America 1982-Chapter 224 - 78: The Business of Clearing Weeds_4
Tommy candidly said, "I’m a member of SSD, and SSD has a very deep network in the military. I deal with the military more easily than you do. I’ve also proven my charm among the poor, and I will offer installment loans to the poor to buy computers, securing the initial business volume. The only issue left is the black community, which you should thank me for taking off your hands."
"What on earth did the black poor ever do to you? Tommy, your tactics are even more brutal than Hitler’s were to the Jews. Hitler merely killed Jews, but he never did anything like this—loaning them money, an industry’s rising star stepping on the corpses of industry magnates to take their place, and while fighting each other, they leave their inheritance to you," Jim said as he licked his lips, asking curiously. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
Tommy shook his head: "Who knows? This kind of disgust is innate, maybe because in my past life I was a happy rich man, just taking my girlfriend shopping, and got shot by a black man for no reason."
"That reason is even more exaggerated than the radio one," Jim shrugged: "I think in your past life you must have been a poor white man born in Africa, getting screwed over by blacks many times, and that’s why you hate them to the bone in this life."
"I feel the same way," Tommy said.
"I want a higher share, Tommy," Jim said after a long silence, speaking seriously, "10% is not enough to quell my inner guilt about those blacks."
"I only have 50% total, and I’ve generously given you 10%. Do you think we are the only two who can do this business? I’ve got a Mr. Wealthy classmate who owns the other 50%, and of course, he’s not going to hog it all. His grandfather was a New York gentleman, and his father a California gentleman; I need their family’s connections and reputation, understand? He’s responsible for handling troubles from other banks or gentlemen who go after us as we grow, like offering stock transfers for peaceful coexistence. On my end, I need to sort out some California politicians to cover us, and buy some influential African Americans to help us out, like urging Nobel to award us a peace prize. Perhaps by the time we grow a bit more, I might only have about 20% left, and you could still have 10%. But 30% is enough to keep it firmly in my grasp, as long as you don’t betray me like you did with Lotus Corporation. 15% is my bottom line, no more, that’s all you’re worth to me right now," Tommy gave Jim his final offer.
Jim signaled the bartender in the distance to top up his drink, and after the bartender took his glass, he said to Tommy: "It’s hard to say, Tommy, if one day you become as stupid as they are, I’ll definitely do it."
"I can assure you, even if I think with my ass, I won’t do what they did," Tommy said with certainty.
As he took the whiskey that the bartender passed to him, Jim asked: "Why don’t you just take care of all this yourself? I mean, you didn’t need me. You could have handled it all and saved 15%."
"I have to study, and I’ve always wanted to make a black TV station. I prefer to be kind to people. I want to help my black friends create a TV station that enriches their lives, and if it takes off, I can advertise for the bank for free," Tommy said with a smile.
Jim swirled his glass and also laughed upon hearing Tommy’s words: "A black TV station, if you hadn’t told me what you just did, I really would’ve thought you were a friend to the blacks, Tommy."
"Can I take that as you accepting my invitation?" Tommy turned around, holding up his glass.
Jim also turned to face Tommy and nodded: "Of course, of fucking course I accept. I can’t wait to see the faces of those financial gentlemen on Wall Street when this little bank walks in, years down the line."
"To those gentlemen," Tommy raised his glass to Jim.
Jim raised his glass and tapped it against Tommy’s: "To the weeds that help us make money and finish cleaning up themselves."
