Felker

Felker I felt her 'cause the words you sang to me Drunk and dark doorway lights and Oklahoma trees --Zach Bryan- “Felker”

Wednesday December 11th- Joe Bergman’s Barn – Plattin, Missouri Adam pushed open the door and immediately could sense the walls of Bergman's Barn vibrating with tension. Adam's eyes darted around the bustling gym, taking in every detail he had missed during his long time away from training.

There's a plain black and white banner for Missouri Valley Wrestling hanging up on the wall on the other side of the barn. Sprinkled in are various photos from Joe’s wrestling career from the early days at PCW (as Halitosis) to his two-year run at MVW (as Halitosis) and his HOW career (as Halitosis and then Joe Bergman) adorning the white walls of the barn.

Adam looked at the series of framed photos decorating the wall.

Picture one: Referee Matt Boettcher handing Halitosis the HOW World Title belt after defeating Brian Hollywood in 2019.

Picture two: Halitosis taking the microphone from former HOW ring announcer Zack Taylor the night he defeated John Sektor to win the HOW World Title belt for a second time in 2019.

Picture three: Halitosis and Rah presented with the title belts after winning the MVW Tag Team Title in 2017 with Dawn McGill as their manager.

Picture four: Halitosis and Rah with valet Regina McGill after winning the MVW Tag Team Title in 2019.

Picture five: Joe Bergman defending the HOTv Tag Title with Steve Harrison at HOW’s Dead or Alive PPV in 2022

Picture six: Joe Bergman defeating GREAT SCOTT to win the HOTv Title in March 2023

Picture seven: Joe Bergman after his final match ever at the PWA-2 show in June 2023.

Picture eight: Joe and Ray McAvay right after Joe and Laura Bergman acquire a minority interest in Missouri Valley Wrestling in 2023.

Adam’s gaze returned to the chaotic atmosphere inside the Barn, a flash of blonde caught his eye. Sunny O'Callahan, her frizzy hair bouncing with each determined stride she took. As she approached him, Adam couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. She was his manager, his anchor in this world of chaos and competition. With her by his side, he knew he could face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Sunny," he called out, his voice carrying a hint of relief.

She turned, a smile breaking across her face. "Hey, Adam."

His gaze settled on Joe Bergman, a force of nature as he worked out in the ring with a relentless ferocity.

“Sunny, what’s going on?

“What do you mean?”

“Why is Joe training in the ring?”

Sunny glanced over at Joe as he ran the ropes with the verve of someone ten years younger than him.  “Oh.  Brian Hollywood AND Scott Stevens attacked Ray McAvay Sunday night.  And then Monday night, Joe Bergman got attacked by Hollywood.  So, Joe’s gonna wrestle at the final HOW show against Stevens and Hollywood.”

Even from a distance, Adam could see the way Joe channeled his anger into his workout, fueled by what had happened to Ray McAvay at the MVW house show and to Joe at High Octane Wrestling’s Chaos 80.

“Joe’s pissed,” Adam astutely observed.

“No, he’s furious.  Especially at Stevens.  The asshole does this after Ray let him have a title shot against the SEC after they broke Ricky Stevens’ arm.  Scott’s going to pay a steep price for this.  I had the pleasure of telling him in front of the Best Arena crowd that his MVW title shot was taken away from him and he’s been dumped at the bottom of the MVW totem pole.  He’s going to have to work his way back up.”

Adam’s eyes surveyed the Barn.  It was not just Bergman who wore a mask of fury in that moment. Every wrestler in the barn… men and women… established wrestlers and ones looking to impress Bergman or McAvay to get their chance… for some reason seemed to radiate intensity, their muscles bulging as they pushed themselves to their limits. It was a sacred space, a haven for preparation and redemption, and given his recent absence, Adam felt like an intruder in their midst.

Adam ran a hand through his hair, suddenly self-conscious. "Got a minute?"

“Yeah. What’s up?”

“I, uh... I need to talk to you.”

Sunny's eyes narrowed slightly, her manager's instincts kicking in. "Sure thing, Adam. Joe's office is free. Let's head on over there."

With each step, Adam's mind remained focused and unwavering. He could feel his heart beating steadily in his chest as he confidently strode through the gym, ignoring the distractions around him. He had rehearsed this conversation countless times before and was now ready to finally put his plan into action.

As they arrived at their destination, Adam walked through the heavy door and shut out the noise of the gym behind them. The office was a peaceful haven compared to the chaotic gym floor, with its serene atmosphere and organized layout. Sunny sat calmly at Joe’s desk, her piercing gaze only serving to fuel Adam's determination as he stood resolute and composed in front of her.

