Fortunate Son

I don't remember exactly when I became aware of my connection with Paul Martha. It was probably when I was a awkward, nerdy high schooler at St. Thomas in Braddock and he was a star athlete at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh. My mother pointed out to me that we had a shared history. One of my mom's childhood friends had married above her station and was living in what was, by our standards, a rather upscale community, and was a neighbor of the Martha family. She had a son, Bobby, who was about my age. According to my Mom, Bobby, Paul and I played together as toddlers. Life intervened, as it always does. I saw Bobby from time to time, but I don't have any recollection of Paul.
Paul was everything I was not. He was tall, good looking and a natural athlete. He came from (again by my meager standards) a privileged background and even had a "normal" sounding last name. He went on to become an All-American football player at Pitt, was a high draft choice of the Steelers, and had a successful career in the NFL. If I missed any of his press clippings, my Mom was sure to point them out to me. Meanwhile, I toiled in obscurity at a non-descript Midwest university and went off to fight in an unpopular Asian War.
One doesn't become an NFL star because they're tall, good looking and a natural athlete. I'm sure he worked hard along the way. He was also apparently pretty smart, both academically and career-wise. While playing for the Steelers, he attended law school at night. When his playing career was over, he got a job with the most prestigious law firm in Pittsburgh and began doing legal work for the DeBartolo family in Youngstown. He was the DeBartolo's top lieutenant overseeing their sports empire which included the four time Super Bowl champion San Francisco 49ers and the then two time Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. He was on TV a lot during this period. He always seemed very poised, very professional, very impressive.
I too went to law school at night. No prestigious law firms came calling. I did have a long lasting career as in-house counsel to a diversified industrial company that verged on bankruptcy for a number of years before selling out to overseas interests. I wasn't on TV, and if I had been, I'm sure I would not have come across anywhere near as well.
Was I jealous? I don't think so. But you have to play the cards you get. I got a couple of pair - not too bad - but I always thought Paul got a full house. Now I'm not so sure.
With one divorce (after 35 years of marriage) and a second one in the works, three stays in alcohol rehabilitation facilities, time in jail for violating a protection from abuse order, Paul's getting the kind of press clippings no one wants. There's a good possibility that his troubles relate to brain damage from concussions he suffered as a football player.
Maybe he wasn't such a fortunate son after all.