Sometime back I wrote a poem about an Irish wrestler titled "King Danny O'Beam. Since St. Patrick's Day is coming I decided to write a full story about him. As you can tell by from by past few post, St. Patrick's Day is interesting to me.
King Danny O'Beam
By Terry McDermott
Running a small promotion kept Sarah Jane from having a life of her own. After the main event, she would help the road crew disassemble the ring, and then drive several hours into the night. Most of the time one of the wrestlers or an assistant would travel with her. On this certain night she was all alone, and began thinking about her life.
One year after high school her father had died. Instead of selling the promotion, she decided to run it herself. A few years later she married a wrestler named Eddie Smith, who had been World Champion for a week. The two talked of selling the business, settling down, and having a family. Sadly, two years into their marriage Eddie and two other wrestlers were killed in a car wreck.
To escape the pain, Sarah Jane absorbed herself into her work to keep the sorrow out of her thoughts. Yet when driving alone, the pain could not be controlled. "Surely there is more to life," Sarah Jane said as tears traveled down her cheeks. "I guess I should call it a night."
Looking for a cheap motel, an Irish pub caught her eye. "Why not live a little?" she said turning into the parking lot.
Since Sarah Jane didn't drink, she ordered a coffee.. A group who called themselves "The Tennessee Unicorns," were performing "Down by the Sally" Turning her barstool around, one band member caught her eyes. He was in his early fifties, with a muscular build. Maybe an athlete in his younger days.
As the band played her mind drifted into the past.
King Danny O'Beam would enter the arena riding a white stallion, wearing a crown and an emerald robe. The announcer would say," Ladies and Gentleman! The Shamrock of Ireland! King Danny O'Beam!" You could hear "Down by the Sally" in the background. The fans would go crazy.
In time, King Danny got a title shot against the seven foot champ, known as Derek the Red. He had long orange hair, and wore a helmet with horns. The fans hated him with a passion. Sadly the match only lasted a few seconds.
After that night, the fans lost confidence in King Danny. When he would enter the ring, fans would chant "King Danny O'Beam went splat! When the champ knocked him out in three seconds flat!" Soon he faded, and within a year forgotten.
When the band took a break, Sarah Jane approached the old musician. "Excuse me sir. What is your name?" she asked.
"Daniel Bean," he replied.
"I'm Sarah Jane," she said, Tex McDevitt's 's daughter."
By the expression, Daniel was surprised. Yet all he said was "Who?"
"Tex McDevitt's, the wrestling promoter back in the 70's" she said. "Didn't you use to be a wrestler?"
The old musician walked away with his ears red as tomatoes. It seemed his past was painful also. Sarah ran up to up and said, "I'm so sorry! I never meant to embarrass you. Just been thinking about the past."
"That is your problem, sweetheart. You live in the past. For me the past is behind me, I live for today." Tears began to flow down her cheeks. Daniel walked away again. Since her father died, she had always lived in the past. Thinking of all the bad things in life.
"I must forget the past," she said to her herself.
"What's wrong baby?" Looking up she saw a man her age with a head full of red hair, smiling at her.
"Nothing," she replied. "But thanks for asking."
" Care to dance," he said as the band began playing again.
"Sure!"
