World Of Wrestling 19
(Aftermath)

2010

Gary: “And after that fateful night,
Joshua Slayter shut down.
He never got his coaching job,
And he’d never see Ann in a white gown.
His parents tried over a year
To reach him where he was,
To get his back on track and recovered,
But they realized it was a lost cause.
In a very tough, but loving way,
They pushed him out of the nest,
Because he’d never be as strong as he could,
If he wasn’t pushed to be the best.

Joshua was angry, and he found his sport.
It was something to help him cope.
Soon his anger turned to excitement.
Wrestling gave him hope.
But when athletic ladies beckoned him,
To know them that much more,
He ran and hid because of loyalty,
To the one who’s still at his core.

I hope that you can reach him, Jess.
He respects the world out of you.
Please don’t give up on him.
Stick to him like glue.
He needs a friend as loyal as Ann,
And as patient as God above.
And I see it in your eyes, and I hope it too,
Maybe he’ll again learn to love.”

—

After the talk with Gary Horner,
Jessica headed back to town.
She had no clue where Joshua was staying,
So she asked around.
She wasn’t surprised to find he was,
Parked out in his van,
In the arena parking lot,
Where any wrestlers can.
But most who stayed in the lot,
Had a big tour bus in which to sleep.
And so in order to not wake the others,
To his van she creeped.

She knocked on his back door,
And Joshua opened up.
He groggily stepped out and sat on the tailgate,
Holding a Superman cup.
She smiled at the symbol,
That she usually wore on her chest,
That she’d spent too much time to license.
That inspired her to be her best.

She had been scared to talk to Joshua before that,
To confront him about his past.
But once she saw that simple symbol,
She knew that she’d outlast-
Any discomfort that she felt now,
It was time to let him know,
All the feelings she had for him,
And to him, compassion show.

← Previous Poem

Next Poem →