NOTE: This chapter contains a lengthy interview. It's purpose is to refresh in my mind where things stand with Mike and his college and business activities. Hopefully it will serve as a refresher for my readers. As indicated the business activities start to take a back seat as one building project is complete and another starts. Mike's social and sexual development will come more into play as he hit an emotional and mental growth spurt.
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Mike
Friday was a very ugly weather day and it matched my mood. I called school and reported off sick. I went back upstairs and went back to bed and woke around lunch time. The phone woke me up and it was dad asking why the fuck I wasn't in school? I said I'm taking a Mike day. He laughed and said, those days require a head doctor's appointment, get that done before I get home or I'll make the appointment. I said consider it done. I hung up and made the appointment. I left a message for Jan and cancelled the date and rolled over and went back to sleep. A while later there was a knock on the door and Cole appeared asking, MJ are you ok? I said yup, just taking a day off. He looked and me and said well some notice would have been nice as I lacked a fucking ride. I sad damn, I'm sorry. He laughed and said, that's ok it was a study day for me as I want those tests over and to start shopping for a car. I laughed and said well you better get to it then. Cole left and I grabbed the Clancy book and read till I was finished. It had been a great day as there was not a thought in my head all day. I considered going to the gym to work out then decide to take a shower. Once I was all cleaned up, I decided to join the rest of the world and I looked at my phone. There were 13 messages and two were from Jan. I called her first and when she answered and I said, I'm sorry about tonight. She said, well I don't think you sick, just blowing a day off. I said correct but when that happens I'm in for the day, dad's rules. Jan, that's just the way it is. We talked for a while and damn already she was wanting too much time. We hung up and I thought damn that Prom date has a price.
I looking at the other messages none needed returned except for JJ. When I called him, I said before you ask, I just blew off the day, you want to come over and spend the night as we need to leave at a silly hour for golf. He said sure but will 3 sets of clubs fit in that ride of yours? I laughed and said, I'll see you anytime after dinner. Oh, dress nice for golf and I hung up. At that point I grabbed my headphones and listened to Mozart. Damn, if I didn't fall asleep again. This time it was dad who woke me and he asked are you sure you are not sick? Dad, I am good and totally relaxed, I've been cheating on the extra sleep and working out like a nut, but I'm good. He said well dinners is ready. I said, damn I am hungry and we went down stairs together. Obviously dad had ordered dinner as it was ribs, wings and fries and I saw Cole putting together a salad. I grabbed an iced tea and sat down and started on the BBQ wings and dad asked, so Mike did you make that appointment. I looked at him put down the wing I was eating, stood up snapped to attention and said, SIR, YES SIR and sat down and Cole was bent over laughing, dad not so much. After dinner dad said that since he cooked you two are cleaning up and Mike I need you in my office once you are finished. I said sure and Cole and I started cleaning up. I was taking my time as I did not want the relaxation to end and knew the time with dad would end that. Finally Cole said, Mike quit fucking around, I have things to do.
We finished quickly and I went to dad's office and he was on the phone and waved me in. Dad hung up the phone and nicely asked, Mike what's going on? Dad, I woke with ugly weather and my mood was the same so I took a day off. He looked at me and said Michael James spill it. Ok dad as near as I can figure I had a date tonight and didn't want to do that and I took the easy way out. We don't have much school left and I still have 3 days I can burn without stressing the coach out over eligibility. Mike, like me you don't deal with woman well. I laughed and said, well no matter how many straps I put around that box in my head the contains Carry, she escapes. Dad laughed and said, get out of here before I tell you "I told you so". I said, well JJ is spending the night and he said well, play safe. I laughed and said, it won't be like that tonight, it is a very serious conversation. As I was leaving dad said, hey another second, please. I stood by the door and he asked so have you heard from Ray lately? I said nope and dad said well call, and don't salut.
