The Other Side of the Nature Boy-Hefner Story

From Larry Goodman: "Playboy" Phil Hefner (real name Philip Quarles) readily admits to his flaws. There have been times h...

From Larry Goodman:

"Playboy" Phil Hefner (real name Philip Quarles) readily admits to his flaws. There have been times he drank way too much and his judgement has been piss poor. 

Hefner, however, maintains the things "Nature Boy" Paul Lee posted about him on Facebook are untrue, first and foremost, the allegation that he is a bad father.

Hefner is still struggling to understand the motives behind  Lee's Facebook tirade. Was it their money dispute,  Lee's Svengali control slipping away or a projection of his own issues? Or all of the above?

Hefner has been involved in various wrestling ventures in the Rome area dating back to the mid 90s He started as a ring announcer in Cartersville when the regular guy didn't show up and was subsequently trained by the Arden family. Hefner came with the Centerfold gimmick for the Ardens with "Playboy" Phil as their manager. Hefner was involved in the legendary shows in White GA (featuring early David Young and Air Paris) NGWA, NAWA at Dillard's Music Park, and most recently, Rome Classic Wrestling.

Hefner said adios to his business partner  and pro wrestling after they ran a wrestling show at the Brewhouse Music and Grill in Rome on January 31, 2019 featuring Lee and Marty Jannetty. Hefner got rip roaring drunk throughout the day of the show and by his own admission, made an ass out of himself.

Hefner sank into depression. He bought a tree farm in the area. That turned out to be a really bad idea. Lee reached out to Heffner, who confided in him. Heffner perceived Lee as one of the few supports he had. Lee offered Heffner the opportunity of a job and a place to live in Ringgold, if Hefner would manage the Turnbuckle Wrestling Bar & Grill, the first of what Lee envisioned as a franchise of bar/restaurants with a wrestling theme, along the lines of Hooters.

Lee offered him a house for $200 per week in exchange for various duties and a hook up with a restaurant job until the Turnbuckle Bar & Grill was ready to roll, at which point Heffner would be paid $600 per week as the manager.

Hefner made the decision to pack up his two kids (he's been a single parent since his now ex-wife left two years ago) along with $2500 in restaurant equipment and head to Ringgold. 

Hefner's duties ran the gamut. He helped with Lee's used car business and served as referee for the AWF shows at Lee's new venue, the Circus Tent Arena. 

Lee was in the midst of running for mayor of Ringgold. Lee bought an hour of time on a local TV station as part of mayoral campaign and gave Hefner the task of calling in to ask questions supplied by Lee. Heffner did what was asked of him using a disguised voice. 

Hefner trolled the Facebook page of Lee's major rival in the mayoral race, incumbent Nick Millwood, including trashing Lee's own daughter as a bi-polar drug abuser.

Hefner alleges that Lee also offered him $5 per sign to steal Millwood's yard signs. Hefner drew the line and declined. 

Hefner said with thousands of dollars Lee was spending on the campaign, he expected Lee to win and was as surprised as anyone when Lee received only 55 votes or 8.7%,  

Hefner soon learned what the people of Ringgold already knew. 

Lee had something less than a stellar reputation around town. Hefner tired of being needled at his restaurant job about being pals with the Nature Boy. Lee was known as a notoriously poor tipper. At their Halloween party meal, Lee left a $2 tip for a $47 tab after one of his kids had eaten seven free baskets of bread. Two Facebook posters claimed to have witnessed Lee purchasing concession foods for an AWF wrestling event using an EBT (food stamps) card. 

Come Thanksgiving, Lee told Hefner he no longer wanted to be in the rental real estate business and offered to sell him the rental house. Hefner was interested. The house needed work but the price was reasonable and he was due a large refund on past tax returns. 

Hefner had started dating Brandi. That's when Lee started pulling back and being more difficult to reach, The last straw was Lee wanted Hefner to have someone stand in line for some special deals at Walmart and Hefner didn't get the message. 

Lee called him shortly thereafter to tell him the house was sold to someone else. He gave Hefner one week to vacate. Hefner told Lee he would need more time. Lee started the eviction process.

Hefner said there was nothing in writing about their arrangement.  He hadn't paid Lee any rent, as he believed they had a barter deal and had been able to make ends meet through the restaurant job Lee had arranged. 

In the meantime, Lee sold his restaurant equipment, which Hefner valued at $2500, for $400. 

Hefner answered the eviction and faced off with Lee in Catoosa County Magistrate Court. Lee was no stranger to the judge on evictions, The judge agreed with Hefner's assertion that Lee must have been receiving something in return because he would never allowed a renter to stay for free for 16 weeks. The judge credited Hefner with $400 for the restaurant equipment and another $800 for work Hefner had done for Lee, leaving a judgement for unpaid rent of around $2000. 

Hefner maintains that Lee owes him for the unauthorized sale of his restaurant equipment. 

Lee's Facebook rant ensued.

-- Lee said Hefner fired from his last four jobs. Hefner said not true, although he did stop showing up at the job Lee arranged because of the crap he was getting for being Lee's buddy. 

-- Lee claimed Hefner drove drunk with his kids. Hefner said absolutely his drinking had been a problem, but he had quit drinking by the time they moved to Ringgold. Hefner categorically denied that he ever drove drunk with his children in the car as Lee alleged. 

-- Lee said Hefner had left the rental house in a mess. Hefner said the junk outside was left there by the previous renter. He and the kids slept at the house but that was about it and they often stayed with Brandi.

-- Lee said Hefner's kids had changed schools three time and missed 35 days of school. Heffner said Lee was dead wrong about the school changes and the number of school days his kids had missed was in the single digits.

Hefner said he was attempting to rebuild his life and  is starting a new job next week. He has not exercised the option of pursuing legal action against Lee. His primary concerns at this point are his relationships with Brandi and his children, Gracey and CJ.

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