Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.


Seems like an accurate definition, right? It's a concept that I am well aware of cause I'm not a crazy person, therefore I don't operate on an endless reoccurring loop anticipating another outcome without any alteration on my end and yet, I'm guilty of repeating the same damn mistake. Time and time, again. I still haven't learned my lesson and corrected the error to the equation. Sure. I understand the problem, I know how to fix it too. Never take the kid with me, when I run errands. The kid of course being, Lila's son, Grey. That doesn't mean I don't wind up committing the same blunder though. Without fail.


Don't get me wrong, Grey is not a bad kid, he just can't help himself. He's a werewolf/alien/human hybrid and the werewolf part can often get the best of him. Prompting him to run off and then I'll have to find him. I used to track down targets and now I use my grand skill set in order to locate Grey. So far all he does is manage to wander off due to something that caught his attention; either by sight or smell, or he has an overwhelming urge to climb, scale up a large object and perch himself on top of it but I never know when things might escalate. When I might find him attackin' a creature... or worse a person.


Wolves hunt, it's in their nature, when is that going to start? On top of that, there's always the chance that someone might attempt to abduct him and then, he attacks them out of instinct because an internal defense mechanism kicks in. Then what do I do and how do I know the difference between creeper and poor hapless victim? Especially if I only catch Grey doing the assaulting? Do I always assume the worst? When do I know the difference between offence and defence? What am I supposed to do in those circumstances when it's the former? Grab the kid and apologize? Oh sorry sir/ma'am, y'know developing werewolf children though, they're so unpredictable.


It's fuckin' stressful but he's Lila's son. Lila and I are in a relationship, we live together and both of us work different schedules. Not all the time but it happens. So then I offer to watch Grey cause I'm not an asshole. The kid can't fend for himself, he needs an adult to watch out for him and if Lila's working I take on the responsibility. It always starts out the same way too. He's behaving and calm, I foolishly think that I can run a few errands and then the next thing I know, I find myself looking for the kid because he's gallivanted off somewhere. Nearly every time we're out, this happens. He's quick too. I can look away for five seconds and when I look back, I'll discover that he's gone. Poof! Vanished without a trace.


That's what it seems like anyway, based on how fast he can run off cause he's part wolf. There in an instant and gone in a flash. I literally lost him in a diner once. That my brother works at and it happened while he was standing at the counter. Grey was sitting on a stool, only a couple of feet away from the both of us, I was talking to Reese and Grey managed to drop down and disappear. Found him in a freezer, gnawing on a whole leg of lamb. He was three. He's five now and this behavior has only increased. Hence the concern about how far it could escalate.


The other day, I suggested obedience school to Lila... and I was only half joking. Felt like a dick afterwards but christ on a cracker, enough is enough. Yet I'm the one that still manages to fall victim to this same routine. Which makes this issue my own fault in a way. Sure the location changes but the aftermath doesn't. Today was no different. I had to find Grey... and today, he was lost in the supermarket. Keeping my eyes peeled, I scanned every inch of the place as I strolled down the aisles.




Maintaining complete and total observation of everything, while I proceeded through the store, without makin' it obvious that I was searching for a lost child. Sounds silly in this sorta situation but trust me, other people would only get in the way and slow me down. All this "eyes in the sky" security camera stuff wouldn't help matters, I could find him faster on my own and that's what I did. After I walked around for about three to four minutes, I found Grey in the section for pets. Crouched down on the floor. With a gigantic bone meant for a dog to chew on, held tight in his teeth, while he chewed on it and shook his head around. Making tiny growling noises all the while. Ignoring the onlookers, I approached Grey and sighed.


"Hey Grey. C'mon. We've got some shopping to do."


He stood up but that's as far as that went.


"You're killin' me smalls."


Still he stood his ground.


"Oh for f... frick's sake."


Yeah, I can't swear around the kid, still not an easy task for me.


"Fine. Put it in the cart but if you run off again, it's going back on the shelf."


Gleefully he ran up to the cart and dropped the bone inside and no, he did not use his hands. I couldn't make this scenario up if I tried, nor would I ever want to and in that moment, all eyes were on me. This was accompanied by the "Tsk. Tsk." sound of judgment.


"How deplorable. That's depraved. You let your son, play with things that are meant for animals. That's abuse and child endangerment. Absolute neglect. A piece of that bone could break off and he could choke to death. Mister, you have to be one of the worst parents alive."