I went to my room and before I knew it JJ appeared. He said his clubs were in the garage and I said well remind me to get them tomorrow. Then I said, I'll be right back and I went downstairs and filled a pan with ice and added 6 beers and went back to my room. I tossed him a beer and said JJ we need to have a no holes barred, truth only conversation. The other day I had a conversation with Coach B and I vouched for you. Now I need to know and to be fair, I will share anything you ask about me. This is friend to friend, musketeer to musketeer and no judgements and when we are finished we remain musketeers. JJ replied, I've been expecting that. Mike let me tell you a story? Once upon a time in a Houston suburb there was this young, very inexperienced kid with brains, speed and a lot of athletic ability. He was a big shit on the junior varsity and was dressing for varsity games, but not playing. One Friday night in a route he was put into a game that was a blow out and it became evident that footballs stuck to his hands like flies stick to fly paper. An injury later and he was starting. Everything about Texas football descend on this Sophomore. There were invites to parties, booze, girls, weed and eventually other stuff. Damn the dude jumped right in. By the end of the season and over the rest of the school year he was a fixture and willing participant at these events. There was an endless supply of beer and weed and girls. At one point there was sex with 5 different girls in 5 nights. The dudes rents were all over him. He was grounded, threatened, loved and nothing mattered to the dude but beer and sex. One morning the dude woke up and found all kind of literature on Military schools on the kitchen table. The dude immediately called his dad and left a message, I NEED HELP. There was a long conversation with both parents and a head doctor. The entire time there was college coaches all over the place. Then one day the dude was told he was going for a ride in a jet. Before the kid knew it he was in a small airport in Pittsburgh and was introduced to a dude named Mike and reunited with a former friend Rob. Here he sits with a great new friend, drug free and with good grades and what he hopes is still an offer from VT.
I got up and gave him a big hug and sat down and said well JJ I have been through this drug stuff with with Bill and Ray and I can't do it again. I'm not saying you will get into that again and I believe you have changed and it was a phase, I'm simply saying I can't and won't do it again. There were tears in his eyes and he said, MJ the entire football team appears to be clean and to a man they say it is because of you and a dude named Jeff. I said well here is the Jeff and Mike story and how, we got to where we are as a team. I went into every detail, the three way with Jeff and Samatha and how I smoke weed once and the drug tests and he just sat there and listened. JJ that's how and why I run that team and most of the school, well the part that Sam doesn't run. JJ then got up and we hugged and I said, friends for life. We hadn't touched the other beer and it was late and I set the alarm and we stripped and jumped into my bed. We were both obviously drained and there wasn't anything but sleep.
We woke with the alarm and dressed for golf, made coffee and were on our way. Liam was there waiting on us and Cole wanted a caddy so I checked in at the Pro Shop with a very polite Assistant Pro. I asked about a Caddy and he said well an older guy who has been hear for years but that's it. I said perfect and we went to the putting green. When the caddy appeared, I pulled him aside and told him why Cole and Liam were here and that JJ and I were just having a relaxing round. Cole, Liam and the caddy were all business and I yelled at Cole for hitting two balls on a par 3. JJ and I continued what became a very detailed and blunt conversation with me telling him the Ray story, which shocked JJ. He asked yet he is permitted a few weeks in the apartment? I said yes and it, for me is a real work in progress. Then he asked so were you and Ray very close? I said yes until he decided he couldn't keep up and quit. JJ became very quiet. After we hit our tee shots on the next hole I asked, JJ are we competing against each other. He laughed and said nope as we are too busy deal with each other problems and I like that. I commented a couple of time on the conferences that Cole, Liam and the caddy were having and slow pay and finally the caddy said, sir we are two holes ahead of everyone let me teach these hot shots about my course. I simply smiled and said have fun.
