187 aka Spyro aka David Clapp
A Young Boys Dream
Blood covers his face as he crawls to the corner trying to make the tag, but no one is there. There isn’t any help from his partner, not today. Today he is on his own. Exhausted from the match, it is hard for him to control his breathing, and concentrate on what he must do next. Suddenly, Spyro reaches for the bottom rope. He knew he could use the ropes to help get back on his feet. He had done this many times before. Spyro staggers to his feet and slowly turns, ducks a clothesline, then another. He lands a drop-kick to the chest of the man who had taken his blood.
Both wrestlers lay on the mat. The crowd watches eagerly. Who would be the one to get up first? The crowd is unsure. Spyro drags the weight of his own body over to his opponent. Without any thought he places his arm across his opponents’ chest. He is waiting for the three count. The referee begins to count as he slaps his hand onto the matt. “One…two…” but before he can count to three, The Dark Man pushes Spyro up and off of him. The referee stops the count.
Flashbacks of all the years which have passed leading to this day start to flood into Spyros’ mind. He saw himself as a young boy raising a belt he had made out of cardboard and aluminum foil into the air when the referee declared him the winner. He also saw himself in matches that he fought until the end. Win or lose he gave it all. He is not a quitter. He is a veteran in the ring. His heart belongs to the business. No one can take his experiences in the ring away from him. His dreams of growing up to become a professional wrestler is finally coming true. This is his chance for him to fulfill the rest of his dream.
He begins to stand up, stumbles as he fell to the mat once again. His body is in pain from the minutes before. He brushes his hair out of his face, and out of the corner of his eye he catches a glimpse of his opponent climbing to the top rope. Although the pain is almost unbearable, he knew that if he can get his timing just right he can move out of the path of danger. In his mind he knew this, but his body is telling him different. Everyone wonders what he will do next. Their faces are blank. Their eyes fixed. Spyro waits eagerly for the chance to take back control of the match, he closes his eyes. He is motionless. He is finding it hard to catch his breath. His breathing is that of someone who had just finished a ten mile run. His heart is beating hard and so fast that one would have thought that it was going to jump out of his chest. He takes another deep breath.
The single voice of one proud fan begins to cry out, “Get up! Spyro, Get up!” The Dark Man climbs closer to the top rope. Others begin to join in chanting and clapping. The whole crowd is on their feet. You can feel the rumble in the building. Spyro knew he can not let them down. The people in the crowd are the reason Spyro is here. He loves to put on a good show. In his mind he believes that the people came to see him win. For that reason, Spyro does not want anyone to go home disappointed. He must win.
Everyone is watching as Spyro begins to wipe the sweat and blood from his face. Barely opening his eyes he can see a silhouette of his opponent standing on the top turnbuckle. No one cheers as the Dark Man stretches his arms up above his head. The crowd is not impressed. Their cheers turn into boo-s. This man is not their champion. This is not the man that they want to hold the Heavy Weight Championship belt. Spyro is their champion. They continue to show their support. They will not give up on Spyro.
The crowd begins to chant louder, “East Coast, East Coast, East Coast!” Just then Spyros’ adrenaline kicks in, and he knew that it is time. He must do something. It seems like an eternity passes before the man in black begins to jump from the top rope and plunge toward him. While in the air The Dark Man pulls his legs to his chest to perform his high- flying finishing move. With the help from the crowd chanting, clapping their hands, and stomping their feet; Spyro painfully begins to roll over onto his side. He is no longer in the path of this monstrous man. The Dark Man hits the mat with a loud thump. The crowd jumps to their feet. They are very excited. They knew that there is still a chance for Spyro to take the Heavy Weight Title. Spyro staggers to his feet, and wipes his hair out of his face. The taste in his mouth is not his blood anymore; now it is the taste of victory. Spyro starts to run towards the ropes. The momentum of the ropes will help him to gain on his opponent. He lands a high-cross body. He scoops the leg of his opponent and the referee begins to count; “One! Two! Three!!” The bell rings. Spyro is the new Heavy Height Champion.
The referee passes the belt to Spyro. His emotions are running wild. The tears begin to roll down his face. He can’t remember a happier time in his life. He is a champion in more than one way. He accomplished something that most people never get the chance to do. Spyros’ childhood dream is now a reality.