"Alright, spill it. What's going on?"

Adam took a deep breath. "I read what Coral Avalon said the other night. About me, I mean."

Sunny's expression remained neutral, but Adam could see the slight tightening around her eyes.

“Yes… and?”

He plowed on.

"And… he's right, Sunny. Everything he said... he’s right.  I can't argue with it.”

“In what way?”

“I’ve existed on the roster for two years now but I haven’t made any headway.”

“That’s not totally true,” Sunny interjected. “You’ve had some good moments.  You’ve had some not-so-good moments.”

“I’ve had one title shot in the two-plus years I’ve been in PRIME.”

“When you took Cecilworth Farthington to the limit a couple years ago, you showed what you could do. Adam, everyone knows the potential is there… that’s why Lindsay Troy brought you to PRIME in the first place.  She knows there’s something there.  It’s just a matter of doing the hard work, application to graft, and… most importantly… getting out of your own damn way.”

“I didn’t care for some of the shots he took at you.”

Sunny smiled. “Honey, I wouldn’t worry about that.  I probably deserved some of them.”

“I know you've been catching some hell for sticking up for me. I never meant for that to happen."

Sunny's voice was uncharacteristically soft when she replied. "Adam, I’m your advocate and that's what advocates do. When this shitstorm hit, I knew I needed to deflect the attention away from you as much as I could and give you time to sort yourself out. I took the hit so you could focus on what matters- getting your head screwed on straight so you can get back inside that ring."

Adam shook his head, frustration building. "But it's not fair to you. I screwed up, big time, and you're catching the heat."

Sunny hopped off the desk, closing the distance between them. "Adam. I will say that had I known about the whole Vickie Hall thing before I agreed to manage you, I might have reconsidered the whole deal. That being said… I’m here… I didn’t walk away from you when you dropped that bombshell on me.  Look, I didn't get into this business to make friends or win popularity contests. I saw something in you- raw talent, sure, but also a good heart. You needed direction… and I thought I could help you with that. Regardless of what happened, I think that's worth fighting for and I will never apologize for doing that."

Her words hit Adam like a jolt to the chest. He blinked rapidly, fighting back the sudden sting in his eyes.

"You didn’t have to do that.”

Sunny's laugh was sharp and unexpected. "You’ve already paid your price, kid. We all make mistakes. It's what you learn and what you do after that counts."

Adam took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say.

"There's something else, Sunny," he said, his voice low and measured.

“What.”

"I've decided to give up drinking for a while."

Sunny's eyebrows shot up.  "Good. What brought this on?"

Adam's eyes tracked the movement, a rueful smile playing on his lips. "I realized I've been using it as a crutch. When things went south at a PRIME show, I'd park myself at the bar and bury myself in a beer bottle instead of facing my problems head-on.  That’s what got me into this mess in the first place."

He ran a hand through his hair, his mind drifting to the countless nights he'd spent listening to country music, finding solace in the raw honesty of the lyrics.

"You ever heard of Evan Felker?" he asked.

“Who?”

“Evan Felker.”

When Sunny shook her head, he continued, "He's the lead singer of the Turnpike Troubadours. Guy grew up in Wright City, Oklahoma – not too different from where I'm from. He and his band went from playing small-town gigs to selling out arenas."

Sunny nodded, her eyes never leaving Adam's face. “Small town kid suddenly thrust into a big stage. That’s a hell of a transition for a young man to have to deal with.  You definitely should relate to that.”

Adam's voice took on a wistful quality as he spoke. "He also had a major drinking problem and it nearly cost him everything." He could see the gears turning in her head, connecting the dots between Felker's story and his own. "Felker was married too," Adam continued. "He... he had an affair with Miranda Lambert and blew up his marriage. His drinking was damaging his career – everything was going wrong."

The parallels weren't lost on either of them.

“So what did he do?” asked Sunny.

"The Turnpike Troubadours stopped touring and Felker was going to quit music for good,” he said, leaning forward. “Once he was off the road, the drinking continued and he eventually realized he had a problem. It took him some time to understand that alcohol was the root cause of his issues, but he eventually got sober. He didn’t take any shortcuts; instead, he committed to a 90-day program and completed it.”

Adam stood up, pacing the small office. "I realized I've been just as self-destructive. Maybe not to that extreme.”

“You drove a car into a reservoir.”

“I know… I know I need to make some drastic changes."

“You need to grow up.”

He turned to face Sunny. "Yes, ma’am.”

“And Ginny? Have you accepted that there's a chance it might be too late for you and her?”

“Yes.  But I want to give it a try. I have to give it a try.”

“And if she can forgive you but she can’t forget what happened?”

