It was a Saturday afternoon at the auto dealership, and Jason and Kyle were just finishing for the day. The two had been talking about Jason’s uneasiness.
As usual, Kyle tried to reassure Jason with the now familiar ‘God has a plan’ and by offering his friend comfort in the form of a Bible passage. “You know, Jason, in Philippians 4:6-7 it says:
‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’”
“So that’s where that comes from,” Jason said to no one in particular as he remembered the verse that had pierced his subconscious the day he had visited the Immaculata.
As always, Jason appreciated his friend’s wisdom. Even though it didn’t necessarily solve his problem. He needed more time to think about it.
“How about a run?” Kyle asked.
“Great idea.” Jason needed to clear his head. A good run always seemed to work.
*****
Twenty minutes later, Jason and Kyle pulled into the small parking lot at the foot of Grand Avenue, where it terminated in the boardwalk and the broad expanse of sand stretching to the Pacific Ocean. They stretched against the wall to the public restrooms beneath the lifeguard tower, then started jogging north up the boardwalk.
They passed the Crystal Pier about half a mile up the boardwalk, then broke left, ran down the concrete steps to the beach, and jogged down to where the surf was just retreating. They ran in near silence, increasing their pace on the damp sand, while dodging kelp strands and pod clusters. The run was exhilarating, and the two friends enjoyed the serenity of the seashore and the crisp March air.
Jason and Kyle ran for nearly thirty minutes. Then Kyle raised his index finger and waved it in a circular motion, signaling that it was time to turn around and head back.
Half-way back down the beach toward the pier, Kyle pulled up and slowed to a walk. Jason came alongside his friend and bent at the waist, hands on his knees, breathing heavily. For an old guy, Kyle was in pretty good shape.
Kyle walked about half-way to the seawall and sat in the soft sand, looking out toward the ocean. Jason wandered over and took a seat next to his friend.
Kyle spoke first. “Any more thoughts? I mean, about what we talked about earlier?”
Actually, the run had helped Jason focus on what was bothering him. He was feeling anxious about what the future held, what kind of job he would get, where he would live, how he would support himself, and whether he would succeed. There was nothing special about those feelings. He suspected all soon-to-be college graduates had them.
Beyond that, Jason was unsettled because becoming a Christian had not lessened his desire to succeed, to reach his goals. In the past, Kyle had quoted Bible verses that cautioned against focusing on money and worldly goods. But the Bible couldn’t possibly be discouraging hard work and fair compensation. Jason figured he could still be a Christian and live well. Surely the Bible didn’t frown on that.
“Kyle, I think I know what’s been eating at me. I’m about to graduate and start looking for a job. But I guess I’m not sure anymore what the rules are. I mean, now that I’m a Christian.”
He paused for a minute, collecting his thoughts. Then he continued, “What does the Bible say about succeeding in life. You know, about being prosperous? I’ve read passages that seem to say that a Christian should not focus on money. So where does that leave someone like me who wants to succeed. Part of succeeding is earning enough to be comfortable.”
“Great question,” Kyle began. “You know, prosperity can mean many things. It isn’t all about how much money you make. It also has to do with how well you do in relationships with family and friends. It has to do with your health and well-being. It has to do with your relationship with God. The Bible teaches that you could be the richest man in the world and still be poor.
“In Matthew 6:31 Jesus tells his disciples:
‘So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’”
Kyle paused, waiting to see if Jason had something to say. When he said nothing, Kyle continued.
“Jason, I can understand your conflict. Society expects us to do whatever it takes to make it to the top of whatever hill it is we’re climbing. We’re supposed to reach the top of the pile by pushing down everyone else on the way up.
“But as Christians, our focus should be on God. We should first discern what God would have us do. In doing so, we are assured that our lives, by all measures which matter, will be prosperous. If we put God first, then we can accomplish things we might never have thought possible. Because God makes all things possible.”
Jason took it all in, then replied, “Sounds good in theory. But when I look at the day-to-day stuff that goes on in the world, I don’t really see people living like they’ve been consulting with God. There’s a lot of back-stabbing and blind-siding going on. And there are a lot of prosperous people out there.”
“Well, you make a valid point,” said Kyle. “But you might also be surprised at some of the places where God is at work and how God is using people to accomplish His will.”
Jason thought of Bert Tyson, the Station Manager at WADP. And Merle Perkins. And Mr. Garrett. He realized that Kyle was probably right.
“The other thing,” Kyle began again, “is you have to balance your concept of success with God’s requirement for charity. As much as God desires that we prosper, He also understands that not all will do so to the same degree. It is our Christian duty to share with those who have less. Matthew 5:42 says:
‘Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.’
“In Luke 3:11 the Bible says:
‘The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.’
“And in 1 John 3:17-18 it says:
‘If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.’
