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HONORED……………..THE FINALE!
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines respect this way: high or special regard, the quality or state of being esteemed.
As I sat in my chair on the front row, the one marked “Jim Noonan- RESERVED”, emotions started to flood. I was equally grateful, embarrassed and humbled. I was not expecting this, this tribute, or anything like it. Bob had really outdone himself this time.
Just like I was not expecting the World Champ to say farewell to me in his own way 5 weeks earlier in San Jose. His main-eventer was over and he was already in the back as the crowd went nuts screaming his name. On this night he came back out and circled the ring, finding me in the corner. He whispered “go with it” in my ear and rolled me in the ring, made a short speech about me leaving and ended it with “……and I am Pissed!!!” He threw me in the corner, pulled his shorts up his behind and ass-faced me, a la ‘Kishi. I was happy to play along, the 16,000 in attendance singing “NA NA NA NA, HEY HEY HEY, GOODBYE” as we walked off arm-in-arm. I already had great love for Dave, a kind and considerate friend, and I will never forget that respectful gesture that night, even though I had to endure his sweatty ass in my face. A perfect send-off, giant Sports Entertainment Company style. But…………………
I got to the backstage, a few people shook my hand and said goodbye, most of them eager to get out of the building to get to the hotel and some sleep before the cross country trip the next morning. I was, emotionally speaking, at Defcon 2, ready to lose it at any second. I had waged a seven year battle with this job, and it was all over. I was a mess. I would walk off every few minutes, usually back into the empty arena, so nobody would see me wiping away tears, therefore letting them know that deep down I was hurt, feelings bruised, dreading having to be in this position in my life.
That top female executive I mentioned earlier walked by with her belongings, ready to fly on the corporate jet to the East Coast. She stopped, and referring to Dave and I earlier in the ring, said “That was some goodbye, huh!?” I smiled and nodded. Then she fumbled with a small bag and said “Don’t be a stranger!”, and walked away.
WHAT??????
Yep, that was it.
At least it was more than I got from the boss, though. Yes, that boss. Nothing, not a hand shake. NADA. Same from the talent relations guy, the one I answered to on a weekly basis. And the office guy I reported to, he sent word through one of his emissaries, thanking me for being a “professional” and acting like a gentleman, nice job blah blah blah…. No matter how much he personally disliked me, he should have picked up the phone and told me himself, I deserved AT LEAST that. Pathetic.
What does it all mean, though? I will tell you what it all means. It means…………………………nothing. It is empty and meaningless. IT MEANS NOTHING, so there is no use to having feeling about it. Unfortunately, it say more about them than it does about me.
I will tell you about a fantasy I had a day or two earlier. I fantasized that on my last day, out by the limo’s, the boss was gonna hand me a thick envelope, look me in the eye, shake my hand with both of his and say “Thank you, Jimmy Noonan, for protecting my family.” In the envelope was $10,000.00 because he figured I’d need it, having a 2 yr. old daughter in another state. I have always had a rich fantasy life, but this one was particularly rich.
Not a handshake.
“This is a sign of respect” said Bob as I held my face in my hands. “Will all the wrestlers come out now and surround the ring?” He then proceeded to tell the crowd about me, that I was a “special friend”, and that aside from retiring from that very large Worldwide Wrestling Entity after 7 years of protecting pro wrestlers from “fanatics like you”, that I had a memorable role in the movie “Supertroopers”. “We are here to thank him for all he has done.” High regard, indeed. “Jim, would you come up now?”
As I stood in the ring, being honored [Bob would later call this "The Night of Respect"] for my very small contribution to a business that I had mixed emotions about but ultimately respected [yes, I said it, RESPECTED], I did not know what to do or how to react. This was THEIR ring, the 30 some-odd wrestlers standing before me. I was on THEIR turf. But it was still OUR show, I needed to get out of the ring and get to where I belonged. Yes, the ring was theirs, but now I understood that after 7 years the ringside was mine. I needed to be in my spot, kneeling in the corner, head on a swivel, making sure nobody tries to interrupt the show. You can have the ring, the ringside is mine
“Would you like to say something, Jim?” He handed me the mike.
“I’m just the security guy, but thank you.” That is all I could come up with, and with that all the wrestlers came to me, shook my hand and said thank you. “Thank you, have a great show” I replied to each of them. And it was over.
I prayed that night as I drove back to NYC. I prayed for Bob and Steve, the wrestlers from BWO, and for everyone at the giant Sports Entertainment Company. I got to see the world on the boss’s dime. I had a great ride, and I am proud of my work, very proud. I thanked God for the abundance in my life.
Respect. We want it, We need it, We crave it. We all deserve it, it is a bottom line, reasonable expectation. We should all try harder to meet that expectation.
Thank you Bob, Thank you Steve-Off, Thank you BWO for a special night at a time when I needed it. And yes, Thank you Giant Sports Entertainment Company, thank you for everything!
Thank you for reading.
Oh, and by the way, don’t be a stranger!
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