“Well, then I'll just have to accept that and move on."

Sunny stood up, placing a comforting hand on Adam's shoulder. "All right, then.  One day at a time, kid. That's all any of us can do.”

“I know.”

“Okay, Adam… your wrestling career.  What's your next move? What do you want to do?"

Adam took a deep breath, his broad shoulders rising and falling. "I want to give PRIME one more shot," he said, his voice low but steady. "But this time, with guardrails in place."

Sunny arched an eyebrow. "Go on."

“I want to tag with Bryan Dawkins."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Sunny's lips.

Adam nodded emphatically. "He's been there for me through thick and thin. I owe him so much. Together, I think we could really go after those tag team titles."

Sunny leaned back against Joe's desk, her frizzy blonde hair catching the light. "Well, your singles record isn't that terrible. Nine and eleven, right?"

"Yeah," Adam replied, a hint of sheepishness in his voice. "Not great, but..."

"But not the worst," Sunny finished. She drummed her fingers on the desk, her eyes distant as she considered the possibilities. "I’m sure Dawkins will go for it."

"I also want to stay in MVW," Adam continued.  "I love wrestling here, Sunny.”

“That’s doable.”

Adam's face lit up, hope flickering in his eyes. But before he could speak, Sunny held up a hand.

"But I do have conditions, Adam," she said, her tone brooking no argument.

“I’m listening.”

"That’s the first one… you will listen to me without exception... no ifs, ands, or buts. Had you listened to me in the first place and talked to Ginny about what happened with Vickie Hall before you were forced to make a public confession on national TV… maybe… just maybe… you could have prevented SOME of this drama from taking place.”

Adam nodded in agreement.

“Two. When you're training, I want your focus one hundred percent on wrestling. No more silly distractions... got it?"

"Got it."

“Three, in the event Ginny and you do reconcile… she stays home. Period.  Not that she’s a loose cannon or anything but… yeah, she’s a loose cannon.”

“Agreed.”

"And lastly," Sunny continued, her voice hardening slightly, "you're going to personally pay for that rental car you drove into the reservoir."

Adam's brow furrowed. "But Sunny, I tried to set something up with the rental company. They said the bill had already been paid."

Sunny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "What?  Insurance paid for it?"

"It wasn't insurance," Adam clarified quickly. "They said it was an intentional act, so..."

Sunny's piercing gaze bore into him. Adam felt his palms begin to sweat.

"I swear, Sunny," he said, holding up his hands. "I have no idea who paid for it. I just know I called to make arrangements and they told me it’s been paid."

Sunny shakes her head.

“All right then.  Are we agreed on all counts?”

“Yes.”

She points to the door.

“Let’s get to work then.”

***

Later in the morning, the clang of metal-on-metal echoes through Bergman's Barn as Adam Ellis settles onto the weight bench. Sweat already beads on his forehead, his t-shirt clinging to his broad shoulders. He takes a deep breath, steeling himself for the workout ahead.

Sunny O'Callahan leans against a nearby pillar, her blonde curls wild as ever. She watches Adam with a mix of pride and concern in her eyes.

"Alright, big guy. Let's see what you've got," Sunny said, her voice carrying that hint of an Irish lilt.

Adam gripped the bar, his muscles tensing. As he begins his set, the opening chords of "Every Girl" by Turnpike Troubadours filled the air.

With each rep, Adam's mind wandered. He thought about Ginny, about his daughter Abbigail... about the mistakes he's made and the long road ahead.

"Keep that form tight," Sunny called out, her eyes never leaving Adam's technique while she holds a cell phone to her ear, sitting on hold.

Adam grunted in acknowledgment, pushing through the burn in his arms.

“Well she was born in the morning late October San Antone* Aw she's every girl I've ever known…”

Someone picked up the line and Sunny began to talk, “Yes… my name is Sunny O’Callahan and I’m calling about the rental car I took out in Reno back in October…”

“Well she was born in the morning late October San Antone Aw she's every girl I've ever known…”

“Right.  I know it’s been paid for in full. I was just curious if you could tell me who paid it?”

“She don't talk about religion she talks about the Stones Oh she's every girl I've ever known…”

“Oh?” Sunny’s eyes widened in surprise.  “I see. Okay.  Thanks for the info.”  Sunny ended the call and glanced at Adam as he pushed the weights with everything he’s got.

“Interesting.  Very interesting.”

“And her tongue is like the Devil when she tries to concentrate She says she don't want marriage but she still believes in fate…”

Sunny swung her hips to the music blaring through the Barn and smiled as she walked back toward where Adam worked out.

“And she stands her ground too defiantly but cries when she's alone Oh she's every girl I've ever known…”