Simone notedGemma’s excitement when she learned the guys had come along to get her at school. When they told her that Rafe had offered to get fast food, she practically took control, insisting that they eat at her favorite burger joint. It was a diner, a small place owned by a couple who also did the cooking and serving.
“Good food,” Rafe told Gemma when he’d tasted his burger. “An excellent choice.”
Max grunted and nodded as he shoved in a handful of the waffle fries.
For a burger place, it was great, and Simone enjoyed not having to cook or clean. Eating at a table with other people doing the work, she was able to engage in the conversation as Rafe and Max asked Gemma about school. They showed an eagerness that caused Gemma to chatter happily about her classes and even her classmates and allowed Simone to learn a lot Gemma never told her.
But then, she had viewed getting Gemma through school as a chore, and Max seemed to consider it a necessity that he’d clearly endured rather than embraced, whereas Rafe appeared to think it was some grand adventure. Even Gemma caught that.
“It’s just high school, Rafe,” said Max.
“Just? Do you realize how many people don’t change in any important way after high school? Do you know how many people eagerly go to their high-school reunion some twenty years down the road wearing the same hairstyle that’s in their graduation pictures? It’s scary how many.”
Gemma dabbed at her mouth. “That’s crazy.”
“It is. It would be funny if it weren’t sad. And when you’re older, you’ll meet people who talk about things that happened in high school as if those are their fondest memories. Sadly, for some, they are.”
“Not for me,” said Max with a frown. “I barely scraped by and couldn’t wait to escape.”
Gemma nodded as Rafe continued. “People regret not having married high-school sweethearts and spend money tracking down old pals from high school. And the irony is that a lot of them didn’t even enjoy high school. Some of them practically slept through it.”
Max snorted. “Or faked paying attention ‘cause they were lost.”
Simone patted his hand. “That rough?”
He shrugged. “I have dyslexia. It was a rough go, for sure, but Gemma seems to be doing much better than I ever did.”
“I’m doing all right,” she said modestly before looking at Rafe. “I won’t be like that, hung up on the past.”
“No?”
“I can’t see it happening. High school is such a bore.”
Max nodded his agreement before inhaling more fries.
“Those people couldn’t see that happening either—they never would’ve believed it. It catches you off guard. The only way not to be like that is to learn to live in the here and now. Don’t live your life for what might happen or what you hope will happen. You need to pay attention to the world, the moment you’re in.” Rafe seemed passionate about it.
“How do you do that?” asked Simone, intrigued.
“Let’s see. How about this? Here we are in this wonderful diner, eating great burgers. I wouldn’t want to do it every day, but here and now it’s great, and I’m enjoying the company of two lovely ladies while eating good food. What could be better?”
“And a handsome guy,” said Simone with a smile at Max, who looked like he actually blushed.
“I hadn’t noticed that,” said Rafe with heavy irony.
“I get living in the moment when you’re doing something good, but in school?” Gemma seemed skeptical.
“No matter how much it seems like a torment, you’re surrounded by fascinating people. If you pay attention, you’ll see that a few of them are even tolerable as human beings.” Gemma laughed, spitting bits of food. “You’re being taught a lot of things, and even if it doesn’t seem to have much to do with life, most of it is worth learning. You are practicing the fine art of acquiring skills, and that art will let you do what you want. No one is going to open doors for you in this world, not on a regular basis. Now you have Simone doing what she can, but one day it will be up to you, and the better your skill set, the more you get of what you want.”
“Skills.”
Rafe nodded earnestly. “Imagine that there is a locked door ahead of you—right in the path you want to follow. If you know how keys work, and have the right key, or know where to find it, you can open it. That is a skill. But suppose you know how keys work but can’t find the key. Now, if you can learn how locks work you might find a way to open it anyway, which puts you way ahead of someone who can’t learn that.”
“That’s why I like computers. They open doors.” She gave Rafe and Max a meaningful look.
“Some doors,” said Simone.
“A lot of doors,” said Max. “That is becoming a more important skill all the time, and don’t think Simone doesn’t understand that. But it’s just one skill set. A computer won’t fix your car when it breaks down. It won’t help you react in time if someone throws a punch at your face.”