SATURDAY STORY - FEBRUARY 6, 2021

 SATURDAY STORY - FEBRUARY 6, 2021

This is a work of fiction.

*****

Max was a ‘stud’.  That is, Max was a real he-man. On-campus, he was a “BMOC” - Big Man on Campus - honor student, in the best fraternity, and he could snap his fingers at a girl, and she would swoon and go out with him, and (in many cases), go to bed with him that night.  

Max (whose name was Robert Smith - kind of a boring name so, in high school got the nickname of “Max”).  He came from a wealthy background.  If asked about his goals in life, he wanted to be the next “Hugh Heffner” - the founder of Playboy Magazine.  His college grades were good enough, and he had an awesome college life.  

Freshman girls learned about “Marvelous Max” when they got to campus.  It almost was a goal for freshman girls to get asked out by Max.  (and, for the “initiation” to college life).

There is a concept of some ‘studs’ like Max, that sometimes they think with their male organ - since they believe they are “God’s Gift to Women”.  

*****

After college, he went to work for his Dad in Houston.  He had been a business major with a focus area in marketing and management.  Dad put him under Jim Cruz in marketing.  Soon, Max was moving up in the sales area.  His social skills and ease of meeting people were assets in sales.  For the next four years, he traveled and got additional experience working in different offices within the United States with a few international trips.  Like a sailor with “a girl in every port”, Max did keep up his social experiences as well.  

In St. Louis, Max made a strong impression on Monsanto and landed that major account.  He asked out a girl he had met in St. Louis.  She had been hard to get.  She had been brought up in a Judeo-Christian home and background.  She was not one impressed by a pretty face, a glib talker, and a full billfold.  

She turned him down when he asked her out.  To Max, that was like a mountain climber standing at the bottom of Mount Everest with all the gear he would need to conquer the mountain.  Max had taken psychology courses in college, and he needed to be “at the top of his game”, to win Stefanie Diaz and get her in his bed.  And, he was up to the challenge.  

At age 27, Max was a bit torn about his future.  He was well set financially, he was living his dreams of making money - having frequently sex - and living a ‘big life’.  He knew most of his college friends had settled down and married - a couple of his fraternity guys were gay and - some of his female friends were lesbians - but most were working into permanent (or as permanent as such things are these days), arrangements.  Did he want Stefanie to be another conquest - or (gasp) a lasting relationship?

Max had asked Stefanie out a couple of times.  They had coffee once - where she shared that she did date some, but didn’t have a steady boyfriend and wasn’t in a relationship.  To Max, that was a “Green Light”.  When he asked her out for an evening date, she found pleasant ways to say “no” - her brother’s birthday, her niece’s first gymnastics meet, a friend’s baby shower.  Max trusted her - and hadn’t pushed her (YET).

Stefanie did her undergraduate work at Washington University and now was completing her doctorate. Stefanie indicated that she liked Washington University basketball. That seemed to be a possible inroad for Max.  He researched and found that the Washington University Bears were an NCAA Division III school.  He got their schedule and saw a home game in a couple of weeks when he could be back in the area.  He called Stefanie and asked her for the game.  But, instead of jumping at the offer, Stefanie said she would see if that fit into her schedule.  

But, this was vexing on Max.  Max - the guy who could snap his fingers and get a date with any girl on campus - was put on hold.  Of course, that didn’t stop Max.  Still in St. Louis for a long-term assignment there, he found other girls to take out (and to take to bed).  This one girl might think she could get to him - but she couldn’t not “Marvelous Max”.  

A few days later, Stefanie texted Max - ‘yes, the basketball game would work’.  Max had a huge grin - he was making progress climbing Mount Everest (or dating Stefanie really).  

*****

Max took Stefanie to dinner before the game.  He didn’t want to shock her or overtly impress her - so picked a common restaurant - Applebees for dinner.  He had a scotch-and-water before dinner, Stefanie had iced tea.  They talked about their jobs and their lives.  Stefanie was a Ph.D. graduate student - who was already looking at teaching positions.  She had eight publications so far on the road to being a strong academic and taught as a graduate teaching assistant at Washington University.  She was the second oldest of five children.  Her father was a middle-level executive at McDonald-Douglas and her mother was an elementary school teacher.  She talked a little about her faith.  She had done some short-term missionary trips to Haiti and had another trip planned in June, after graduation.  She was going to have an on-campus interview at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville (after ‘passing’ her first online interview).  She was a finalist for a position at IUPUI - Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and had some other opportunities.  

