Chapter 34: The Art of the Deal

January 1, 1996, Chicago, Illinois

“Professor Adams mentioned that you’ve mentored quite a few young people and that you might be willing to mentor me.”

I nodded, “Yes, that’s true.”

“And that some of them lived here, with you, while you were mentoring them.”

She put just enough accent on ‘lived’ and ‘with’ to make it clear to me what she meant, if only by implication.

“That’s also true.”

“Would you be willing to mentor me?”

“I’m open to discussing that, certainly. Tell me what your goals are.”

“Well, I want to go to UofC, and then to UofC medical school. And I’d like to work there, eventually.”

“Why UofC?”

“It’s a good school, but also a friend of mine was in the hospital there for a while and they took really good care of her.”

“May I ask about that?”

“She had leukemia. She was only supposed to live for six months when she went there, but ended up living four years. They were so kind and nice and caring, I decided I wanted to do that and help people the way they helped my friend.”

“When did this happen?”

“Right after I moved to Chicago. She was the first person to try to be my friend here. A couple of weeks later, she was diagnosed with leukemia.”

I nodded, “I had a friend who died from ovarian cancer about eight years ago.”

“So you know,” she said.

“Yes. How are your grades and SAT’s?”

“Mostly A’s. I have a 3.87 GPA. I scored 1510 on my SAT and 32 composite on my ACT.”

“Have you looked into scholarships and grants?”

“Yes, and I applied for some, but haven’t received any except one small one that gives $500 per year to any Cuban student who goes to college and whose parents came over from Cuba after January of 1960. Professor McDougal has helped me, but that’s all I’ve managed so far.”

“That’s Elaine,” Kara added helpfully.

“Yes, sorry,” Maria Cristina said. “Anyway, mom doesn’t make enough to co-sign any student loans, and when we left Florida, my dad was working part-time construction. I can probably scrape by at UIC if I work, but then medical school is a problem.”

I nodded, “They’ll lend you money for that, without a co-signer. In effect, they’re placing a bet on you getting your medical degree and earning enough to pay back the loans. The biggest problem is the interest compounds if you can’t pay it while you’re in school, and it’s not likely you’d be able to.”

“No. My guidance counselor was adamant that it was nearly impossible to work during medical school, and the third and fourth years, you work, but don’t get paid. I couldn’t even work during the Summers then.”

“I know all about that,” I said. “They will lend you money to live on while you’re in medical school, and during your internship, but that only makes the problem of debt worse.”

“And if you add in my car, which is fourteen years old and isn’t going to last much longer, and living expenses now, it’s just overwhelming. When I talked to my mom, she thought maybe I should reconsider what I wanted to do and go to junior college and then see what happened.

“I don’t want to do that, and when I was talking with Professor McDougal about the problem, I joked that what I needed was a rich guy to pay for everything. I guess she mentioned it to Professor Adams and when I talked to her, she asked me about it. She suggested I speak to you.”

“If I were to agree to mentor you, there are conditions.”

She blushed deeply, “Uh, I know.”

That confirmed my feeling, but it also confirmed that she didn’t TRULY understand what she was asking for. She had shown, so far, that she had thought things through, which was mature, so far as it went. Most likely, growing up in a single-parent home, as a teenager, had forced on her a level of self-sufficiency. And unlike some of the kids we’d run into recently, she didn’t believe the world owed her a thing.

Her financial situation put her in a terrible bind, one which would, in effect, turn her into an indentured servant for at least ten years after she graduated medical school, and if Gina’s experience was typical, which I thought it was, probably for fifteen to twenty. My own aversion to debt screamed that something was seriously wrong with the system, but as Al and I had discussed, there were no good solutions. Or rather, no good solutions which could be implemented in the current political climate. And certainly none which could be implemented to help Maria Cristina.

That said, there WAS a way, one which had been abandoned in the West, that of patronage. Progressives, in their insistence on government solutions to every problem, had created a situation where patronage was viewed as not only bad, but downright evil. But in the end, it was only a question of to whom the debt was owed - a person or a government - and what kind of debt it was. Anyone who knew me knew I would much rather be indebted to a person than the government.