“As Christians, we are obliged to recognize that everything we have is a blessing from God. It is God’s desire that we share that blessing with others.”
Jason was feeling better. He still didn’t get it all. But later, as he and Kyle walked up the stairs from the beach and completed the short walk up the boardwalk and back to the parking lot, he had a sense of peace he hadn’t had an hour earlier. God was in control of his life. He would pray for guidance. And he would work hard. In the end, Jason felt certain that things would be as they were meant to be.
Chapter 23
During their final months at USD Jason and Kyle continued their love affair with intramural sports. Although softball was their favorite, they signed up for just about anything that would roster them both on the same team.
For the most part, intramural games were all in fun, an opportunity to escape the academic grind and spend time with friends. However, that was not always the case.
Just prior to graduation, Kyle spent the better part of a month on crutches, hobbled with a torn ligament in his left knee. The injury occurred during a particularly physical flag football game on a rainy Saturday afternoon in late March. In a scenario that oddly paralleled their Christian lives, Kyle had been running interference for Jason. On an end-around, he was blind-sided by the opposing team’s linebacker. He had been carried off the field.
Although the doctors eventually determined that the tear didn’t require a surgical repair, the injury sidelined Kyle for the rest of the season. It would be years before Kyle realized just how
serious the injury had been.
Following the injury, Jason had jokingly asked Kyle if there was a Biblical reference that went with the injury. He had never known Kyle to fail to come up with something.
“I don’t think they played football back in those days,” Kyle had said.
Then a moment later, he had an inspiration. “Wait, I’ve got one. 1 Corinthians 9:24 says:
‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.’”
“OK, so what’s that got to do with football?” asked Jason.
“Well, nothing,” conceded Kyle. “But it’s sports-related. So it counts.”
Then he smiled, like he always did. ‘Here it comes,’ thought Jason.
“Besides, the verse applies to our lives as Christians as much as it does to football or any other sport. You see, in the verse, Paul was speaking to the Corinthians, using the analogy of the runner to admonish them not to become complacent in their faith. To be the best means not being satisfied with where you are. It means always pressing forward.”
“The other thing,” he continued, is that being a Christian, like being an athlete, requires discipline. Whereas the athlete has to exercise, eat right, get plenty of rest and train, Christians have their own four disciplines. They need to read scripture, pray, worship, and obey the word of God.”
As always, Jason was amazed at how Kyle could put a Biblical spin on just about anything that happened in life.
*****
Fortunately, Kyle recovered from his injury by the time graduation rolled around. Kyle was already considered the ‘old guy’ in their circle of friends, so he was not about to endure additional teasing by arriving for the graduation ceremonies on crutches or, worse yet, in a wheel chair.
Graduation was the last Sunday in May. It was a beautiful day, full of sun, bright colors, smiling faces, and tomorrow’s promises. The campus was alive with crowds of the curious. Everywhere people were peeking in windows, opening doors, exploring buildings, and taking pictures.
Jason’s parents came from Oklahoma to see him graduate. Mr. Garrett insisted on paying for their round-trip tickets and arranged for them to spend three nights at the Marriott Hotel downtown, overlooking the San Diego Bay. Jason was stunned by the generosity and suspected that Kyle had something to do with the arrangement. He did his best to convince Kyle and Mr. Garrett that the gesture wasn’t necessary, but Mr. Garrett could not be dissuaded.
Bert Tyson and Merle Perkins from WADP were there, as were Tub and Susan. And so were the staff and sales people from Garrett Motors. Gus was there with his wife. He wore the same trousers, shirt, and tie. He even had the same coat. On a day when so many things were about to change, it was somehow reassuring to know that some things would forever be the same.
On Saturday evening, following the graduation ceremony, Mr. Garrett hosted a party for Jason and Kyle at the Marriott. It was just a quiet gathering of friends and family, a chance to applaud the accomplishments of Jason and Kyle, and an opportunity for Jason and Kyle to acknowledge those who had sacrificed and supported them.
To Jason and Kyle, it was but one milestone on their separate journeys through life. They had no way of knowing that those journeys would now forever be joined.
Chapter 24
On the Monday following graduation, Jason started his new job at Jagged Edge Marketing. Located on Front Street in downtown San Diego, Jagged Edge was a small marketing firm with about a dozen employees on the ninth floor of a forty floor high rise. It had been founded by two sisters four years earlier and was struggling to sustain profitability in an increasingly competitive Southern California advertising market.
Jason had interviewed for multiple opportunities locally in San Diego, including at two of the top five agencies he had solicited. He had been flown to San Francisco to interview for a marketing position at a technology company just south of the city. And he had interviewed with several municipal agencies. Jason had not lacked opportunities.
None of the high-end agencies in San Diego came through with a job offer, and an offer from the San Francisco company ultimately deteriorated over the details. When the offer was withdrawn, Jason found he was actually relieved. It was then he realized that one of his un-stated job requirements was that the job be in San Diego. He hadn’t realized how important it was that he stay in San Diego until he actually had an offer that would have moved him someplace else.
