C’MON REF ! !
My older brother has always been a fan of wrestling.
He was watching Vince McMahon’s WWF long before it was WWE.
Mean Gene Okerlund and Tony Schiavone were his Saturday night heroes.
World Championship Wrestling and all those guys …?
Uh huh.
That too.
He was even there for the not so big names at our local Civic Center.
Yep.
If it had anything to do with wrestling, Big Brother LOVED it.
He still does.
But, be prepared.
If visiting Brother when pro-wrestling is on tv, bring earplugs.
He is and always has been very, VERY loud and opinionated about this crazy sport he adores.
Back in our growing up days, I despised wrestling.
I hated everything about it.
Everything.
It was horrible, terrible, ugly and awful all wrapped up in an obnoxious, ANNOYING package.
I remember thinking, shouting and repeating quite a few times “I will never, EVER in a million, zillion years EVER like wrestling !”
NEVER.
& then, Husband came along
& he just so happened to love wrestling too.
He liked it more for the soup opera-ish story line and goofy drama of it all.
The characters, the commentary, the noise.
ugh
& still I said, “nope. Nope & NOPE ! ! !”
If Husband chose to watch that phony, baloney silliness, so be it.
I REFUSE.
Enter …
A little boy.
Son was a little unsure of this thing called “professional” wrestling at first
& I can’t say that I blame him.
Watching Uncle watch wrestling was quite an experience for an innocent youngster.
I remember this two year old of mine being a bit overwhelmed by this extremely exuberant man.
But, as if in a trance, he couldn’t help but look
& once Son decided he wasn’t afraid anymore, my world shifted.
It became wrestling.
All wrestling
& soon,
a Little Sister, who loved everything her brother loved, decided she loved wrestling too
& Baby Sister, who followed her sibling’s every cue, jumped right on into their little land of joy
& just like that, the wacky world of wrestling took over my life
Thumb wrestlers.
Action figures.
Rings, belts, microphones.
Must go to events.
Pay Per Views.
Mattress matches in the living room.
Airplane spins, double teaming, submissions, choke holds, body slams …
I’ve experienced them all.
But surprisingly, thankfully no one ever had to be rushed to Emergency because of a much too vigorous move.
I don’t exactly remember when it happened but, somewhere down the line, it happened.
Three little people who loved that sport so very much opened my eyes.
Their glee was my glee
& I finally realized, wrestling really wasn’t so bad after all.
Son, Daughter and Daughter are all off doing their own things now
& our tv never finds it’s way to the MUST NOT MISS ‘Monday Night Raw’ anymore.
But we sure love to reminiscence about those good ol days of Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Mick Foley …
& their still VERY VOCAL Uncle, who started it all.
Every so often, when visiting Son and Family, I hear my long ago words echoed in an adorable new Mama’s voice when she says “I will NEVER, EVER & I mean NEVER …”
& I think…
That’s exactly what I said.
But wait.
Oooooo, just wait.
If those little boys are anything at all like their Great Uncle, their Grandpa, their Daddy, their two Aunties … & yep
their ‘it took me awhile but I love it too’ Gramma …? …
My oh my oh my.
Get ready ! cause here we go again.
🙂
