Tuesday, June 3, 2014
To My Dearest,
I’ve been busier than ever helping the MCA on a full-time basis, and it’s as hectic as what I imagine running a company must feel like. Michael even suggested that, on my resume, I more accurately reflect the depth of the work experience with a title like “Deputy Head of North American Operations” or something else a bit more impressive-sounding than just “Summer Intern.”
Most exciting of all, the Canadian friends of my father came through for our family again and were able to expedite a visa for Maria today. It was a bitter sweet moment to think about how my father – if only in spirit – is still looking after us. The personal connections that he made when he was alive are still strong enough – thanks to his blessed memory – to help his eldest daughter in her time of need.
I spoke to Michael and he thinks he’ll be able to wrap up his work in Syria and come back to Beirut to fly back with my sister, so that she’s accompanied for her whole trip to Montreal and then New York. So even though she could actually fly back today, we’re booking her flight for June 5th so that Michael can return with her. “There’s endless work on the ground in Syria, which means I’m never really done,” he noted. “But there are things that I need to take care of in New York, including my dissertation. So I might as well time my return so that Maria doesn’t have to travel alone to a foreign country for the first time. She’s been through enough as it is.”
“I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done, Michael,” I said, moved by how considerate and giving he was. I extended my hand towards the laptop screen and touched the video image of him.
He smiled humbly and extended his hand, as if to virtually touch mine back. “I’m really the one who should thank you,” he replied. “Although I thought we decided that you weren’t going to ask your professor for any more donations.”
My eyes looked away in a moment of confusion. “What do you mean? I haven’t been in touch with Professor Morales in over a month.”
Michael’s expression then mirrored my confused look. “Oh. That’s odd.”
“Why? What happened?”
“The MCA received a wire for ten million dollars yesterday.”
My eyes practically popped out of their sockets and I couldn’t get my mouth to close. “What?!”
“I know, I couldn’t believe it either. The funds came from that same foundation that sent us the first two wires totaling eleven million dollars.”
My faith in the universe suddenly felt restored a little. “That’s amazing news!”
Michael released a big grin. “Yes, it really is. I guess now you can pay back your Uncle Tony the $25,000 he contributed, I can restore my meager personal savings that were chipped in to release Maria, and we can definitely pay you a nice salary for all of your great work this summer,” he added with a wink.
I was so elated after hearing about the huge, and totally unexpected, donation from Professor Morales that it more than made up for the disappointing news about my overall performance in his class. I actually got my grade yesterday (so I now have all of the results from my second semester) and I’ve been trying not to think about it. Actually, I don’t really want to tell you about my latest grades because they were nothing like what I received in my fall semester, and maybe that’s just a reflection of a more mature, well-rounded approach to my spring term. Indeed, during these last months, countless other aspects of my life took over and crowded out my academic focus. I’ll mention the B that I received in Psychology and Markets only because that class meant so much to me up until I stopped dating Professor Morales. For most of this semester, that course fueled my fantasy of a high-paying job at JMAT, but after Professor Morales and I had a falling out, and I got a B in his course, that dream is gone, it seems.
Nevertheless, after just learning about his unbelievably magnanimous contribution to the MCA, I’m again confused about him, thinking that maybe I judged him too harshly or with too little information. Also, if I’m being totally honest with you, My Dearest, I should tell you that I did still think about him a lot over the last month, even though I tried to forget about him and that’s why I barely mentioned his name to you anymore. But I couldn’t help wondering if he was seeing anyone – Maya, our TA, or someone else – after we stopped dating. I also worried about whether our breakup might impact my grade somehow. And now that I got a B in his class, I am curious as to whether the breakdown of our personal relationship might have somehow influenced the outcome for the worse, although a part of me seriously doubts that possibility, in light of his generous donation. Yes, I’m very confused. I’m even tempted to discuss everything with him, although I’m not sure that I’m ready for that.
To muddle my mind and heart even more, yesterday I read a story in the paper about another scandal that just hit Professor Morales. Someone from my Psychology and Markets class emailed a bunch of students, including me, the following article, from the same tabloid that had reported, with gleeful sarcasm, on his selfie scandal. Under the headline, “Office Attack After Psych Expert Hires Homeless Man,” the article read as follows:
“Last month, Craig Walkenford, a homeless man hired as a security guard at JM Analytics & Trading (JMAT), the twenty-billion-dollar hedge fund owned and run by Julien Morales, allegedly attacked a Lightfoot Express Courier (LEC) deliveryman, who had arrived at the office with a package. The police report states that Mr. Walkenford, who had worked at JMAT for just a few weeks, suddenly screamed, tackled the unsuspecting courier, and proceeded to pummel him on the ground until those nearby could stop the attack by restraining the new hire. According to sources, the violent outburst shook up the employees and potential investors who were waiting in the lobby of the prestigious Midtown hedge fund. Mr. Walkenford was taken into police custody on May 9th, but details of the incident emerged when LEC and its injured employee today announced that they intend to sue JMAT and Mr. Morales for negligently hiring an emotionally unstable person for an office security role. According to the police report, Mr. Walkenford, 31, is a veteran who was deployed in a U.S. infantry unit in the 2003 Iraq War, and subsequently served in three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan before being honorably discharged in 2007. Due to chronic and often violent bouts of PTSD that Mr. Walkenford (in the police report) attributes to his military service, he was unable to hold a job and ended up living as a vagabond in the New York area for the last few years. Mr. Morales, a thirty-nine-year-old psychology professor at Columbia University, took the unusual step of personally clearing the homeless man to work at his hedge fund, rather than requiring him to pass through the firm’s notoriously rigorous hiring procedures. The billionaire finance tycoon apparently befriended him while “trying out” homelessness for a few days. The bizarre incident comes after a similarly erratic moment, last April, when Mr. Morales, who is known for his playboy lifestyle and swanky VIP parties, was revealed in shirtless selfies that he had sent to a socialite about half his age. Repeated calls to JMAT with a request for comment, were not returned.”
The article boiled my blood because it misleadingly made Professor Morales look like a man plagued by poor judgment and reckless behavior. But, unlike the last scandal, I personally knew just how unfair the press was being towards him and I even felt partly responsible for the incident – since the whole “trying out homelessness” thing was my idea, even if it was suggested half in jest. My professor clearly tried to do a good thing by helping this poor veteran and the paper put the worst possible spin on the incident.