David Shreve

Zam Zero Part 1
By
David Shreve

Zam Zero always wanted to be larger than life. People noticed that about him. So they weren’t at all surprised the day he told his family he was going to be a professional wrestler. His father and mother weren’t exactly thrilled with the idea. But they saw that Zam’s mind was made up, so they let him go get trained. And train he did.

A local dojo for the sport had recently opened up and they accepted his application on the spot. If you can call filling out a form and paying fifty bucks an application process. Zam’s family was embarrassed by the whole thing. They claimed that Zam was obsessed and crazy. But if you want to know the truth, they were just jealous of Zam’s many talents. Still Zam didn’t hold that against them, as he always tried to think the best of people. That’s just the type of person Zam was. His teachers in school called him an old soul who was wise beyond his years. But really Zam knew he was just a dude with average intelligence that applied himself to achieve success. This was especially true when it came to the entertainment industry. For Zam had been in many plays in high school and even a few local professional productions. But his heart was always in pro wrestling.

Zam never forgot the day he discovered the sport. It was in middle school. A hard time in any kid’s life, and so it was for Zam. For some reason, his parents wanted him to play football. But football was boring to Zam. And he just didn’t click in it. But he loved acting however his family wouldn’t help him pursue it professionally. So in the end Zam gave up on both. However during this time of upheaval at home and school, flipping the channels on television something caught the young man’s eye, wrestling.

On the television was a man named “Iceman” Steve Williams giving his boss a hard time for not letting him compete in the Super Wrestling Federation. After being told repeatedly that he wasn’t medically cleared to wrestle because of his injured back. Iceman beat the ever-living crap out of his boss. Finally a sport that Zam could understand.

And through wrestling Zam started making friends with other people his age. All he had to do was convince his father to buy the monthly pay per view and he had an instant ticket to not being isolated and alone. Although some people used that fact against Zam. But Zam didn’t care. He just wanted some friends and acquaintances to feel normal for a minute. Just like everyone else does.

But we were talking about Zam getting trained as a wrestler. On the first day of training Zam showed up to the gym with a few other hopefuls. And they all got put through drills. Drills designed to make the body give out and to make a person puke. This would have been a problem if Zam hadn’t been wise enough to know that eventually this smoking would end and they would be taught for real. You see wrestling is a fixed sport. The matches that wrestlers engage in are predetermined and although the moves are really hard on the body, it is all acting. Zam knew this for years and still he chose to pursue it. And this hazing by the instructors at Zam’s new school would end eventually. It was a way the business was protected so that only the toughest would make it. That made Zam enjoy the smoking all the more because it was a tradition that every wrestler had to face. Zam saw it as paying his dues and earning his right to be trained to the highest level.

So the instructors trained all the new recruits tell they could do no more and everyone had puked and pissed or shit their pants. Then they told them to come back the next day for an even more strenuous work out to prepare them for life in the business. So the students all left. Then the next day only one student showed up. It was Zam.

“I smell money.” The main instructor named Lee said. This made Zam smile. Finally someone noticed that Zam might have a future or at least noticed something positive. If you must know the truth Lee knew the second that Zam walked into his dojo, called Four Star School of Hard Knocks, that if Zam applied himself and took the hits and absorbed all the knowledge Lee was prepared to give him that Zam would have a bright future. A bright future indeed. So Lee began teaching Zam the basics.

A few days of training later, Zam began asking his instructor what he thought his gimmick or character would be in the ring.

“Well you’re a veteran,” Lee said. “So I say lean into that. Use it.”

“But people always hate that type of all American gimmick.” Zam complained.

“So, lean into it.” Lee explained. “Let them make you into a bad guy.”

“So you’re saying I should be a heel.” Zam thought for a minute, “You know I guess I do automatically seem to rub people the wrong way.”

“Yep, most people get one look at you and hate you.” Lee said. “I even hated you at first before I got to know you. Now I know you’re a good person. But in this business, you have to live with first impressions. And I am telling you people automatically hate you. That’s just the way it is. So use it. You’ll never be a good guy so don’t bother even trying. Just make money letting the good guy beat you and you’ll be fine.”

“Okay Lee.” Zam thanked Lee, “Thanks for being straight with me. I’ll learn everything I can from you and try my best.”

“Anytime Zam. I see potential, but only if you play heel.” Lee said.

And just like that Zam understood his life in a different way. That most people for whatever reason hated Zam. He could either accept it and make a few bucks off it or spend the rest of his life trying to please people that simply despised him for no logical reason.