Well, let's see. You go from being a skinny, tattooed and barely-trained backyard wrestler wrestling in basketball shorts to wrestling around the world, being co-signed by both Paul Heyman and Vince McMahon, wrestling The Undertaker at Wrestlemania, and being the longest reigning WWE Champion of the modern era. Well, when you get to the point of not quite understanding why part-time guys are coming back on top of the card, you're contemplating marrying the Divas Champion and you have probably sold as much merchandise as the more "easily marketable" John Cena, it might be time to walk away, become a recluse and an enigmatic figure to a world you've known for 15 years when you've clearly over-achieved. For CM Punk, it arguably always felt as though being a pro wrestler was something fun to do instead of having to "work," and when it became "work," he left. Ultimately, that's what makes Punk's sudden decision to leave and minimal desire to turn back and say anything seem quite bizarre. Instead of "working," Punk is instead resting on his laurels as a master of the game of life. Are we all jealous of the ability to disappear as a wealthy, happy and well-adjusted human being at the peak of our existence? Of course.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
