America 1982-Chapter 298 - 15: Reveal miracles among the enemies, manifest special abilities in the land of Han, so that the elect may praise the name of God_4
"This is some information about California talent agencies I had someone organize for you before you arrived," Vanessa said, looking at Tommy as if he were an alien. "Honestly, I’ve dealt with film companies, television stations, and even Broadway before, and have encountered all sorts of partners, but those partners always wanted to squeeze me more, pay me less, and get more benefits for themselves."
"The white young man in front of me, however, does the exact opposite. Upon learning that I don’t have an agent, his first reaction is to offer agency information, so I can find a strong agent to negotiate a better deal for myself and ensure I earn more," Vanessa said with some bewilderment. She hadn’t experienced anything like this before and had never met a TV station owner as generous and kind as Tommy.
"The last time I met a photographer named Tommy, he left me with a... let’s just say, not so good impression, but today, another Tommy right before me is unbelievably nice," Vanessa said without looking through the materials, instead glancing around the office environment with a mix of laughter and tears.
Tommy observed Vanessa’s expression, "It sounds like, until today, the name Tommy didn’t evoke fond feelings?"
"I knew a photographer named Tommy before," Vanessa explained, smiling and nodding at Tommy. "He... was a troublemaker. Those problematic photos were taken by him."
"My friends call me Tommy too. Maybe all Tommys are troublemakers," Tommy Hawk reflected after hearing this, adding, "It must be true since I also know a guy named Tommy Vesty, and he’s a bad egg too."
Vanessa looked at the young white man in front of her, who was around the same age as her and called himself a troublemaker. She smiled and lowered her head, "Being called a troublemaker by friends is one thing, but being called that by business partners is different, Mr. Hawk. Friends often tease affectionately, but when it comes from business partners, it’s heartfelt."
"Sean has briefed me on some of your struggles over the past couple of years. It seems you’ve had a tough time... no on-screen gigs, just backing vocals, makeup, that sort of thing," Tommy said while sipping his coffee. "I mean, your agent should have been fired long ago. He’s not up to the mark."
"So, don’t rush into starting work, Vanessa. We can take it slow. We’re planning to shoot a pilot episode first to see the feedback, which means you can sign a short contract with us for one episode. Meanwhile, you can use the information we provided to contact agencies, or not use it and find one on your own. Either way, take your time. There’s no lack of work here," Tommy continued.
"Do you always negotiate with actors directly, Mr. Hawk? I mean, some might call this behavior foolish," Vanessa asked.
"Just call me Tommy," Tommy insisted, shaking his head solemnly. "No, Vanessa, a fool wouldn’t make a fortune of seven hundred million. I just don’t profit from the less fortunate. If you’re not diligent in your work, you’ll see the other side of ’foolish Tommy’: stingy, petty, volatile, and even prejudiced. The Ku Klux Klan, crosses, you name it... all sorts of shocking images..."
Seeing Tommy ramble on seriously, Vanessa laughed, "Alright, those threats don’t sound very convincing, but I’ll seriously consider your advice to find an agent."
"Do you have a place to stay in Los Angeles?" Tommy continued to inquire.
Vanessa shook her head, puzzled, "No, but I can stay in a hotel; it won’t affect my work."
"There is a villa on Beverly Hills that serves as the staff dormitory for BT Television. Currently, only a black employee named Martin Hart is living there. If you don’t mind sharing with him, I think you could save a considerable amount on hotel costs. Plus, the view from the hotel surely isn’t as beautiful as the one from Beverly Hills," Tommy said, looking at Vanessa. "Sophia, my assistant whom you’ve met, she lives nearby too. If you don’t mind, she could take you to see the place."
"You’re using a Beverly Hills villa as a dormitory for television station employees?" Vanessa had already been astonished by the previous act of suggesting she find an agent with exorbitant demands; now Tommy was telling her the staff dormitory for BT Television was located in Beverly Hills.
The kind of mansion that 90% of Hollywood stars could neither afford nor acquire was being used by this young man for staff accommodation.
The welfare benefits of this black-owned television station seemed excessively extravagant.
"Yes, and I myself live not too far away, in another building about a five-minute walk," Tommy told Vanessa.
"Why? I..." Vanessa looked at Tommy, "Why help me? I really don’t understand, Tommy. In the past two years, I’ve seen all the evil in human nature, in all its forms. The kindness shown by BT Television right now makes me feel more apprehensive than touched or warm because I can’t understand why all this is happening."
"Maybe because both you and I have been fortunate enough to achieve the American Dream, or maybe because you’re beautiful enough to make me fall in love at first sight? Who knows, maybe I never intended to help you, and it’s all just wishful thinking on your part," Tommy said with a half-smile as he looked at Vanessa, spreading his hands.
"I want to prove to those television stations that ignore the lower-class black audience what scale of viewers they have abandoned. What they disregard is what I value. No one in this industry cares about what kind of TV shows black people want to watch, but this outsider does. And you need to prove to those who have hurt you that they can’t destroy you, they’ll only make you stronger. You will stand on a more dazzling stage, stinging the eyes and hearts of those people. I think that’s the American Dream we both want to achieve. I haven’t helped you; I’ve just told you that we are fellow travelers in this dream."
"Do you often speak like this to... the people around you?" Vanessa’s eyes wandered, looking away. This girl, who had just turned twenty-four this year, seemed not to have heard such comforting words in a long time.
Tommy shook his head. "Often, but the folks around me are either lawyers or have a backgrund in political science—scarily high in rationality. They don’t react much after hearing it, or they’ll just complain that I talk too much."
"I think what you said is very touching, Tommy. I haven’t heard anything like it in a long time, full of warmth and strength," Vanessa said as she tossed her long hair, looking away with a faint smile, then looked at Tommy again. "Could you say more? No one has encouraged me in a while. Before I came to Los Angeles, my agent had already advised me to consider adult films."
"There’s nothing that causes more pain to those who have hurt you than returning to the peak, or even surpassing past glories," Tommy said, picking up a small Bible from the table and flipping it open at random, uttering spontaneously:
"This Bible tells us that to show miracles among foes and demonstrate extraordinary powers in the land of struggle is how the elect praise the name of God."