Progressives had made us, once again, serfs, who owed rents to the feudal lords, with the fiction that our vote implied our consent. As I had pointed out, the quickest way to see that owning property was a fiction was to fail to pay the non-negotiable rent demanded by the government in the form of property taxes, which did not take into account the ability of the land to generate income, or of the person to pay. And when I looked at my property tax bills, the government was already extracting more than I would ever hope to recoup from the increase in property value. They were, in effect, siphoning off all profits from the land, no different from a feudal lord.

I pushed the political rant out of my mind and focused on what I felt was necessary for the young woman sitting in front of me.

“First, you have to maintain your grades. I expect straight A’s, though a 3.75 GPA would be acceptable. Anything less, wouldn’t be. Second, you would need to find a small group of friends, perhaps five, to form a study group. I did that when I was in college and it was invaluable. Third, your primary focus, over and above everything else, is acing the MCAT and being accepted to the medical school of your choice. Everything else, and I mean everything, takes a backseat to that. Can you commit to that?”

“I, uhm, thought...”

“Forget what you thought,” I said gently. “Can you make the commitment necessary to become a doctor?”

Maria Cristina paused, looked at me directly and nodded slowly, “Yes, I think so.”

“And you understand just how much work it is? Lots of studying, clinical rotations, no Summers off after your second year of medical school, and working ninety hours a week during the first year of your Residency?”

“My guidance counselor explained all that, and she had me talk to a doctor from Rush/St. Luke’s who came to career day at the school.”

“If you can make that commitment, and you understand just how difficult the path you’re electing to follow is, then yes, I’ll be your mentor, or perhaps a better word is the one I used for my first mentor: «padrone».”

“That’s Italian right? And means patrón?”

I nodded, “Yes. He was an Italian from the Old Country. When do you graduate from Our Lady of Charity?”

“June 7th.”

“Then, if you agree to the conditions I’ve given, you can move in on the 8th. There’s a room upstairs with a private bathroom which would be yours. Provide me the invoices from UofC, and I’ll pay them, along with any books or other expenses, and provide you with a small monthly allowance.”

“That’s it?” she asked, confused.

I nodded, “Yes.”

“But...”

“Maria,” Kara said gently, speaking for only the second time, “that’s all there is. Steve, why don’t you go play with the kids so Maria and I can talk.”

“Sure. Maria Cristina, I’m sure we’ll talk again before June. Come by the house anytime you wish.”

“Uhm, thanks!” she said, still obviously bewildered.

I got up and went to the sunroom to play with the kids, alternating between the boys and girls, though Albert was still in Florida with Jane and her family. The girls managed to sneak in cuddles by sitting in my lap when I played Stratego with Matthew and Michael, which made the girls very happy, but engendered eye rolls from my now ‘grown-up’, at least in their minds, boys. It was nearly two hours before Kara came into the sunroom. I’d just finished a game with Michael, so I gently moved Ashley from my lap, told the kids we’d be back soon, then took Kara’s hand and left the room.

“She went home,” Kara said when we got to the ‘Indian’ room. “I am glad I warned her that you could be quiet and reflective at times!”

“I had to think through the situation and that seemed like the right time. So, which of my many lines did you use?” I grinned.

“A few!” Kara laughed. “But the most important one was that nobody could commit irrevocably to sex, not even in the context of a marriage. That sort of blew her mind and we had a very good talk about it. And that talk led right into talking about the Cirque du Steve, which blew her mind even more.”

“I figured, given that you spent two hours talking to her!”

“We talked about the fact that if she was mature enough to understand the terms without being stated, then they didn’t have to be stated crudely. The last hour was spent mostly with her trying to understand the complete contradiction that sex was part of the deal, but not a requirement, or an expectation such that the deal was off without it.”

“That is a lot for a seventeen-year-old to get their head around.”

