchador. El Niño Lagarto.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Thank you papa, I needed to hear that.
El Niño Lagarto, he had never heard his father mention this portion of his career. Perhaps there was hope after all. One day he could still be Tiranosaurio Jr. One day he could still carry on his father’s legacy, make him proud.
Cutting the conversation short, part of being a national legend meant his time often came at a premium.
Apologizing for the poor timing of his business meeting, his father implored him to remember his words. No legend was made over night. He must forge his own path.
Hanging up, Pequeño Dinosaurio started at the glass surface of his phone. He was making up his mind. Should he make the call that now ran through his mind.
He looked at his dark eyes and the wavy hair that would have been the envy of any telenovela leading man and shook his head.
Looking to the corner, the mask seemed to stare back at him. Pulling it on, he wouldn’t call his agent, Pequeño Dinosaurio would.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Siri, call Vanessa Martinez.
Turning on the speaker phone and pulling the mask tight just she answered, the pleasantries were minimal. Vanessa’s father had handled the career of his father and as such, Vanessa would handle his career. He wasn’t the only one trying to live up to high expectations.
Vanessa: Hello?
The moment she answered, his mind fired off with the only thought he had.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Hi Vanessa, I need a favour.
As one of a handful of people to know the young man beneath the mask, Vanessa laughed.
Vanessa: Good to hear from you too. A favour? What kind of favour?
Laughing nervously, he would need to continue to work on self control it seemed.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Sorry, I just got back to the hotel. It’s a big one.
Vanessa: Oh good, I was afraid the only client my overbearing father will pet me handle solo was calling me at the middle of the evening for something trivial. Out with it.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: The kind of favour where you get ahold of management and tell them I want a rematch with Leon Dread at Anarchy 49!
Vanessa: So, you nearly get put through the ring just a few hours ago and you want me to book you against the same guy next event. Speaking strictly as your agent, this probably isn’t a good career move.
Her doubt and sarcasm wasn’t falling on deaf ears. He knew how it sounded. He didn’t care.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Very funny. Look, I know how it sounds. But I know a can beat this guy, I just need another chance. Can you make it happen or not?
Not having heard this sort of assertiveness in her client before, she breaks a cardinal rule her father had given her. Never make promises.
Vanessa: Ok. If getting slammed into next week really means that much to you. I’ll reach out to the front office and see about getting you that rematch. But one condition, you had better win this time. I can’t be seen to do business with a jobber.
Laughing as she finished, there was a nugget of truth to her jest. Her father would pressure her to make something of his most famous client’s son.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I’m going to leave it all out there ’Nessa. Leon Dread got lucky, now i’m going to show him and the whole Riot Star Wrestling locker room that I’m here and I’m going to be a big part of this company’s future. Thanks for this. I won’t forget it.
Vanessa: You better not. Besides, if you pull this off, you’ll owe me one. Get some rest and get to training. The next time we talk it had better be to congratulate you on your first win. Good night L…
Pequeño Dinosaurio: No Vanessa. I’m Pequeño Dinosaurio. At least for now. Thanks again, we’ll be in touch.
Ending the call, he smiles as he adjusts the mask. Walking to the grey tiled bathroom, he stared into the mirror.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: You can do this! Prove to papa you have what it takes to be Tiranosaurio Jr. Prove you have his heart! Prove Leon Dread got lucky.
Slamming his first down, his resolve was renewed. Perhaps he would one day look back at his time as Pequeño Dinosaurio with fondness. Today he was just happy to be able to look himself in the mirror.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Ahhhh! Qué chingados?!
Throwing it violently into a faux leather armchair that sat in the corner, he blamed the mask.
Truth be told, he hated the mask. As much as he could hate any object, he hated the mask. He hated it, and all the self-doubt, insecurity and disappointment it had come to represent.
Despite a strong showing in the early moments, he allowed himself to get ahead of himself. All it took was one mistake. The bigger man capitalized on his impatience, he didn’t see it coming. Pequeño Dinosaurio had lost his debut match. He blamed the mask.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I should’ve had him!
Sure, Leon Dread had pinned him. But the mask had beat him. He’d obsessed over it from the moment the match ended. He couldn’t help but to feel like, no. He knew. Leon Dread would have never beat Tiranosaurio Jr.
He took to the air too soon. Elusive, stick and move tactics, those were working. Then the crowd. The crowd!
He heard them! He could remember their cheers! He felt their cheers, his heart raced. The adrenaline rushed through his veins! And then it was all over, and he’d lost.
That was his mistake! He lost focus, he wasn’t trying to win so much as he was trying to impress the crowd.
Glancing around the small room, his one allowed luxury was a private room.
As a true Luchador, his identity was part of the character’s mystique and had to be protected at all costs.
