Do you know who Eddie Guerrero is? He was a WWE wrestler who didn't quite have the "look" or build of a champion, but still could make people smile, boo, or simply drop their jaws in awe within a match. Simply speaking, he was one of the very few guys who made wrestling more than two guys in tights beating each other up in a scripted storyline. His fairy tale first title win in February 2004, which I watched with my very own eyes, still stands out as one of the most memorable matches in my memory. And the saddest thing is this - he passed away this morning at the all-too-young age of 38, probably an effect of his past addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs, just hours before he was likely to have won the WWE Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
Though I've lost a favourite wrestler, my heart goes out to his wife and three daughters who've lost a husband and father they love many more times than I do. How much Mr. Guerrero reminds me that even the kindest souls and toughest bodies are as mortal as can be. To the man who lied, cheated, and stole like no one else: Thank you for stealing my heart.
"So you wish you were forever young too." May giggled.
"No," Jean shook her head. "I just wish I could be carefree like this forever."
"Wouldn't that be nice."
Jean got up and stretched. She plucked a yellowed leaf off a branch and danced with it like it was some sort of prop. May couldn't help noticing how seemingly joyful the girl was, unlike the reserved self she usually was in class.
"Jean, how long have you been coming here?"
"I don't know," she shrugged playfully. "Ever since I felt unhappy being in school, I guess."
"Why were you unhappy?"
"Why else? Saras and her friends, of course."
"They picked on you?"
"Like there was no tomorrow. There was this once they forced me to erect this weird altar for them at the school field and worship at it twice a day, otherwise they would cast a spell on me."
May burst out laughing. "And you actually did it?"
"Hey, it's no laughing matter. I was really afraid of them and their witchcraft."
"Poor girl," May put an arm around her shoulder. "Don't you worry. I'm sure they're just babies who get bossed around a lot at home."
"You have no idea how terrifying it was, always having them look my way and mutter something. I almost expected creepy crawlies to come up my throat every time."
"Nah, that'll never happen. They're just making these stuff up to spook you out."
"No, you've really got to believe me," Jean's gaze grew intense. "I've seen stuff - blinking lights, moving furniture, talking dolls - it's enough to make you believe."
May was about to ask "Like what?" when she realised where Jean's overactive imagination was taking them. "Okay, let's drop the subject. Wonderful times like these shouldn't be spent talking about stuff like that."
Jean nodded in agreement. "Game for a round of checkers?"
No comments:
Post a Comment