Let me start this column by joining the scores of others and paying my condolences to the family of Steve Jobs. There is no doubt in my mind that the man was a genius, or something more.

For as full as his life was, and for as much as he was able to accomplish in the last 20-plus years of his life, he was taken by a really horrible disease.

And there is truth in the saying, “Money can’t buy you everything.”

It bought him time, but it didn’t buy him much of it.

I don’t pay homage often, but he definitely deserves it.

I use a Mac now, have been off the PC for about two years, and I just love my Mac. I have Mr. Jobs to thank for that.

Mind you, I am an absolute idiot when it comes to anything technological, but I am blessed and grateful to have a mini techno geek under my roof. I can only light candles and pray constantly that he will turn out half as well as Mr. Jobs did.

Speaking of my little wizard, he just had his first bout of heartbreak. Going steady in the seventh grade doesn’t last long, as was proven this week when it lasted all of two days.

Mama like. She say, “Whew!”

He was very excited to have a gal at school that he could call his “girlfriend,” but she was catching a lot of flak from her lil’ chickaritas, because she was going out with “the white kid.”

He gets irritated when he is referred to as ‘the white kid’ in class, he would prefer to be called by his given name.

I said, “You know what would be really funny? I could print you up a T-shirt that says ‘That’s right ... I’m white!’”

He rolled his eyes at me.

“Oh yeah, that’s all I need. I try to stay under the radar, I don’t need to draw more attention to myself.”

I laughed, asking him what the dealio was with chachamama.

“Well, we agreed to ‘go out,’ but the guys kept saying she was fat, but she’s not fat...she’s fluffy. And I don’t care anyway cause I like her.”

“That’s all that matters, son, is that you like her.”

But I guess the peer pressure was too great for her, so she called an end to it. They are going to remain friends, but there are no more hugs at the end of the day, from what I gather.

Another “Mama like.”

Thank goodness, too, ’cause she is taller than he is ... to the point of their hugs landing his face squarely between Thing One and Thing Two.

However, there are two other young ladies waiting in the wings to pick up where the last little gal left off.

Whether or not he will take one of them up on it remains to be seen.

I harken back to my own life and times in the seventh grade, and I have to admit, I was terrified of even squeaking out a boy’s name that I might have had interest in. My friends had so much fun at the expense of others who had the chutzpah to announce a love interest, and I did not want to be one of those who ended up getting raked over the coals. Never mind that, but if my many numbers of brothers had caught wind that Sister had a keen interest in a boy at school, it would have been just the worst.

No one is as relentless as your own family.

As I stood at the corner today and watched for The Kid to make his way across the street, I sensed immediately that his day had not been that great.

He had that look on his face like someone who was standing under the pinata when it got cracked open but came away empty-handed.

My neighbor happened to be walking past so he stopped and we ended up walking back down toward our respective homes as he told me about his recent fishing trip down to Mexico.

The Kid was in front of us, kicking rocks and looking back at me with the face that told one sad story.

I jabberjawed with the neighbor for a few more minutes once we were in front of my house and then he made his way down to his own.

I entered the house to find The Kid stretched out on the sofa like an old movie siren from the ’20s.

“I vant to be a-lone....” You know the look, one leg on the sofa, the other foot on the floor, one arm draped dramatically across the forehead and the other hanging limp by his side ... it’s a look I’ve seen often, particularly when there is homework involved.

“You feelin’ OK, bub?”

“No. We broke up,” he said, turning his face away from me, for more effect, I’m sure.

I took that opportunity to roll my eyes without being discovered.

“Ohhhwell ... you’re still friends, though, right?”

He nodded.

He turned his face back to me, the lip quivering and the tears just brimming at the eyes, ‘Yes...’ he said.

I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, “Now you know what it feels like to be a girl,” so instead I offered up “a chicken sandwich, french fries, and a hot apple pie.”

He nodded and turned his face away again, as I got my keys and headed out the door.

Upon delivery, he mustered up one of his sweet shy smiles and said, “I only love you anyway.”

Til next week, that is, when his little heart finds another love under the pinata.