A Lion's Tale
Chapter One
Shut Up, Kid, Or I'll Slap Your Face
The first time I ever watched pro wrestling was with my grandma in
her basement in Winnipeg when I was seven. She was a quiet lady but
whenever the AWA was on TV, she would freak out and start yelling
and screaming. AWA stood for American Wrestling Association and was
one of three major wrestling companies in North America, along with
the WWF (World Wrestling Federation) and NWA (National Wrestling
Alliance).
My grandma's name was Jesse and the wrestler who most drew her ire
was a do-ragged-sporting, Elton John-sunglasses-wearing bad guy
named Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Ventura, who sported a fashionable
jewel in the dimple of his chin, was part of a tag team with the
biker-looking Adrian Adonis. Jesse was a flamboyant loudmouth and I
couldn't get enough of him. My grandma couldn't stand the Body or
his antics.
My family went to my grandparents' house every Saturday night to
watch the Holy Trinity of Childhood Television(tm), which began with
the Bugs Bunny/Roadrunner Hour at five, followe ... read full excerpt from: A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex ebook
