Good on Paper

"True, but only if getting what you want comes via a checklist."

Taryn sighed then said, "Given a choice between falling in love with a nice guy who's poor and a nice guy who has a decent job, why should I settle for the unemployed guy?"

"If he's bum, that's one thing. If the guy can work but won't, yeah, I agree. But what if the first guy has a modest job but gives you butterflies, and the second guy with the really great job only gives you checkmarks on your list? I've never seen a checkmark that can keep you warm at night," he dad snorted, but not with his usual snide attitude. It was more a thoughtful statement of fact.

"I am looking, Dad. I'm just not looking at guys like...him."

"Okay. I'm sure you know what you're doing, honey," he replied.

They drove the rest of the way in silence, and Taryn was trying to figure out why his comments were bothering her so much. The one thing she couldn't do was admit he had a point. She was right and knew she was right. A rich guy, or even a guy with a good job, could be just as attractive and loving as a poor guy, and she had no interest in being poor again. She and Matt got by all right, but there was almost never any money left over to do things, so why would she want that kind of life for herself or her son?

"Because 'money can't buy me love'," she said to herself as the old Beatles tune came to mind just as they pulled into the Boys Club parking lot.

"Can I go inside?" Matt asked immediately.

"Um...sure," his mom said. "We'll be right there."

Matt flew out of the car and ran to the building then ran toward the basketball court and started looking for Luke. When he spotted him, he made a beeline toward him.

"Hey, dude!" Luke said as they high-fived.

"Hi, Luke!"

There was a group of kids about Matt's age around Luke who said, "Hey, guys. This is Matt. He's gonna be playing with us today. Everybody give him a big welcome, okay?"

Edwin had peeled off to the game room, and as Taryn was walking toward Luke and Matt she heard, "Hello, Matt!" in a loud chorus from the other boys.

Luke quickly divided them up into teams that were 'shirts and skins.'

Matt's team peeled off their tee-shirts and with that, Luke them have at it. There was no referee, and anytime a dispute arose, he let the kids resolve it after asking some questions about honestly and fairness. In the rare instance they couldn't fix the problem, he stepped in and did so making sure to explain why he was doing something.

Teaching and mentoring were his primary goals while letting the kids have fun and learn to play as a team took second place.

"Well, good morning!" he said to Taryn when he saw her walk up.

"Hi, Luke. So this is where the magic happens, huh?" she said with a friendly smile.

"Well, when the kids learn life lessons, and that's pretty close to magic in my book, so...sure," he replied with a smile of his own.

He noticed she was wearing makeup and a nice top with black pants and said, "You look very nice for a Saturday morning at the gym."

"Oh. Well, thank you. I guess one never knows when one might meet someone, right?" she said.

"Ah, yes," Luke said. "Someone with the right...resume?"

He smiled when he said it, but his words stung. A lot. She was also a bit angry that he knew that about her and assumed her father had said something to him.

"My dad has been talking behind my back again, I see," she said rather coldly.

"He may have mentioned something about checklists or resumes," Luke told her, still smiling even though she wasn't.

"So that's how you know about my..."

She hated using her dad's word, but it did fit so she said, "Checklist?"

"It's none of my business, and if that was offensive, I sincerely apologize," Luke told her.

"I really resent being made to feel I'm somehow cheating myself out of the possibility of finding true love by being methodical," Taryn said defensively.

"I didn't say that, and I didn't mean to imply it," Luke said politely, now feeling defensive himself.

Taryn was fired up now and kept on trucking.

"Who says the only way to find love is to just sort of feel your way into it? Why can't a person be a little more analytical and end up with the same results?"

"Not me," Luke said as he watched the kids get started.

"You sure seem to think you know a lot for someone who's neither married nor employed!" she told him.

Luke was looking away but turned back toward her then said, "You're absolutely right. On both counts. I'm not married and never have been, and I don't have a paying job."

He looked away again just as Matt took a shot. It missed by quite a bit, but he yelled out, "Nice try, Matt!"

Taryn saw her son look over and smile then get back in the game. Just that quick look told her that her son nearly idolized this younger man, and as before, she felt guilty for feeling so snobbish—and for being so rude.

"Luke?" she said to get his attention.

He turned his head slightly but didn't look at her.

"I'm sorry. You've been nothing short of amazing with both my dad and my son, and well, I guess I must be doubting or questioning my way of finding the perfect guy."