Max thought about that.  His story was quite a bit different - his parents were divorced, his father was a C-level executive in a major company, he was one of the top salespeople for that same company, and looking to move up soon.  He had traveled to Switzerland and Colorado to ski and was almost a ‘ski bum’.  He had skydived twice and went white-water rafting on the Snake River in Idaho.  

Stefanie was so different than the girls he had dated (and/or slept with before).  Yes, this was a challenge.

She talked of her future.  Being a professor, keeping up the teaching, research, and service of an academic position; maybe settling down; having a family, and maybe being an academic dean someday.  

Were they on the same planet?  

They cheered for the Bears, who won by five points (two long-distance three-point baskets in the final minute). Max suggested getting a nightcap or a cup of coffee, and Stefanie said “no” - she was teaching an early Introduction to Biology course in the morning.  Max dropped her off at her apartment (that she shared with two other graduate students).  He was amazed that he didn’t even try to kiss her.

*****

Off-and-on for the next few months, Max dated Stefanie.  They went to a big flea market one Saturday.  As the weather warmed up, they played miniature golf a few times.  She asked Max if he wanted to join her for an Easter service and he found an excuse to return to Houston to spend that weekend with his Dad, out on the Gulf of Mexico fishing for tarpon. 

But, he was slowly eroding Stefanie’s defenses.  Now at the end of an evening, they shared a long kiss outside her apartment.  Max’s brain was spinning at full speed - when could he entice her to come to his apartment? 

Max, of course, didn’t stop dating other girls and enjoying their company in his bed.  Some mornings he would look in the bathroom mirror and see his fit and tan body and be impressed with himself.  (Being egotistical does help he thought!!)

One weekend when Stefanie said she was busy with her dissertation, Max asked Sofia out.  Then on Saturday morning, he and Sofia went to IHOP for breakfast.  He had a very unique bright orange Corvette and had parked in the front.  Stefanie drove past IHOP on her way to campus, saw his car, and wondered if he was there alone.  She found a parking spot and quickly went in.  She recognized the back of his head sitting across from a beautiful girl.  So, she knew he wasn’t missing her too much!!!

*****

Max decided he really needed to work on Stefanie.  It was a challenge - and he liked challenges in the dating arena.  He found she liked country music, so he spent some time listening to some of her favorite songs and artists.  He checked out country singers that were coming to St. Louis.  

Brad Paisley was coming to St. Louis next month.  Tickets would go fast, so he got the two best seats that were available ($300 each) and called Stefanie with the news.  She was excited to see Brad Paisley in person and said “yes”.  She put the date on her electronic calendar and also wrote it on her kitchen calendar.  

Max tried to get Stefanie to go out with him before the Paisley concert, but she was lost in her dissertation research and work. Her research was on biodegradable organic materials that could be used instead of certain polymers in blood vessel repair.  And, while most of her research work had been finished, she had to put it all together.  

So, Max took out Sofia, and Emma and waited for Stefanie.  But, he was still working on the challenge.  

For the Brad Paisley concert, he got her an elegant, but simple necklace to wear, and took her to Applebees again for dinner.  He could afford the most expensive place in town, but he reasoned that would scare Stefanie away.  He was so confident that “tonight would be the night” when he jumped into his Corvette and picked her up and gave her the necklace that she seemed to love. 

Stefanie had looked online and seen the tickets were $300 - and that was impressive.  But, Stefanie was not necessarily impressed by money.  At dinner, Max tried to steer the conversation to his success and how he would be such a great catch for Stefanie, but she was talking about some of the unusual organic materials she was working with.  

During the show, Max held Stefanie’s hand most of the time.  At one point, he leaned over and planted a little kiss on her cheek.  She seemed to be warming up to him.  When the rest of the audience sang along to a few of the songs, she joined in quickly.  Max had been listening to Brad Paisley songs on the Internet and had many of the words right, that seemed to impress her.  

