In this case study we are going to examine how a wonderful partnership can turn into a hate filled disgust for one another. The objectives of this case study are two humans who once held a very cohesive partnership and they were working their way towards being champions in their field of expertise. On one hand you have the kid with the golden smile and razor sharp wit, Curtis Penn  and then you have his rival the man that wears a pink dolphin and has lost a few of his marbles Pete Whealdon.

At one point this was a very aspiring tag team in the professional wrestling. They learned from one another, grew to trust one another, and depended on each other to come through in the clutch. Curtis Penn did his fair share of making the team relevant by introducing the team to the regional champions and growing underneath their skins so that they would want to kill, for the most part, the smaller tag team interlopers.  Pete Whealdon did his part in the ring, during this stint of his career he chose to use his actions more than his words, and normally pulled out the victory for the pair.

For some time the two would blossom as a tag team and take on legends and up and comers alike. They never backed down from a fight, especially if it meant that they would solidify their place as “the” tag team bench mark. Recognition was enough for Curtis Penn, but he would soon find out that Pete Whealdon needed more.

Perhaps Curtis should have recognized the difference in his partner when he started to take the microphone more often or when Pete started to tag himself in when Curtis was about to seal the deal on a victory. Curtis overlooked the eye rolls, the heavy criticism, and even the occasional stare down from his partner. He even made up excuses for Pete when reporters asked him about the dynamic of the team and if it was shaky.  For Curtis it was just a rough spot that every tag team works through, but for Pete Whealdon it was him biding him time until he could make the perfect escape.

For Curtis Penn it was the kick that sounded around the world. His partner, a man he considered a friend, planted his foot right underneath his jaw and ended their reign as champions. Curt laid on his back watching the ref count to three trying to reason with what just happened.  Curtis wanted to justify Pete’s actions and make it all better.

In the end he just could not.

Pete Whealdon had listened to the silver tongued serpent and decided that a singles career is what he needed to pursue and that Curtis Penn was nothing more than dead weight.

While Curtis Penn faded out of Pete Whealdon’s mind, Penn could not believe that the guy he invited into his tag team would turn him out so viciously and leave him to rot in obscurity.

The two went separate routes in wrestling. Pete Whealdon headed down the path of singles competition and did pretty well for himself before joining up with Rich Mahogany. Curtis Penn became a trainer at Mike Sloan’s wrestling academy aptly named “The Stable.” Penn has only returned to the ring a handful of times since the Whealdon incident and partially because it has allowed him a moment to come close to Whealdon and retribution.

At this point in their careers no one is certain that there will be a receipt for Pete’s actions. He’s managed to slip away every time Penn has come close to retribution. But, there is none more certain than Curtis Penn that the time is coming very soon.

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[Setting: Dank Basement Studio.]

[Time: Unknown.]

[Paticipant: Curtis Penn.]

[Emotion: Elated.]

Penn:
How are you going to slither your way out of this one Pete?

[His face is beaming with excitement.]

Penn:
For once the Gods of Wrestling have actually answered my prayers and I get you in the ring! This time I won’t be tossed out of an arena, carted off by police, or blocked from coming into a ring by security. For the first time in years I will actually be able to manage a little bit of payback. And you won’t be able to run!

[There are others in this match as well; Jimmy Kort, Mike Sloan, Rich Mahogany, Niklas Kiri, Lone Wolf, Christopher Barton, and Beef Jackson, but for Curtis Penn it is all about Pete Whealdon.]

Penn:
Since you decided to kick my face in there has only been one thing on my mind… and that is snapping your foot off and shoveling it down your own throat.  Fuck the other people in this match. Fuck your new partner being in the ring with you. Fuck you winning this battle royal. You only need to have one strategy in this match and that would be keeping me away from you.  

[Did I mention that he’s very happy? ]

[He’s grinning ear to ear as the camera fades to black.]

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