He turned a little more her way but kept watching the boys as he said, "Taryn? I am young, but I do know a few things. One of them is that there are no perfect men. We all have faults and flaws, and hopefully, we all have strengths, too. I also know that making a relationship work is about tradeoffs and compromise. But maybe the thing I know the most is that without love, love based on attraction, mutual support, and trust, no job and no amount of 'plusses' on some balance sheet can hold a candle to seeing that special someone look at you 'that way'."

There was a fairly long period of silence before she said, "I...I just want my son to have the kind of security we haven't had in, well, since his dad walked out on us."

"Security isn't synonymous with money," Luke said in a kind, gentle way. "And it certainly doesn't equal love or happiness."

"No. No, you're right, but..."

"But?" Luke said.

"I...I don't know. I guess maybe I should spend some time thinking this through a little more."

He finally turned back toward her and said, "I am sorry if I made you feel bad in any way. It's just that I think you have a really great family, and well, I think you're pretty great, too. I guess I just don't want you to settle for some guy who..."

He waited for a second then said it.

"Who looks good on paper, but beyond that isn't the right guy for you."

"But, Luke. How would you know who that guy might be?" she asked, her voice now kind and gentle again, too.

"I don't. I guess maybe I just thought that maybe you and I could, you know..."

"Mom! Luke! Did you see?" Matt hollered. "I made my first shot!"

Neither of them saw it, and Taryn felt awful so she yelled out, "Yes! That was amazing! Nice job, buddy!"

Luke saw him looking for his approval, too, and said, "Way to go, Matt! Nice work!"

"I've never seen him so happy before. Ever."

Luke looked at her and Taryn said, "That's because of you, you know."

"I don't know about that, but to whatever degree I've been helpful it's been my pleasure. He just needs to develop a little confidence."

"That's true," Taryn replied. "He's been so lost without his dad, and having a positive male role model has been huge."

"Well, his grandfather seems to be doing that," Luke said not wanting to take any credit.

"No, if you hadn't come along and talked him into coming here, my dad was far from a role model. My sister and I were really getting worried he'd decided life wasn't worth living anymore, and then all of a sudden, he's talking about dating someone and the house is clean, and he's checking his glucose. No, that's all you, Luke."

He smiled then said, "Two down. One to go."

Taryn didn't follow him and said, "I'm sorry. One to go?"

Before he could reply she thought she understood and said, "Oh. Okay. You think you're going to get me out there on the court or doing some kind of sport, right?"

"No. Not at all," Luke told her. "I was thinking more about me making a good enough impression on you that you'd actually consider going out with me sometime."

He was smiling and yet Taryn was so taken aback she stammered when she spoke.

"What? You...and me...going out? As in...going out going out?"

The look on her face told Luke that was something she either hadn't thought of or thought was ridiculous or maybe both.

"I know I don't have the kind of visible resume you're looking for, but I'm a pretty decent guy, and I happen to think you're a very amazing...and beautiful woman."

"Oh, well, gee...um, thank you very much, Luke. That's really sweet of you to say, but I don't think you could possibly be serious. I mean, I have a ten-year old son, and I'm, well, I'm old enough to have one," she explained, still shocked by what he said.

"I may not look too smart, but I was able to piece together that you'd be a little older than me since Matt is ten," he said still smiling that amazing smile at her. "And yet that doesn't concern me in the least. But if that's a negative checkmark on your...checklist, then it would seem I'm fighting a losing battle.

Feeling defensive again, Taryn said, "Luke, it's not like I'm some kind of...snob...or something," even as she felt very snobbish again.

"I don't think you are," he said. "I think you're pretty remarkable and that you just need to convince yourself that this resume thing isn't in your best interest. That's all."

He was being so charming and polite, Taryn couldn't stay angry at him even though his comments were deeply troubling. As she watched him just stand there watching the boys play, she found herself wondering yet again if the whole idea of finding someone who looked good on paper was reasonable. It sounded reasonable to her, but was it really? What if it caused her to look past someone who could make her, and just as importantly, her son, happy?

"Would you at least think about it?" Luke asked after several seconds of silence.

She watched Matt miss a shot by a couple of feet and hollered out, "That's okay, buddy! Nice try!"