Stefanie asked him “Do you know much about Brad Paisley?”  

Max answered (from his memorization of Brad’s website and the Wikipedia entry) about Brad’s growing up in West Virginia and some of his hits and awards.  That also seemed to impress Stefanie.

As they were leaving, Stefanie threw her arms around Max and gave him a big kiss on the lips as they waited to exit.  That stimulated Max’s desire for her even more.  

Stefanie talked about how Brad had really touched her emotions with some of the songs, and Max tried to play along with the conversation.  Max held the door open on the Corvette for Stefanie to get in and grabbed her for a big kiss as she tried to get in.  She kissed back.  

“Would you like a drink?” Max asked Stefanie as they fought their way out of the parking lot.  He had learned that she did drink some - but in great moderation - mostly white wine, but also some ‘girly drinks’ - Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiris.  

They went to a nice lounge for a drink. Max tried to get Stefanie to relax and drink.  He was congratulating her on finishing her dissertation and becoming a doctor (doctor of philosophy).  And, Stefanie was off her guard and did have four alcoholic beverages - the most she had ever had.  Max kept congratulating her, telling her how great she looked, how smart she was, and more flattery.  Stefanie finally said she needed to go home.  They held hands as they walked out to Max’s Corvette.  He asked if Stefanie would like to see her place.  She said no, but he pushed the point, it wasn’t out of the way, he had cleaned it up for her, how nicely it was decorated, and more, and finally Stefanie said “sure”.  He did have a nice apartment in an expensive neighborhood.  After Max and Stefanie entered, he closed the door and kissed her.  She kissed back.  (Max thought “Now, we’re getting somewhere”).  He put on some soft country music on his Spotify account on his Alexa player.  They sat on the sofa and Max started to push the envelope.  He lightly touched Stefanie’s breasts, and not getting any negative feedback, put his hands on her right breast as they kissed passionately.  After a few minutes, he undid the top buttons on her top and kept caressing her fondly.  Although he also had four drinks, he was used to the alcohol and while Stefanie was fairly well inebriated, he was fairly well sober.  It took him about half-an-hour to undo her bra and fondle her breasts.  That also seemed acceptable to Stefanie, and when he slid his hand up her skirt she spread her legs for him.  

Stefanie fell asleep quickly in Max’s bed, with her head on his shoulder (but still fully clothed).  Max was grinning internally - he was winning his challenge.  On Saturday morning, Stefanie woke first with a headache.  She was a bit embarrassed to be in his bed but happy that she hadn’t allowed him to have intercourse with her.  As she looked at Max, still asleep, she was realizing that Max was not a real suitable type for her.  She sensed that Max had done his research on Brad Paisley and country music, that he had intentionally bought her drinks to get her drunk, and that his intentions were to get her in his bed. 

Her internal clock said “six o’clock” time to get up.  She had a decision to make.  She could leave his apartment, and find her way to her apartment - about two miles she thought, or she could wait around until he woke up.  She decided she had things to do at her house, and gathered her things, quietly left his apartment, and walked home. 

*****

When Max woke at about 9:30, Stefanie was not in his bed.  He quickly remembered she had been there and had fallen asleep first.  He checked his living room and no Stefanie.  She had left him a note on the kitchen table “Thank you for a very nice evening” and gone away.  

During her walk home, Stefanie thought about Max and their potential future.  While two incompatible people can make a life together.  Stefanie was just sensing Max’s differences and that wasn’t going to work.  She thought of her life and her priorities.  She was really eager for an academic life - which meant living in only a few places (university towns) until she retired.  She anticipated teaching (which she loved), and research (that she was learning to love); and service (already part of her intrinsic values).  See viewed Max with one main priority (or maybe two), make money and be a world-class lover.  She sensed that Max had attempted to get her drunk last night and that he was a little too knowledgeable about Brad Paisley (seeing that he didn’t have any Brad Paisley or any country musicians on his music shelf).  

