But Mannix is gone, turning Othman into a solo act. When you get the ball, everyone's eyes are on you, Othman said. You have the game in your hands. It's an incredible feeling. But you can't play the game with just one player.
Othman knows the role of team player well.
He's worked nearly full-time at his family's deli on Clinton Road in Hempstead since he was 13, doing everything from ordering and stocking supplies to manning the register. My father came to the U.S. looking for a better life, said Othman of his father, Sam, who immigrated from Jerusalem. He is a big believer in family tradition. He taught me the value of work. I guess it's made me more mature.