Luke waited a few more seconds then said, "I won't keep bothering you, Taryn. I just thought we might really enjoy one another's company."

He said that, smiled politely, then looked away leaving Taryn wondering why she wouldn't go out with him. He wasn't proposing or anything. It was just spending some time together, and he'd already done so much for her family. And yet was that reason enough to go out with someone?

She answered her own question fairly quickly. No, that wasn't sufficient reason to go out with anyone. And yet why then was she standing there giving serious thought to saying 'yes' to someone who had to be at least 10 if not 15 years younger than her and who was still just as unemployed as he'd been when she met him.

"What did you have in mind?" she finally said thinking it couldn't hurt to at least find that out.

Luke perked up, turned toward her and said, "I'm flexible. And I hope it goes without saying that Matt would be more than welcome to join us whatever we might end up doing."

He smiled then said, "Your dad, too. And even Winifred, if that's okay."

"Oh, right. Winifred. I think I might just go check in on my dad and see who this 'hot tomato' he keeps talking about might be," knowing that would give her some time to think seriously about 'doing something' with Luke.

"She's really great," Luke said. "She lost her husband a few years ago and has been spending time here for the last several months. I really like her, and I can see why your dad's taken a shine to her."

Taryn stood there for a moment then said, "My dad loves to play Scrabble. Or he did when my mom was alive, anyway. I'd like to see Matt learn to enjoy playing it, too, even though everyone probably plays online now."

"I like Scrabble," Luke said. He smiled at her one more time then said, "So...was that a 'yes'?"

Taryn finally broke down and smiled, too, then said, "That's a 'maybe'. A very strong 'maybe' but still just a 'maybe'."

"Hey, that's progress!" Luke told her. "I'll take it."

She got ready to walk back to where she came in then said, "I have no idea why you'd want to spend time with me, but I honestly can't think of a valid reason to say 'no', so...yes. It's a very strong 'maybe'."

Luke did an exaggerated fist pump and said, "Yes!"

Taryn laughed then said, "I'm gonna go see what my father is up to. I shouldn't be too long."

"I'll be right here," Luke told her.

As she walked away, the internal debate raged.

"He's very young," one side of her brain said.

"But he's very cute," the other replied.

"He doesn't have a job!" the first side screamed.

"He cares about children and seniors and actually shows it!" the other hollered back.

Taryn's intelligent self, what Freud called the 'ego' told the 'id' and the 'superego' to sit down and be quiet.

"It's just playing Scrabble for an hour or two," she said as she walked into the room where her father had been.

She looked around and didn't see him anywhere.

"You looking for someone, dear?" an older woman asked.

"Oh. Yes. My father."

She described him and the woman said, "Him? Oh. Okay."

"Do you know where he went?" Taryn asked as she told herself he was okay and nearby.

"Oh, yes. He's out on the patio with...her," the woman said.

"Her?"

"Yes. Her. That...Winifred woman."

"Ohhh. Okay," Taryn said, wondering if this woman was upset or possibly even jealous, and that thought made her want to laugh.

"She's always on the prowl, that one," the woman said spitefully. "I saw him first and even pointed him out to her the first time he came here. But she just had to smile and bat those eyes of hers at him. And just like a little puppy dog, that was it. He's been following her around ever since with his tongue..."

She looked at Taryn then said, "Sorry, dear. I meant no disrespect. Your father is just such a nice-looking man and all, and well, I was hoping he might favor me over Winnie, but..."

"I'm so sorry," Taryn said, now feeling bad for this woman. She looked to be quite a bit older than her father, and that made her think about the handsome, younger man who'd just asked her out.

"Don't give up, okay?" was all she could think of to say as she headed for the patio.

Not sure what to think about the woman's comments, she was even more confused when she got to the sliding glass door and saw her father embracing a woman who was looking up into his eyes and smiling.

"Oh, my heavens! My dad is a Romeo!" she said as she opened the door.

He glanced over and said, "Taryn! Come on over. I've got someone I want you to meet."

The woman quickly let go of her father, smiled and said, "You must be Edwin's younger daughter. He's told me so much about you."

"Yes. That would be me, all right," Taryn said as the woman offered her her hand.

"Winnie? This is my baby girl, Taryn. Honey, this is my...friend, Winifred."

"Call me Winnie," she said sweetly. "Did you want to sit down and talk?"