From what I could tell Cole was hitting the ball very well and the three amigos were heavy in conversation all the time. As we approached 16 the caddy came up to me and asked so who is teaching this kid? I said a young Assistant at Oakmont. He laughed and said damn this kid has talent and he listens. I'm letting the two of them play the last three holes alone. Then he asked, how the hell did you get on here today? I said I asked AP to set it up, apparently my Oakmont membership doesn't count for much here. He just shook his head and moved on. I started to watch and Cole went bird, par and par on the last three holes. Back at the clubhouse I thanked the caddy and pulled out two 50's and said thanks. He just looked and said the pleasure was all mine and thanks. I thanked the Pro and invited Liam to lunch and he said he wanted to get a round in at the club and I pulled him aside and gave him a hundred. He handed it back and said, I was already paid. I said, I know and enjoy the rest of your day. We started towards home and stopped at Eat N Park for breakfast. After breakfast JJ went home and Cole disappeared into his room and I went to mine.
I was finishing up interview prep and decided to go to the gym and work out. When I got there Allen Clarkson was just leaving and damn he was looking fit. We talked and he asked if I was looking at Pitt and I said no and I made that perfectly clear in the PG, well tomorrow morning. We chatted about other shit and I said call me sometime. My workout was intense and the time in the sauna was great. It was a very quick shower and a roof down ride home. I was was loving the roof down thing and didn't understand why that took so long.
Back at home I found Cole in his room with papers all over the place, he said he had a great morning and the caddy was awesome and that he was developing his own course book and would try to build a collection in case he needed them. I asked where dad was and he said something about a meeting. I thought shit and said Cole have fun and you can have my Oakmont book? I called Jan and we talked for a while and she asked if I was free tonight and I said, nope interview prep. Then she said, are we done? I said no but you are pushing pretty hard. I'm simply busy and there is never more than one girl in my life at a time so please slow down. She laughed and said, Jack said the same thing. I said smart man I'll talk with you later and I hung up. It was prep and dinner and then early to bed.
I woke on Sunday morning super excited and it was the usual run with Cole and JJ. As there was plenty of time I sat down with a coffee and was reading the paper and sure enough there was my op-Ed piece. I reread it to make sure I had it in the memory bank and then went upstairs. It was a very long shower and Cole came in and he asked if I was ever going to finish. I dried off and shaved and looked at my self in the mirror and was once again starting to like what I saw. I got on the scale and was pleased at 219. I picked my best fitting suit and put on a light blue shirt was looking at the ties and then looked in the mirror and unbuttoned the top two buttons and thought, well that's me. I took the shirt off and removed the t-shirt and dressed again. I went downstairs and found dad and he said, where is the tie? I laughed and said, not happening. Ok Mike, your call but that's quite an opening statement. I said well it will be what it becomes.
I drove to town, parked the car and went into the lobby and was met by a guy who said Mike, thanks for being on time. Up in the studio I looked at the set and sat in the chair I would be using and was told that I was needed in makeup. I was sitting in front of a mirror surrounded by lights and a woman came in, introduced her self, took one look and said well I guess I'm done here unless you want a comb for your hair? I shook my head and she said, of course not and the no tie is perfect. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Patty and David appeared. We shook hands and there was the usual pleasantries and then I was asked about ground rules. I said ask whatever you want and if I don't like the question you will instantly be aware. Patty asked and when I push back? I said it will simply be game on. You will find me honest, direct. There will be some new developments and they will most likely come out with your questions. I do have a request? David asked what's that? I said that we start with my op-Ed in todays paper. They both looked at each other and I said well you should get a paper quickly. There was a quick discussion and Patty left the room.
I was asked to take a seat and I was miked and the camera was set. I then reviewed my visuals and was ready to go. Both Patty and Davis were reading the paper and looking at each other.
