America 1982-Chapter 286 - 12: Big Shot Martin_3
"Crack~" "Ah~~"
"Crack~" "Ahh~"
While driving, Martin screamed out, "Okay, Mr. Page! I know I messed up! Take away that damn stun baton, or why don’t you just switch to a higher voltage one and just shock or knock me out in one go!"
"I need to remind you that the boss asked you to help the television station understand the Black community’s tastes, not use the opportunity to seduce Black women into bed." Page put away the stun baton, turned his head, and looked outside at the Long Beach scenery as he spoke.
This city, notorious for having the worst pollution in the whole country, had skies so grey they looked like a mirror that hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Staying here too long could easily depress someone, but Martin next to him seemed immune to that, grinning like an idiot, happy despite the recent shocks.
"Did the shocks fry your brain?" Page, seeing the guy still able to laugh after being shocked twice, couldn’t help but ask curiously.
Excited, Martin gripped the steering wheel and said, "No, I just never imagined that being a big shot in the Black community would feel this cool. Did you see how those people looked at me? They were full of admiration!"
"If my two Black ex-colleagues and I hadn’t been there, they would’ve taken you down and stripped you clean in thirty seconds." Page picked up his mobile phone and dialed Rick Russo’s number:
"Mr. Rick Russo, the investigation in the North Long Beach Black community is over. I’ve counted it up—in one hour, they laughed out loud twenty-nine times. Your show is really popular. We’re heading to the next district now, goodbye."
"Where’s our next stop? I feel like all the Blacks in Los Angeles must be curious about me now, maybe even speculating that I’m some Black tycoon from New York." Martin waited until Page hung up the phone and then asked.
"The next stop is a bit more dangerous." Page told Martin, "Drop me off at the company later. Somebody else will take over your security for the next district."
Upon hearing that Page wouldn’t accompany him to the next event, Martin was not overjoyed but rather disappointed, and he tried to persuade Page:
"Please, I can’t trust anyone else. Page, don’t do this. Your standing behind me has a completely different effect compared to others. Look at those Negroes’ faces, it’s as if they’re about to pop their eyes out. Having the notorious Black Butcher of Long Beach respectfully stand behind me and serve me—no other Black person could enjoy such a treatment in their life."
"If I go with you to the next stop, there are only two possibilities—we either cut through the district together or we die there," Page told Martin.
It took Martin a few seconds to respond in disbelief, "So, what, are we heading to the Soviet Union or something?"
"No, South Los Angeles, Compton, Star of Africa district," Page gave the answer for the next destination.
Martin slammed on the brakes, almost sending Page crashing into the windshield. Although he came from Miami, that didn’t mean he hadn’t heard of the notorious reputation of Compton; it was just like Little Haiti where he lived back in Miami.
Compton, the city with the highest crime rate in California.
Little Haiti, the city with the highest crime rate in Florida.
What do the lower-class Blacks on the West Coast hate the most? White people? No, they hate the lower-class Blacks from the East Coast the most, and the feeling is mutual. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Martin now felt as if he were suffering from incontinence, saying frantically, "Me, an outsider Black from Miami, going into the Los Angeles Black headquarters to pose as a big shot? No way I’m going. I’d be shot to death, a fate worse than Kennedy’s."
"You know, the boss likes to use reward schemes to motivate people, like he’s willing to give Miss O’Connor a large sum of money to reward her hard work, willing to give Earl Rash shares as a recognition of his contribution to the television station. So, he expressly instructed me to arrange a similar reward scheme for you," Page, unfazed by Martin’s readiness to give up and still enjoying the scenery outside, lit a cigarette and spoke calmly.
Hearing about a reward scheme, Martin felt like he had regained some courage, and asked with some anticipation, "So, the boss will reward me with a big sum of money for this?"
"No, the reward scheme for you is a notice—if you don’t do the work, I’ll fire you," Page said seriously, looking at Martin.
Martin rolled his eyes in despair, "Thanks for the heartless reward."
Page continued to Martin, "The boss said that three guys called the Big Jacks will be responsible for your safety in that district. They’re Black."
"That’s precisely what worries me. I fear that before the other Blacks find the right chance to snatch this gold off me, those called the Big Jacks will make the first move." Martin said, "I’m a Negro myself, so I know just how bad Negroes can be!"
Unmoved, Page continued, "You can go or not go. If you go, you’ll still be the big shot at BT Television, surrounded and supported by people, riding in this luxurious car, and the company will cover all expenses. If you don’t go, for the attire the company helped you buy on credit, you’ll be responsible for the repayment, and the debt collectors knocking on your door might just be the Big Jacks."
