I have traveled the past few weeks in order to experience the things I love, things that I cannot do in my current position normally. My travels are already over, but the experiences I had came back in full force today. I realized that I participated in an alternate reality, and with video evidence to back it up.
To explain myself, I have been a fan of professional wrestling for some time now. It’s awe inspiring to watch the merging of storytelling with live action human participation, and the reality of the story being created in real time. These moments can fluctuate and change based upon the wrestlers and their efforts to tell the story, and determines if one is captivated or if the experience breaks. A novel remains grounded and absolute, but wrestling is not. It changes and flows based on location, the competitors, the atmosphere of the crowd and the style of match that will be taking place. When done well, these live moments surpass everything else. Such is the case with my experiences at a recent wrestling tournament.
I was fortunate that my seat was placed directly by the announcement table. A man resplendent in a shining silver suit would punctuate the matches with reminders of the matches length, and the competitors themselves. I had heard him many times before when watching the televised events I could never go to, and recognized his voice immediately. More impressive still, he didn’t speak English whatsoever. My fortune was not this specific moment, however, but near the end of the event. From the entrance ramp, an image flashed upon a set-up screen, showing two pro’s in the main event. Their faces and names immediately drew the crowd in, and already people were on their feet. It was between a man who had put his body through so much coming back at the request of the other, a young man whose abilities in the ring could make you forget that the reality of these matches are like any story; created before the match even begins. Yet it was this man who would prove that reality sometimes doesn’t match perception.
After the first competitor came out to the crowd, another came out to his entrance. The crowd erupted in cheers, his face hidden by a hood and a championship belt around his waist. He wasn’t just amazing in the ring, he was the champion of the ring. He began his pass through the crowds, small high fives to each one, and I reached out my hand to hope that it could happen to me as well. Travelling so far from home in the hopes to experience what I knew to be a once in a lifetime event and opportunity. It was too costly to go to another show anytime soon. I reached out, and he did something for me that he did not do with the other fans. His hand grasped unto mine, and the moment felt as an eternity. Acutely aware of the fact that with the heat of the building and the moment of exhilaration that his hand was room temperature, almost cold. That he seemed to be building himself up, taking in the crowd, and in some part taking in the energy of this hold. I was so shocked that I had almost no pressure in his hand. After five seconds passed, he quietly released before exploding forward, jumping onto the ring apron and making his presence known to the rest of the building. So profound of an experience that I couldn’t even remember what my reaction was, what my expression was. But that was the moment I knew the night would be special.
Weeks later, I was able to track down the video recording of the event. I wanted to see what was going on through my head, what the experience looked like from the outside. I fast-forwarded my way through the matches until I stopped at the very moment I remembered so vividly. Rather then an electrifying moment, however, I experienced surprise. It was clear that the moment was simply a moment. My back to the camera, he grasped my hand for the briefest of moments before moving on. I had truly experienced in person time standing still, reality crawling forward at a snails pace, when truly I was the one crawling through time. Reality kept going along its merry way, the moment fleeting. I did not get to see my expression. I did, however, see myself pumping my fist in excitement, completely forgotten in time within my own memories, but the physical manifestation of my thoughts I was now able to see.
That night truly was special.
Writing in C Major 