All of the sudden the lights went on and we were all asked to get in place. I was asked if I was ready and I looked around and saw my team and said, let's do this. I was told to be natural and ignore the cameras. I laughed and said sure. All of a sudden it was very quiet and I heard a count down and Patty said, welcome to an expanded version of Pittsburgh Business Today. David and I are please to have Mike Simmons, Jr. here today. For those of you are unaware of Mike, he is a total package and one of the most outstanding 17 year old guys you could meet. Patty looked at me and said Mike, David and I are thrilled you could be with us this morning. I said well guys, it's my pleasure, I've been looking forward to this all week. David then said well you dropped quite a bomb shell on us ten minutes ago and our staff was scrambling to catch up and we had not asked a question. I just smiled and said well that op-Ed piece I submitted was important to me. Patty asked so why is that. Well there was an unsubstantiated story in the PG a few days ago about my college choice and that of a number of rising seniors. David asked so you are more than a soft VT recruit? I said well that article resulted in multiple phone calls and a head coach making a trip to Pittsburgh. Pitt was never seriously in my mix. Patty asked, so why was that? I said Pitt is a good school and has a good program, I just need to get out of Dodge so to speak. It is already to the point that when I go out people find the need to chat. At the hockey game the other night, 8 people needed to stop by and chat, most of whom I did not know. Can you imagine what it would be like if I played football here. What most people don't understand is what we athletes, who work hard and are blessed with talent, go through making that decision. You need to consider, family, football, your potential chances for success and in my case academics and VT has a great Comp Sci program then there is my dad. The coaches while wanting me to attend VT pushed back and I got a feeling what thing would be actually like once I signed officially. I've already made friends on the team and there was not one alumni that approached me.
David said Mike that is a good program but why take courses at CMU? Well it was an option that was available and it will permit me to graduate in 3 years from VT and if I stay another semester I'll have a masters. Not only that but with advanced placement classes, I'll have a semester in before I step on the field. Dad and I have a goal that he retires the day after I graduate from college. Patty said, well thanks for the segue to your business life, so how are things? I said wow, so you are done asking questions because my answer to that will take the rest of the show. Would you please be more specific. I noticed Brian shaking his head and the Major laughing. David, chuckled and said ok Mike that fair. Can we talk about the construction project. David, thanks for that question. I stopped at the site the other day and saw the final piece of structural steel being put in place, I believe you have that picture. Then I said, I can't say enough about how much the cooperation with the city and county has helped and especially the Mayor. David, it is way ahead of schedule. I can't wait to get everyone in the building. Patty asked, so how is all this being financed? I said Enterprises owns the land and the building and Technologies is the only tenant and has signed a long term lease. She said as a follow up how profitable is Technologies. I said it is a private company but I will tell you that it is and always has been very profitable, add the NASA project and a couple of other smaller additions things are great and will be for a long time. Then there is the new relationship with the Giant Eagle as we will be managing and developing the Advantage Card Program. That was just finalized last week. Both Davis and Patty just looked at each other. Scrambling a little Patty asked and you are Chairman of the Board for Technologies, is that correct? I said yes and dad and Kyle Williams runs the day to day stuff.
There was a TV break and Patty said so we are what 15 minutes into this and you have had 2 major announcements. Are there more? I laughed and said well that depends on what you ask. I stood up to stretch and I heard back in 30, so I sat back down. Patty started right away and I was handed a sketch of the new building and was asked to explain the design. I said my personal business hero is Andrew Carnegie and the design with steel, aluminum and glass is designed to reflect our past and once you are inside it is designed to reflect the future. The furniture has been selected and will be the newest product designed and manufactured in Michigan by Herman Miller. J & J architects the designers of the building are also coordinating the furniture with the local dealer.