“Samantha did, though I guess she was her usual blunt self.”

“You ‘guess’ right, given you’ve read my Journal!”

“In the end, I told her that it comes down to developing a relationship with you. You told Samantha and Michelle the same thing - the door had a lock and it was up to them to decide to use it or not, and using it wouldn’t change how you cared for them. BUT, the key to everything was developing the relationship. I suppose I added one condition to what you said to her.”

“That if she couldn’t form a good relationship with me, sex or no sex, then this wouldn’t work.”

“Exactly. I suggested she spend time here on Saturdays and Sundays, getting to know you, me, Jessica, and the kids. She has, in effect, from now until April 30th to make up her mind one way or the other, and to develop the relationship you want. But I need one promise from you, Snuggle Bear.”

“No sex of any kind, including ‘lip kisses’, as Ashley calls them, until AFTER she decides.”

“Very good!” Kara laughed. “You’re learning.”

“One other thing, Kara. I’m going to wind things down with Eve before May 1st. And if this does happen, then no dalliances. I’m not saying ‘never’, just not anytime soon. And I want you and Jess to hold me accountable. I’ll tell Elyse as well. And I’ll call Meredith BEFORE I go to San Diego and Jasmine BEFORE I go to Los Angeles.”

“So you’re doing what Michelle demanded?” Kara asked with an arched eyebrow.

“No. I’m doing what I need to do for me. And for us. And remember, Michelle’s ‘no dalliances’ was simply a step on the path to pure monogamy. With her. Something that could never happen. I daresay that is not what Maria Cristina has in mind.”

“No, of course not. But you do need to be careful. Girls have a way of falling in love with you.”

I nodded, “And that’s where you and Jess come in. She’s going to need mentoring from a doctor as well as from me, and she’s going to need help adjusting to life here. And that includes ensuring she keeps her wits about her. I’m counting on you and Jessica to make sure that happens. If you can’t promise, we can’t do this.”

“We?”

“We. You brought her to me, Kara. You clearly had something in mind, and I think I’ve just distilled it to its basic essence. What YOU want is what I just described. It’s what Jessica would prefer as well. So let’s do this. Together.”

“You’ve become a very different man, Steve. And that’s a good thing. I think, finally, what you learned in the past two years is coming into full effect.”

“And had I listened to Anala, it could have come into full effect years ago.”

Kara shook her head and smiled sweetly, “Playing ‘What if?’”

I chuckled, “I suppose. You did let me get away with using ‘fair’ last night.”

“Because you were correct! I wasn’t fighting fair! What do you always like to say, referring to Nick?”

“That you don’t fight fair, you fight to win. Period.”

“Exactly! So what you said was actually correct, even if you used the ‘F’ word! And speaking of that, are you coming to bed tonight? Or are you going to the other ‘F’ word all night?”

“I suppose if I’m going to go out, I may as well go out with a bang!”

“WHAT IS IT with you and the bad puns?”

“Consider it pun-ishment,” I smirked.

“I know EXACTLY what I’m buying Maria Cristina for her birthday!”

“I’d keep it for a move-in present, or I might end up violating your rule about no sexual contact before May 1st!”

“I actually wouldn’t do that. She’s not anywhere near ready for THAT kind of crazy!”

“Were you?” I grinned.

“I wasn’t ready for that first night, Steve. I mean, I was, but I wasn’t. My brain basically short-circuited.”

“And now?” I grinned.

“You remember what happened AFTER that night, right?”

“It’s kind of a blur of amazing sex!”

Kara smiled, “Amazing is right. So, did I do a good job? I mean with Maria Cristina?”

“Yes, Honey. I was skeptical, but I think you found the right solution, assuming she’s OK with running away and joining the circus!”

“She has a good head on her shoulders. She’s very smart and very determined to succeed. Unfortunately, as we know, that’s not always enough. Sometimes you need help. And she’s found it. Maybe it’s unconventional, but if both of you are OK with it, who cares?”