"Oh. No. I just wanted to see if my dad was okay and ask him something. If that's all right."

"Of course," Winifred said. "Take all the time you need. I'll go back inside and warm up."

"Hey, I thought I was warming you up!" Edwin said causing Taryn's eyes to open wide.

"He's such a sweetheart," Winifred said as she walked by Taryn without replying to his remark.

"You okay, honey?" Edwin asked once Winnie was gone.

"Me? I'm fine, Dad. And you seem to be doing quite well yourself," she said with a smile.

"What can I say? I've still got it!"

He suddenly reminded her of Rodney Dangerfield and she tried not to laugh. Then she remembered the 'jilted' woman inside and felt bad for her, but she felt happy for her father. Just seeing him smile like this meant so much to her.

"Yes. Yes, you do," Taryn said.

"So what did you want to ask me?"

"Oh, right. Well, Luke was wondering if we might want to all get together and play Scrabble sometime."

She quickly added, "Winifred, too, if you'd like to invite her."

"I love Scrabble! Gee, how long has it been since I last played I wonder? Years. But yeah, that sounds like fun."

"I haven't said 'yes' yet. I wanted to ask you if you were even interested, and then I don't know if Matt will want to play, so..."

"Are you kiddin'? That boy loves that kid. Sorry. Young man. And somethin' tells me you might like him, too, huh?"

"Dad! Don't be ridiculous. He's not even 30 years old, for goodness sakes. It would just be all of us getting together and having a nice time. After all, he's done a lot for us, so...why not?"

"Yes, he has," her father agreed. "But are you sure that's all it is? There's nothing else there beyond having a nice time?"

She hadn't heard her father talk to her like that in many years. He wasn't being gregarious or sarcastic or anything other than caring, and it really touched her.

She hemmed and hawed and her dad understood.

"Don't shut him out because he's young. He's a really great guy, and who knows, right?"

"But he's so young!" Taryn said.

"I won't argue that with you. All I'm saying is my life with your mom went by so fast! I'd do anything to have just one more day with her. And if you can ever find someone who makes you feel like she made me feel, then who cares about age or...jobs or money or..."

"Resumes?" she said almost sheepishly.

"It's your life, honey. Just remember. This isn't some kind of dress rehearsal. This is it. Stability and security and all that jazz has its place, but love, well...love makes the world go 'round."

He winked at her then said, "Speaking of love, I need to go check on my little Winnie the Pooh!"

Then he wiggled his eyebrows and Taryn laughed in spite of her best intentions not to.

"Okay, Romeo! Run to your Juliet!"

"I'm too old to run," he said as he walked away. "But I'm not too old to fall in love again!"

Taryn was so surprised to see her 'old dad' back she didn't know what else to say. Maybe there was nothing more to say. And maybe, just maybe, he was right.

As she walked back inside, her dad was already sitting next to Winifred with his arm around her.

She smiled happily and said, "It was so nice meeting you, Taryn!"

"Yes. You, too!" she said sincerely as her dad winked at her again.

When she saw Luke in the gym she thought, "It's just Scrabble, right?"

Once she got back to where he was he said, "You missed Matt stealing a pass."

"Oh. Wow. That's good, isn't it?" she said, pretty sure that it was.

Luke chuckled and told her, "Yes. That's good."

He looked back toward the court then asked, "Did you find your dad?"

"Oh, yes. I found him. He and 'Winnie' were almost making out or, 'necking', as my father calls it."

Luke laughed and said, "I knew he had some moves left in him!"

"He's got a lot of something in him, that's for sure," she said playfully.

"Listen. We talked about playing Scrabble, and my dad is pretty excited about it."

"Wow. Excited over playing Scrabble. Maybe I'm giving him too much credit," Luke said with another chuckle. "Oh, wait! This must involve Winifred. It does, doesn't it?"

"Oh, yes. He's asking her right now, so I'm sure she'll be joining us."

"Us?" Luke asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Well, yes. Us. Dad, Winifred, Matt, you, and me. So...us."

"I'm growing on you, aren't I, Taryn?" he teased.

Rather than admit that he was she just said, "It's only Scrabble."

"For now," he said with that smile of his.

"Hah! Like there's gonna be another da...get together. It's just Scrabble and just this one time," she informed him.

"Okay. If you say so," he said. His facial expression indicated he was quite certain she was wrong.