A reasonably comfortable double bed took up a fair portion of the room, a small bathroom with an equally small tub and cramped shower were to the left just inside the door. It was enough and far more than most rookies received. He tried to remain humble, thankful for the opportunity he had been given.
The roar of the T-Rex from Jurassic Park startles him from his daze. Franticly, he fumble through his bag producing his phone. It was his father.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Hello papa. Thank you.
Strangely, the legendary Tiranosaurio was complementary. At first.
He was at his core, a father proud to see his son begin his own journey, even if it had begun with a setback.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I know father, I know. I let my early success go to my head. I jumped in too quickly, head first. I don’t believe I am Pequeño Dinosaurio.
The line went silent for a moment. His father’s voice deepened. The voice he had grown up associating with Tiranosaurio took over. He was disappointed.
For some minutes, he sat on the edge of the hotel room bed like a child being scolded by his father. For that was what he was now.
The legendary, rarely ever defeated Luchador asked him, a rookie with two matches under his belt what turned out to be a very important question. ”Do you think I won my first match boy? Or that I was always Tiranosaurio?”
Pequeño Dinosaurio had never considered that possibility. He sat up, his posture instantly changing as he heard his father’s voice return to captivated him with the tale of a different luchador. El Niño Lagarto.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Thank you papa, I needed to hear that.
El Niño Lagarto, he had never heard his father mention this portion of his career. Perhaps there was hope after all. One day he could still be Tiranosaurio Jr. One day he could still carry on his father’s legacy, make him proud.
Cutting the conversation short, part of being a national legend meant his time often came at a premium.
Apologizing for the poor timing of his business meeting, his father implored him to remember his words. No legend was made over night. He must forge his own path.
Hanging up, Pequeño Dinosaurio started at the glass surface of his phone. He was making up his mind. Should he make the call that now ran through his mind.
He looked at his dark eyes and the wavy hair that would have been the envy of any telenovela leading man and shook his head.
Looking to the corner, the mask seemed to stare back at him. Pulling it on, he wouldn’t call his agent, Pequeño Dinosaurio would.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Siri, call Vanessa Martinez.
Turning on the speaker phone and pulling the mask tight just she answered, the pleasantries were minimal. Vanessa’s father had handled the career of his father and as such, Vanessa would handle his career. He wasn’t the only one trying to live up to high expectations.
Vanessa: Hello?
The moment she answered, his mind fired off with the only thought he had.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Hi Vanessa, I need a favour.
As one of a handful of people to know the young man beneath the mask, Vanessa laughed.
Vanessa: Good to hear from you too. A favour? What kind of favour?
Laughing nervously, he would need to continue to work on self control it seemed.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Sorry, I just got back to the hotel. It’s a big one.
Vanessa: Oh good, I was afraid the only client my overbearing father will pet me handle solo was calling me at the middle of the evening for something trivial. Out with it.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: The kind of favour where you get ahold of management and tell them I want a rematch with Leon Dread at Anarchy 49!
Vanessa: So, you nearly get put through the ring just a few hours ago and you want me to book you against the same guy next event. Speaking strictly as your agent, this probably isn’t a good career move.
Her doubt and sarcasm wasn’t falling on deaf ears. He knew how it sounded. He didn’t care.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: Very funny. Look, I know how it sounds. But I know a can beat this guy, I just need another chance. Can you make it happen or not?
Not having heard this sort of assertiveness in her client before, she breaks a cardinal rule her father had given her. Never make promises.
Vanessa: Ok. If getting slammed into next week really means that much to you. I’ll reach out to the front office and see about getting you that rematch. But one condition, you had better win this time. I can’t be seen to do business with a jobber.
Laughing as she finished, there was a nugget of truth to her jest. Her father would pressure her to make something of his most famous client’s son.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: I’m going to leave it all out there ’Nessa. Leon Dread got lucky, now i’m going to show him and the whole Riot Star Wrestling locker room that I’m here and I’m going to be a big part of this company’s future. Thanks for this. I won’t forget it.
Vanessa: You better not. Besides, if you pull this off, you’ll owe me one. Get some rest and get to training. The next time we talk it had better be to congratulate you on your first win. Good night L…
Pequeño Dinosaurio: No Vanessa. I’m Pequeño Dinosaurio. At least for now. Thanks again, we’ll be in touch.
Ending the call, he smiles as he adjusts the mask. Walking to the grey tiled bathroom, he stared into the mirror.
Pequeño Dinosaurio: You can do this! Prove to papa you have what it takes to be Tiranosaurio Jr. Prove you have his heart! Prove Leon Dread got lucky.
Slamming his first down, his resolve was renewed. Perhaps he would one day look back at his time as Pequeño Dinosaurio with fondness. Today he was just happy to be able to look himself in the mirror.