So Jason ended up as an Account Manager at Jagged Edge. Although the company was smaller than he would have liked, Jason reasoned that starting a little higher on the ladder would leave him with fewer people to pass on the way up. Besides, he had an office, and the job was in San Diego.
Jagged Edge was owned by Alex (short for Alexandra) and Sam (short for Samantha) Kent. The Kent sisters were both in their forties, although Alex was the older of the two and possibly closer to fifty. They were brash, had never been married, and probably never would be.
Originally from someplace outside Boston, Sam and Alex conducted business like you would expect of direct descendents of the upstarts behind the Boston Tea Party. Short didn’t just apply to their nicknames. It was the way they did business. It was how they treated their employees. And it was how people described their tempers.
Jagged Edge seemed like an appropriate name for a company run by the Kent sisters.
*****
For his part, Kyle was thrilled when Jason accepted the job at Jagged Edge. The two celebrated by taking care of the loose ends in Jason’s life.
First, they rented Jason an apartment in the same area of Mission Hills where Kyle had his condo. Not quite the same view, but the rent was a little more affordable than Kyle’s mortgage. Then the two set about getting Jason into a car that wasn’t owned by Garrett Motors. Kyle let Jason pick from any used car in the lot and pay exactly what the dealership had paid. No haggling required. Jason settled on a one year old Ford Mustang convertible.
Then, on the first weekend following Jason’s first week of employment at Jagged Edge, Jason and Kyle made a post-graduation trip to the A-frame cabin on the lake. It was just a quick, one-day visit to the place were Jason’s life was forever changed. It just seemed appropriate.
They took the convertible.
Chapter 25
There was no honeymoon period in Jason’s job at Jagged Edge. He was immediately assigned a dozen accounts. Several were prospective clients. A couple were existing accounts up for contract renewal. The remaining were contracts which had already expired but for which an effort would be required to reclaim the accounts before they were lost to another agency.
Expectations were high. The pressure to perform was intense. Jason understood in short order why the office he now occupied had been vacant.
But Jason had never been afraid of hard work, long hours, pressure, or difficult personalities. Ever since his first day delivering newspapers as a kid, Jason had known that if you don’t deliver, you don’t get paid. And if you delivered more or better than expected, then the tips were good. So Jason had the mindset that he was going to deliver -- early, often, on time, and on target.
*****
“Prospective accounts. Jason?”
This was Sam. It was the weekly management meeting in the conference room. No copy writers. No graphics people. Just Alex, Sam, and the three Account Managers. Because of its size, Jagged Edge had no Director of Accounts or Marketing Manager. Sam and Alex did it all, trolling for new accounts and keeping a firm grip on the Account Managers. As in around-the-throat.
Jason was the junior in the room, so he always went first. Then came Michael, followed by Tricia.
“Chamberlain is looking good,” Jason replied. “I hope to be in contract discussions in two or three weeks. They’re still reviewing the copy we presented last week, but they like the scheme. They’re just being cautious. Red Rock and Newton are hold-outs. I
think they may be shopping our competitors, but they may be stalled by internal indecision. Either way, I think we’re still in the game because our price points are better, and we’ll give them better service. Finally, I’m just starting to work with Crown Tree. They weren’t happy with the agency in LA that was representing them before, so I think they’re a solid lead.”
Alex jumped in almost before Jason had closed his mouth after the last syllable. “OK, we’ll want status on Chamberlain at least weekly until we have a contract. Stay on them. We’ll need them to sign if we’re going to make our number for this quarter.”
And that’s how it went. Every week. It was a tough business.
While Alex and Sam were busy beating on Michael and Tricia, Jason mentally took stock of his prospective clients. Chamberlain was a regional commercial shipping company, with facilities in San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Salt Lake City. Red Rock was a San Diego-based beverage manufacturer, looking to expand from its local markets eastward as far as Texas and the Dakotas. Newton was one of those new green companies hoping to cash in on the eco-friendly, alternative energy craze. They were a fairly new company, and they needed a lot of help refining their strategy in an increasingly crowded market for safe energy. Crown Tree was another San Diego company looking to expand. Crown Tree was a pharmaceutical supply company.
'People have to believe it,' Jason thought to himself, recalling the marketing class project he had worked on while still in college less than a year ago. He was thinking about the difficulties he would have convincing customers to buy products from some of the companies he was assigned to represent. He smiled when he realized that the real world was not that different from the make believe world at USD.
*****
That afternoon Jason left work early, hopped into his Mustang, and headed over to Garrett Motors, where Kyle was now the General Manager. It had been almost eight months since graduation, and they still got together several times a week. Their friendship had only grown stronger with the passing of time.