David said Mike, moving away from business for a minute and I know there is another company but you also have a foundation. I said it was funded by a settlement from an unfortunate event involving my local police. I said the settlement was 2.5 million and I added 500 k from my Trust. It supports local libraries, police and fire and well as a scholarship fund for caddies at three local country clubs. Then there is money for startups once the next building is finished. Patty said, ok the next building? You are certainly full of surprises. I laughed and bit back a comment and said. Yes, there is an adjacent lot that we own and it will be another 4 story building. Enterprises will be on the top floor and the second and third floors are rented and now that the structural steel is in place on project 1, those workers will be moving to building 2. David asked so who are the tenants. I said well I can say the second floor will be housing the building trade union. I would like the other tenant to release that information when they are ready. The first floor will house startups and I am planning, once approved, to add a marina and restaurant. Patty asked, why a scholarship for caddies at three specific courses. I laughed and said well I am currently a member at each of those. Ok Mike what clubs? I said South Hills, Latrobe and Oakmont. Mike, why those? I said well dad is a member at South Hills but my junior membership was converted, Oakmont is a full membership which I use for business and golf and Latrobe was payment for being a caddy for AP. It's one year but I'll join. David said, well we were aware of you football talents so what is your golf handicap? I said I am told it is a 4. I don't play often and practice little.
It was time for another break and we were half way through. Patty asked, so is there more? I said that depends on your questions and how much homework you did for this interview. She said Mike, you have been snippy all morning, why is that? Well I worked all week to get ready for this hour and there hasn't been one informed or difficult question yet, but let's get back to it. We sat back down and as expected Patty had the first question. Mike you mentioned Enterprises a number of times what exactly is that company, it appears to have a lot of moving parts. Well it was started as the real estate partner for Technologies and still serves those needs. However, it also owns property, building 2. Leases space in our buildings. It's division Standard Property now deals with all that as well as building the second building. There is an architectural division, Tri-Rivers architects, who designed building 2. At some point it will manage the restaurant and marina. Also, I can announce that on July 1st there will be a legal component as we will be forming Three River Legal Services. Technologies and Enterprises with be clients as well as number of other companies and individuals. Well Mike that's sounds like a giant toy for you to play with and spin off when you are tired of them. I said, well I can see how an uninformed reporter who has know me for a little more than an hour would jump to that conclusion. The reality is that I let people and divisions develop and succeed and then when they are ready they can stay or are free to move on. So is that what you did with J & J architects? I said, we are working on the current project, they because of that relationship, got very busy, so I used a new company for building 2. J & J will be the design team for the marina and restaurant. So while they have new digs we have a good relationship. Also, I renegotiated the loan to make this transition easier.
David said Mike, let's talk about football. What are your goals? I said simply to win another district championship, start as a Freshman at VT and to help them win a National Championship. Mike, you didn't mention Pro Football? I said because that is not a goal and will not happen. Mike, are you sure about that? David, it has become evident to me that while I have a handle on all the current business stuff and I feel we will weather the upcoming downturn, anything is possible. I am 17 and have changed a lot physically and mentally, I am maturing and changing and developing. I am in many ways a confuses teen and a work in progress. Patty said, well Mike you have managed to break a new story in every segment, we need to take another break and we have an announcement of our own. Do you have more to let us in on? Before I could answer she said well we will find out when we come back.
When we came back Patty said Mike, you mentioned an upcoming downturn what did you mean. Well Patty, I feel that the economy is heading for a tough time. First of all interest rates are too high and that is an attempt to keep inflation in check. We have a number of important elections for Governor and President on the horizon. We have had 12 years with a Republican in the White House and the economy isn't great, heck I would bet one of my buildings on a change. Locally the real estate market is overbuilt. There are only three construction projects in the region and two are mine. They would not be happening without long term leases. I took a lot of chances but it was after lots of chats with my team. They are very young and think outside the box. All the risks are analyzed. Then Patty said Mike one last question? I said sure. So how do you justify a corporate jet? I said well it is basically for business as dad travels to Houston and the Cape a lot. It saves time. Mike what about the personal use for the Spring break and flights to and from Washington. I said all reimbursed from my Trust. David asked, so how is the trust involved with the companies. I said well the Trust holds my shares in Technology. Dad, Tim, my attorney, and I control the trust for a few more months and then I simply become the wealthiest teen in the county. Patty said Mike, all week we have been talking with various companies and we are pleased to announced that the MJS Foundation will be receiving 75k dollar donation to be used at the discretion of the Trust Directors. I said thanks and it will be put to a good use. We all shook hands and the lights were turned off.