“What about your mentee?”

“A black female from the projects who wants to study chemistry? I’ll have people falling all over themselves to provide scholarships. We’re working through it now, but she’ll end up with a completely free ride. Maria Cristina is in kind of a reverse sweet spot. Not quite poor enough to qualify for those kinds of grants and scholarships, and not middle class enough so her mom could co-sign her loans. The usual solution proposed is the one her mom suggested - junior college and a two-year degree, then work, and later going back for your Bachelors. But that doesn’t work for someone who wants to be a doctor or a lawyer or some other kind of degreed professional like an engineer.”

“There is something to be said for the old ways,” I replied. “In fact, if you think about the way the dojo operates, it makes a lot of sense. The students, according to their means, provide for the instructor. And before universities formed, it was like that. Students provided for their professors.

“And at first, after universities started, before they became bureaucratic nightmares and for-profit businesses, even if they claim ‘not-for-profit’ status, they didn’t collect tuition. Either they were run by the church or the state, with the goal of providing clergymen or civil servants. Heck, even later, when they became multidisciplinary, tuition was very low. It was only after World War II that sizable tuition payments began, and now they’re spiraling out of control.

“Part of that spiral is the government being willing to lend what amounts to unlimited amounts of money for education, and the universities realizing they can raise tuition without impacting enrollment by ensuring enough students get loans which don’t have to be repaid until after graduation, and thus mask the true cost of education from most people. The government, by making the loans to students and not holding the universities accountable, created moral hazard, and as we know, that always leads to disaster.”

“I don’t recall that one being on the list,” Kara smirked.

“It’s a combination of #8 and #15!” I chuckled.

“So you’re happy with the way this worked out?”

I nodded, “I am. And you’re happy you’ve finally achieved what you REALLY wanted that night in January of 1981?”

“I told you what I wanted - to be a mom.”

“Yes, but this didn’t go the way you intended that night you asked me to make love to you.”

“No, it didn’t. But whatever the path, we’re here.”

“And you, despite the paperwork, have the primary place. One I should have given you long ago.”

Kara shook her head, “It wasn’t mine to ask for or to take. It truly belonged to Elyse, from that first night you two were together. The two of you just didn’t realize it at the time, and by the time you did, life had intervened. So now, I take it, in a sense reluctantly, but also happily. But only because Elyse yielded it and Jessica never wanted it.”

“My life is fucking surreal,” I chuckled, shaking my head.

“And full of surreal fucking, too!” Kara giggled.

“So, mistress of the house, what next?”

Kara smiled, “You are still «pater familias».”

“Yes, and as was the case with Hiro-san and Emiko, I know who is really in charge.”

We both smirked, then laughed, then exclaimed, “Birgit!” simultaneously.

“In all seriousness,” I said, once we stopped laughing, “I need to ensure that whatever decisions I make, they first and foremost don’t hurt you. That was my error when I was trying to get Jessica back. I can’t make that again. Ever.”

“You did what you thought you had to do, Steve. I wanted her back just as badly. She hurt me. And she hurt you. But, more importantly, she hurt Albert and Ashley. To me, as a mom, that was unconscionable.”

I nodded, “I know. Which is why I know if anyone were to ever hurt one of our children, they’ll hope I get to them first.”

“A quick death versus a slow, painful one. Very slow. Very painful. They’ll beg for the potassium that will stop their heart!”

“Should I be worried that you have this thought out?” I asked with a smirk.

“No, of course not! You would never hurt the kids.”

“Do you agree with all aspects of my plan?” I asked.

“You mean MY plan?” she laughed.

“You’ve always been able to lead me where you wanted me to go, even if it took some time.”

Kara shook her head, “Not always. If I had, it probably would have been Joyce with us, not Jessica.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised.

“Really,” she nodded. “Shall we go play with the kids until dinner?”

“Absolutely!”

We headed to the sunroom and played with the kids, and just after 5:00pm, Amanda and I went to the kitchen to make dinner.