Have you ever noticed how fast the summer flies by? I mean, it seemed like is was just yesterday when I ran off to California for six weeks. Well, June turned into July, and July turned into August. In just two short weeks, my senior year of high school was about to begin.
Lately, all I've been doing is working. I guess I feel like I need to get as many hours in as I can to make up for missing so many weeks of working. I had spent most of my money while in California, so there was a constant urge to be making money when I got home.
"Rabbi Maccabbi's Office, this is Michael speaking."
"Hey, Michael, it's Mark!"
Mark is my sister Tara's new boyfriend. Well, not entirely new since they got together while I was in California.
"Hi, Mark."
"Is your dad around? I have to talk to him."
"Um, okay. Yeah, hold on."
I connected his call to my father and I was off the phone. I couldn't exactly figure out what the story on this Mark guy was. Any time I've dated a girl, I have NEVER gone out of my way to talk to the father. Maybe that's why girls' parents always hate me.
"Michael, can I see you in my office?"
My dad sounded like he had something important to say to me. Every time he calls me into his office, he has something important to say.
"What did Mark want?"
"He's a really great guy. He has invited us to play golf next Sunday."
"Oh, um, I think I might be sick next Sunday."
"Michael, you really should give him a chance. He makes your sister very happy."
"So did every other tool she's been with. Anyways, is that what you needed me in your office for?"
"Actually, no. Before Mark called, I was on the phone with a prospective member. Her and her husband are new to the area."
"That's cool, I suppose. What does it have to do with me?"
"Well, they have a kid about your age. The kid's name is Sam."
"Let me guess, you volunteered me to show this kid a good time."
"Sam wants to see Phoenix."
"Well, Sam will probably be disappointed when he realizes how much Phoenix sucks."
"Come on, Michael, just hang out with the kid. We really need members right now."
"But the shul is thriving."
"Michael, more members=more money in the budget=you still having a job."
I wasn't very good at math, but I understood the equation.
"Well, if you out it like that."
"Thank you. Here's the address. You will pick Sam up at 6:30 tonight. "
"Okay, I guess I can do that."
"Thank you."
I went over to this guy's house to pick him up. To be honest, I felt really weird about hanging out with this kid. I didn't know anything about him. Still, my dad basically told me that I would be out of a job if I don't show this kid a good time, so I sucked it up and rang the doorbell.
"You must be Michael. I'm Sam."
Well--Sam had one more X chromosome than I had expected.
"Yes, I am Michael. And you are Sam. I am Michael and you are Sam. You are Sam and I am Michael."
Sam giggled a little bit. I think she could tell I was surprised.
"Um, but my friends call me Mac."
"Okay, Mac. Well, should we get going?"
"Yeah, we should. I know the best pizza place in town."
Of course I took her to By the Slice. I never get enough of that place.
"You were right. This pizza is very good."
"Didn't I tell ya? So, Sam, where are you from?"
"I'm from Las Vegas, so I'm pretty used to the desert.
"Las Vegas is awesome. I've been there once."
"Yeah, I lived there my whole life."
"Well, I hope you aren't disappointed by this crap-hole."
"I take it you aren't a fan of Arizona."
"Who is?"
"Have you lived here your whole life?"
"Unfortunately, but I've spent a lot of time in California. I go there to see family and also for USY."
"Oh, you're in USY? We had one of those at my old shul."
"Did you go to Temple Moshe?"
"Yes, I did."
"Yeah, I know some people who go there."
"Yeah, I wasn't into the regional events, but I might start going to them so I can see my boyfriend."
"Oh, you're still with your boyfriend from Vegas?"
"Oh yeah. Stevie and I will always be together."
"Sam, you're not by any chance going out with Steve Schuckman, are you?"
Next to me, Schuckman is the biggest player in West Coast USY. I know him a little bit, but we usually hang out with different people. However, we do occasionally trade stories about our accomplishments.
"Yup, Steve and I have been together for almost three years."
Well, I had known Schuckman for three years, and he's always been one to hook up with someone at every event.
"Um, has it always been exclusive?"
"Of course. Neither of us would ever want to be with someone else. We've loved each other from the day we met."
I didn't know what to say. This girl was madly in love with the second greatest player is West Coast USY History. I needed to tell her the truth about this guy, because I thought Sam was really cool. She deserved better than that.
"Uh, yeah, Schuckman is a nice guy."
Okay, I suppose minding my own business is a good route too.
"Do you know him well?"
"Not well, but I know him. Uh, tell him that the Mac-Attack says hi."
"Yeah, I will do that when I talk to him tonight."
"Great."
About 20 minutes later, I picked up the check and drove Sam back to her place. We continued to talk about all sorts of things, mostly movies and stuff. I tried to stay off the subject of Schuckman, but Sam just couldn't stop talking about him.
"I miss Steve so much. I really wish he didn't live so far away now."
We finally got back to her place and I walked her to her door.
"Thanks for dinner. It was a ton of fun."
She hugged me. Before she walked inside, I decided to say something.
"Schuckman is a lucky guy. I hope he knows that."
"Oh, he does, and I'm a lucky girl to have him. Goodnight, Mac."
"Goodnight."
I thought about Sam and how she was such a great gal with such a schmuck of a boyfriend. I couldn't understand how she didn't know anything about this guy after being with him for three years. I wished I could have called the guy and told him how lucky he truly was.
I had told Sam how lucky her boyfriend was, and she said that he knows how lucky he is. As I drove off, I knew that her boyfriend truly didn't know how lucky he is.
I was conviced to pay a visit to another person who might not know how lucky he is.
"Oh, Mac-Attack. I wasn't expecting you."
I was at Aaron Youngston's house.
"I wasn't expecting to be here, Aaron."
"Well, come on in. Do you want a beer or something?"
"Thanks, but I can't stay. I just wanted to come here and ask you how Melinda is doing."
"Melinda is good. She just left about an hour ago."
There was a pause.
"Do you love her, Aaron?"
"Mac, I know what this is about. You're still upset about what happened at Convention, and I am deeply sorry about that. But I'm the one she's with, and you need to stop pining over her. It's starting to make things awkward."
"You didn't answer my question, Aaron. Do you love Melinda?"
Aaron didn't answer.
"I hope you know how lucky you are, Aaron. I was stupid and didn't see how amazing she truly was. I don't know if you deserve her, but I sure as hell don't, so treat her well and don't ever forget how great she is. Can you do that?"
There was a pause. Aaron looked stunned. He finally spoke:
"You're right, you don't deserve her. If you deserved her, YOU would be the one going out with her, not me. I appreciate you coming over and telling me this, but you didn't have to. I already know."
I looked at him.
"Then that's good enough for me."
I looked at him again.
"I'll see you around, Aaron."
"Yeah."
I decided to call it a night and head home. I walked into my house and saw my dad sitting on the couch.
"So what was the story on this Sam guy?"
"Sam's a girl."
"Oh--what did you do to her?!"
"Really, Dad? Really?"
"Okay, I'm sorry. Well, was she into you?"
"She has a boyfriend. I actually know the guy through USY."
"That's nice."
"What did you guys do tonight?"
"Mark came over. We played Scrabble."
"Well, I'm just so sad that I missed that."
I love being sarcastic.
"He really is a great guy. I think this might be the guy for Tara. Well, goodnight, Michael."
"Goodnight."
As my father walked upstairs, I thought about people being lucky. Schuckman was lucky to have Sam, but he doesn't know it. Aaron is lucky to have Melinda, and he does know it. I also believe that in some way, shape, or form, Mark is lucky to have my neurotic sister. I wonder if he knows it.
Sincerely,
Mac-Attack
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