David, Patty and I spent some time talking and I thanked them and said I hope I did not disappoint. Patty said well it was worth it once you pissed me off and I started with question that we're not cream puffs. I smiled and said, you should have started that way. She said what was impressive was the harder the questions the more focused you were. I said thanks. I introduced Tim, Brian and the Major. We all chatted for about 30 minutes and on the way out Brian said Mike, your dad is meeting us at South Hills. I said damn there will not be a minutes peace. The Major asked for a ride and I said sure. Almost immediately, he said Mike yesterday you had a very blunt conversation with JJ. Jim I said and I know he was upset. I was trying to get him ready for some hard questions from VT and once he signs, a random drug tests. I told them that he has been clean since I met him. Jim call him and ask him to throw a jacket on and we will be there and he can share the drama at the club. The Major made the call and said thanks. Jim, JJ is important to me and I believe him. Mike, I know he drinks and I know about the weed and I suspect something more but fuck he is different around you. Jim, he would have to be, that's how I know he is clean. Jim, I'll make it perfectly clear that we are good and I have his back. We pulled into the driveway and JJ came flying out. I jumped out I gave him a hug and he got in the back seat saying hey dad.
At the club, I told Jim that JJ and I would be right in and he said, we will be in the men's grill. JJ said shit and I put a jacket on. We walked back to my car and ditched the jackets. I said JJ, I know I upset you yesterday, are we still good. He smiled and said, ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE and I laughed. Once in the grill JJ and I found beers and I said, let's order I'm starving. Brian said Mike, you were very good, well that's unfair you were outstanding till the last segment. Where in the hell did the economy come from and the prediction on the Presidential race. Brian, I was reading tea leaves and that's what came out. He looked and me and I said so was I wrong? He said no you were not and that fucking scares the shit out of me. I laughed and said read that as no new projects, just build on what we have. Oh I am going to see about renegotiating the mortgage on building 1. Then I looked at dad and asked so what was your business meeting about yesterday. Dad replied, not yet. I said, just so you know we can't put an additional floor on either building. Everyone laughed except me.
While I was waiting for the food, I turned on my phone and just tossed it to the Major. He said holy shit, Riley has a tough week ahead. The voice mail box was full and there were 15 emails. I turned the phone back off as lunch arrived. Once the food came I switched to an Arnold Palmer and so did JJ. Once we were finished, I went up to the Major and said, Jim would you mind riding home with dad, JJ and I need to be alone. He smiled and said sure. JJ and I got in the car, with the roof down and he said, so where we going? I said no idea and we are both over dressed to do something fun. I headed for South Park and we drove around and just chatted. Finally I headed home pulled into JJ's driveway and he got out and I yelled Dude, Rule 3. He said fuck, I'll have to look that up, but thanks.
It was still early and I was fried, so I went downstairs and sat in my chair on the deck with an Arnold Palmer. I was there until dad came out and sat down beside me. He had a scotch and naturally a cigarette. As he just sat there I decided to remain quiet but I was on the deck and not my head space. Finally I asked what's up? He said, nothing at all I'm just sitting here enjoying quiet time with my son? I laughed out loud and said you never do that here, usually I'm dragged into the office. Then he asked why the special attention for JJ and I replied rule 6 and got up and went inside. Dad came in and we sat in the game room chatting and for the first time in days we were actually in a good place together. We chatted for about an hour and I went to my room, turned on the phone and took notes for another hour, then sent emails to various staff. I was rapping up and Cole came in and reminded me about extra rest. He thanks me for the weekend and asked I was bothering with school. I laughed and said good night. It was a very quick shower into bed.