These words instantly pulled my attention towards the source. The woman that spoke them scowled at me, basket of groceries; positioned over one arm, filled with the kind of contents that said, later on I'm going to binge watch Grey's Anatomy (An unforrtunate coincidence, no Lila didn't get her child's name from the show. It was based on the fact that his hair and eyes, are both the color grey.) with my cat and drink merlot. She was the type of female that probably took some sort of basic self defense course and majored in "Women's Studies" back in college. Short, caramel colored hair, that barely extended past her ears and a beige pants suit. Her eyes narrowed with unflinching persecution and intense conviction. I couldn't help but scoff.


"Mind your business b... battle-axe."


"Excuse me?!?!"


"You heard what I said. Mind your business, harpy. Be gone. Before someone comes along and tries to slay you and rid the store of your foul presence."


"Well, I never!"


"And with a face like that, you never will."


Turning away from the shrew, I was happy to see Grey standing there. Thank jeebus, he didn't run off.


"Come on Grey, lets see about fillin' this cart with some grub."


This was a task that was completed rather swiftly and without further incident, I might add. As we neared the cash register and took our place in line, my cell phone went off. I answered it after the second ring. The caller was Lila.


"What's up, dollface?"


"Oh, I'm just running around like a crazy person, trying to get the new exhibits ready, so they'll be done on time. The deadline for them moved up because the museum is hosting a charity event and they want private tours available as an incentive. It's been suggested that I attend."


Uh-oh.


"Well, I said that I'd love to attend and they put me on the guest list. Plus one, naturally."


"Oh no."


"What?"


"Sorry. I got distracted. I seen Peter Gilmour ride outta the store on a forklift that was carrying a pallet full of chicken parm."


"Mmhmm..."


"Lila, that man has a serious problem, I can't help it if I react in a distressed way. I have a heart and I care."


"Right. Do you also have an opinion about attending a charity function with me?"


"Yay. Sounds... fun. I can't wait."


"Excellent. I'm glad to hear that. The dress code is black-tie formal."


"That's great. Really."


Fuck me. The things that I do for this woman.

---

"Alright. It looks like I'm facing The Calvary on the next edition of Warfare in an X-Treme Rules match. When I looked him up, I discovered that supposedly he's a returning wrestler, based on his stats but I never heard of him. Not much else can be uncovered in regards to him either. Nothing beyond the bare minimum anyway. Apparently, he has an array of powers and dresses up similar to Superman but doesn't approve of weapons in a match. Even though he's super strong and has advanced durability. Which kinda seems like cheatin' in a way. Since this is an X-Treme rules match, dude's going to have to deal with it and cry on the inside."


"Aside from that he also carries himself as a walking contradiction. I mean, he supposedly doesn't take cheap shots or unfair advantages and cares about folks getting picked on but at the same time, he's this big badass, force to be reckoned with and he wants to be a stickler when it comes to weapons. Now, that right there, sounds like someone taking an unfair advantage. Especially since he also lets his actions speak louder than his words. That tells me he's coming at ya, with everything he's got."


"This guy is a straight up tyrant, seeking to oppress and intimidate. Well, it ain't going to work on me, no fuckin' way am I going to let some fruit cake in super hero pajamas, throw his weight around."


"Which brings me to yet another, amazing fact. My opponents name, The Calvary. First off it's Latin and translates to 'Place of the Skull'. It's what they call the place where Jesus was crucified. Some also refer to it as Golgotha. Meaning this guy has to be religious."


"Except not really."


"Think about it. With everything that I already pointed out, how religious can he be?"


"I have a buddy that's very spiritual, runs around the streets and patrols the city like a religious vigilante, calls himself Templar. Has zero powers. His only abilities is the stuff he taught himself. Fighting and magic. Other than that, he's 100% human. Says Jesus watches over him and his faith keeps him safe. Good guy. Never would he pressure or domineer someone like this shithead is doing. Nah. He'd claim that was being closer to the man downstairs."


"I'm not into religion like that so in my book, all it means is that this is another contradiction. With as many that I pointed out so far, The Calvary has got to be out of his gourd. A total loon that can't keep track of what's going on around him or maintain his senses. Must be why he has to study everything, real close and stay silent in the process. Can't break his own concentration by speaking. Gotta keep focused or else he might forget that he even has a match and stumble off somewhere. You can forget about logic and reasoning too. Cause that shit flew out the window on a kite with this man's brain. "


"Fuck it. I fought lunatics and fucktards before. What's one more, right? In my book, he's just another skull to meet the soles of these steel toes."