She was ready when he called.  After a few pleasantries, Max asked why she had left him.  That was an easy question to answer - he was asleep and she was awake. She could have sat around his apartment waiting for him to get up, or forcibly awaken him, or walk home.  As an early riser normally, the walk was pleasant.

She was now ready to work on him.  

She started “Max, we’ve dated some, and we’ve had a fun time, but I’m not really sure we are compatible in the long run.  I am going to be an academic and probably stay in one location for many years, and you are going to be traveling and moving up in the company.  I’m not sure you’ll be a good dad.  And, I’m not sure you appreciate something very important to me - my faith.”

She paused “Max, will you go to church with me tomorrow.”

Max thought this over and answered, trying to put a positive spin on it.  He replied “Sure, what time?  Should I pick you up or meet you at your church?” 

Stefanie said, “Let’s meet at church and you can take me to lunch afterward.” 

Max agreed with that.  

*****

Max tried to understand what Stefanie’s faith meant to her.  He hadn’t ever been to church.  His Dad and Mom had been married in a church, but that was before he was born.  Dad’s second marriage was in a garden, and the third was in a justice-of-the-peace office.  (And, Dad has divorced again from the third wife).  He had some free time that afternoon and found some YouTube videos of Catholic worship - and fell asleep watching the first one.  This wasn’t going to work.  He read up on Christianity and the Catholic version of Christianity.  It wasn’t as much as he had researched Brad Paisley, but, hey, Brad Paisley was much more interesting to him.  

He met Stefanie at her church - St. Thomas Catholic Church, but she wasn’t alone.  Her parents were there too, and one of her roommates also was there.  They did sit in a different pew than her parents, she did hold his hand during the homily (or lecture or sermon).  He got lost in the sit, stand, kneel, routine and watched Stefanie and the people ahead of him.  

Afterward, they went to TGIF - Fridays for lunch.  It was still early for a big lunch crowd and they got a table at the back where they could talk.  Stefanie seemed different than the night before.  She questioned Max about his values, and about his sexual experiences.  He lied about his experiences but sensed that Stefanie was seeing through the lies.  

After lunch, they stood outside for a few minutes, and Stefanie gave Max a kiss on the cheek - and said “Max, this isn’t going to work.  Thank you for your kindness to me, and best of luck.  She gave him another kiss and they parted.

**********

Stefanie did go on into the academic world and was a successful teacher.   She led research projects.  She married and she and her husband had three children.

Max went back to his ways - sleeping with many women - but almost always thinking of “the one that got away”.

**********

It was about 40 years later.  Max saw that Stefanie’s husband had been killed in a construction accident.  

Max was a changed man.  After two failed marriages (as he cheated on his wives), and a serious bout with alcoholism, he went to Alcoholics Anonymous and got dry and found “God”.  He had reflected on his one experience with religion going to church with Stefanie and how she seemed to have something within her - that he didn’t have.  He now went to church regularly and had gone into a smaller company and didn’t care about the money.  

Max called Stefanie - and after a few minutes where she tried to place him - they had a pleasant conversation.  Stefanie talked about losing her spouse and going through life alone.  

Max made an offer that almost seemed impossible for him.  “Stefanie, you are in Columbia at the University of Missouri.  Can I drive up on Sunday and go to Mass with you?”.

Stefanie was skeptical about Max’s offer, but said “sure” and gave him the information.  They met outside the church and worshipped together.  Max knew enough not to go to Communion (as he was in a Baptist church now).  Afterward, they went to Applebees for lunch. 

It was a different experience for both of them.  Stefanie was amazed at the Max that was sitting opposite her at lunch.  It took Max a few tries to finally say “Stefanie, you showed me your life back then, and I wasn’t ready for it.  I wasn’t mature enough for it.  I rambled through a lot of money, through more relationships, and through alcoholism.  I wanted you to know that forty years ago, you put a message in my heart that I ignored - a message of real, agape love.  I never forgot that - and I wanted to find you and say “thank you”.  

After the meal, he gave her a peck on her cheek and said “Goodbye”.

They did keep in touch for the rest of their years.  And, they were good friends!!!

*******

Okay, I needed to write a Pollyanna story!!

LOVE WINS!!

Hugs!!

Karen