“All I am asking for is an opportunity.”

Brian Spaes spoke across his coffee cup towards James Boyd. Moonside Diner, DUMBO, Brooklyn, New York. The LEGION captain talked to the LEGION board member, ACW co-founder and friend. Over the past year, while Brian re-established his wrestling. Boyd among others stood behind him as he cleaned up his act and took care of the ring rust. In this undertaking, Brian thrived. 2nd in the LEGION ranking Battle Royale. Captain of the Minutemen.

Brian Spaes was back.

Only inside LEGION sadly. Outside of the scene-based company, Brian struggled. His own students didn’t even trust him in the ring, allowing him only to make non-wrestling appearances in the group he started, High Noon.

So Brian worked his job in urban construction, and wrestled for LEGION when time permitted. He would crazy coffee with James Boyd at the Moonside Diner... but today, today was different.

“Brian, I understand. You haven’t started any trouble here and you passed all your drug tests.”

Did I forget to mention that Brian Spaes was a recovering meth addict, who was greatly spurned by the wrestling community due to smoking up and falling out. A man who destroyed a marriage, who's self-destruction had caused his three children twice weekly psychologist appointments. The former “Impulse” Brian James looked onwards at James Boyd, an ACW shareholder like many others sure, but also a very inevitably one of the most trusted voices within the company. Since Boyd and Russel David, the former editor of The Mark, took Spaes into their group the two had become each others sounding boards.

“I know you have hiring ability. Those two Quebeckers know how to run events, but it is probably you and HAWK making the decisions. And you know I have a mind for this business and would be an asset in the locker room. All I’d need would be the voucher understanding my arrests.”

DUI, March 07. Blew a .24 and had a gram of rock an a pipe on him. The beginning of Brian’s divorce and end of the Flying S. Ranch.

James was taken aback by Brian’s upfront attitude. In the past, Brian was known as an accommodating, aloof figure. Hence is why wrestling-first workers like Jeff Garvin and Jon Crisp kept him around when he was younger: he was easy to get along with and often his antics were pretty funny. This newer serious side of Brian Spaes came out with his sobriety. Nearly 24 months.

“Never took you for a detective Brian. Well here is the deal: Part of me coming aboard ACW was as a talent agent. A scout. I don't want to do much else, with the day to day. Especially since the season format of LEGION exists, we naturally have a few guys who don’t wrestle that much in the offseason. I got authorization to bring in some of you. Rejection is one, I’ll add you onto the list as a second.”

Brian developed a thin smile.

“All I want is an opportunity. I’ve been mostly blackballed from locker rooms—“

“—For good reason. Trying to steal someone’s wallet so you can get a fix would do that. But you’ve been clean since I’ve known you.”

“Will I get a fair shake? I don’t want to come in and just be forgotten. I want them to see what has happened, and how I’m a tougher son of a bitch than before.”

Boyd shook his head and laughed some. Drinking his coffee, two milk two sugar, he locked eyes with the ace of LEGION.

“I’ve got your back until you don’t need it, or until you make an idiot of me.”

Rifling his fingers across his short cut hair, Spaes shrugged and grinned. His coffee, black, sat in front of him... half full.

“Well I am a rambling redneck, we’ll see how long it’ll be before you drop me.”