Steve Jobs and Biological Father: No Final Reunion

I never met Steve Jobs.

I rarely thought about him or followed his life.  But I can appreciate inventions and technology, and more important,  admire true genius.  Although there are many bright people, thank God, there are only a couple geniuses out there-- born every fifty to a hundred years--no matter how often the word is bandied about, like all a child has to do is build the highest castle in the preschool sandbox, and he or she will change the universe.

Sorry Mama Dearest.  Little Chesley might not be the shining light.

From what I’ve learned, Jobs was singular.  He had a vision, and he followed it.  Besides changing the world of technology, his personal life reads like the background of a fast paced work of fiction.  But it's true.  

Abdulfattah Jandali

 

 Most people know that Jobs was adopted.   The other day The Wall Street Journal published a fascinating article.  It’s about his biological father, Abdulfattah “John” Jandali, a Syrian immigrant, who was told in 2005 that Jobs was his son, and after learning the truth, sent emails asking about his health.  He received curt "thank yous," nothing more.  His dream was to meet Jobs in person.  That was never to be.

(Jandali is also the absentee father to Mona Simpson, a celebrated author and Steve Jobs' biological half sister, who wrote a novel called The Lost Father.  Guess who it’s based upon.)

Mona Simpson, Steve Jobs's sister

At 80, Jandali is the general manager of Boomtown Casino outside Reno, Nevada, overseeing 450 employees.  He earned his PhD in political science in 1952 at the University of Wisconsin, and while in Madison, met Joanne Schieble—later known as Joanne Simpson.  She became pregnant with Jobs, but her father was against their marriage.  Subsequently, she put the baby up for adoption.  When her father died, she married Jandali, and gave birth to their daughter, Mona.  The marriage ended in divorce, and Jandali abandoned the family.           

In a speech given at Stanford University in 2005, Jobs reflected on his life and said that he had a relationship with his biological mother and sister but did not mention his father.

I can certainly understand Jobs keeping his distance.  Jandali was no father of the year.  He never contacted his only legitimate daughter, and I wonder if he only wanted to see his son after he learned that his offspring was famous.  Friends say that the estrangement had become a source of great sadness to him over the years.
Really? 

He still had his gifted daughter Mona that never caused him to pick up the phone.  So I wonder how he's feeling today.   If the man still wants to make amends, why doesn't he make the effort and build a warm trusting relationship with his only surviving child. 

I bet he doesn’t.
Stay tuned.