America 1982-Chapter 331 - 24: Helping Others with Joy

"Old man, your television station is really making a name for itself now," a black police officer scanned Chapman Tang’s office, and said to the grey-haired, bitter-faced Chapman:

"If your station hadn’t played that damned song last night, Big10’s blindingly flashy sports car wouldn’t be trashed, and he wouldn’t be scared and hiding in a high-end hotel in Los Angeles right now. Besides cursing you out like a madman, he has nothing to say. Oh, just a friendly reminder, Big10 is looking for a lawyer to sue you because he’s worried about his reputation being damaged and impacting his upcoming album release."

Chapman was just an ordinary elementary school music teacher. In his fifty-seven years, he had never done anything bad, he listened to his parents, worked hard to get into community college and was fortunate enough to become a music teacher at a black elementary school during the baby boom. He got married, had children, and when his son grew up and no longer needed his care, he finally had time to do something he loved—running a small music television station to share the songs he enjoyed. BHH Television Station flourished under his careful supervision until last night.

Last night, the entire black community in El Camino watched in shock as their beloved BHH Television Station aired those songs derogatory to black people during primetime. As poorly educated people from the lower class, their reaction to the insult was direct—burning Chapman’s car that very night and even a few violent individuals fired guns outside his own station, threatening to take out Chapman, the betrayer of the black race.

As for Big10, who was supposed to return triumphantly last night, he became an innocent victim. Upon encountering the incident, the young man chose to leave immediately, but before he could even leave El Camino, his sports car was smashed.

"I really didn’t know anything, Officer Ed, my station’s signal was hijacked illegally... those songs aren’t what I intended. How could I, a born and bred black man, ever play songs insulting my own race?" Chapman had been repeating this same sentence to the responding officers since last night.

But the police weren’t experts; they didn’t understand what signal hijacking meant. They could, however, get a very definite answer from others, which suggested that Chapman, the old man, had played those songs insulting black people on his television station.

"Listen, Mr. Tang, I’m here, holding back black rage and trying to keep it contained within me because I hope you’ll cooperate with me and come to the police station to offer some necessary help regarding the accident you mentioned last night," the police officer said irritably as he opened a small notebook to record Chapman’s words:

"Even though there’s no law against black people playing songs that discriminate against their race, it’s in your best interest to cooperate with us, Mr. Tang. Otherwise, those people outside who were forced to listen to the songs played by your station might just ’Find You’ and have a personal chat about what it means to be angry."

Earl Rash, clad in a royal blue suit, walked through the door and said dismissively to the black police officer who was interrogating Chapman: "I think, as an officer of the law, you’d better understand the consequences of talking to an ordinary citizen in this tone in the presence of a lawyer, officer."

"Who the fuck are you?" The police officer turned around to see Earl Rash at the door and snorted dismissively when he saw that the man’s skin color was the same as his own.

Er spat out his chewing gum and took out a business card from his suit pocket, tossed it on the desk in front of the police officer and Chapman: "Earl Rash, a nigger, a nigger lawyer, a nigger lawyer who helps solve nigger problems."

"Mr.... I... I didn’t call..." Chapman looked at the business card on the desk and nervously said: "I’m sure I didn’t call to consult any legal services."

What a joke, lawyers charge an arm and a leg. Those darlings of law schools can make more in an hour than many from the lower echelons could in a week. Chapman wasn’t keen on paying for a few hours of the lawyer’s time.

"Don’t worry, Mr. Tang, we don’t have a contract, so I’m not in a rush to charge you right now." Earl smiled: "I’m just here to tell you, you’re innocent in this matter."

Officer Ed picked up the business card and examined it for a few seconds, then asked Earl: "If he doesn’t need a lawyer, then why are you here? Are you planning to moonlight as a salesman, pushing the latest model toilets?"

"Last night’s signal interference was an accident, Mr. Tang; it was an inadvertent act by my clients." Earl walked over to grab a box of throat lozenges on Chapman’s desk, casually saying: "They realized they caused you trouble last night, so they sent me over right away to clear things up and apologize, seeking your forgiveness."

"What you should be doing right now is getting your clients to immediately report to the police station, Mr. Lawyer," the police officer stepped forward, took the throat lozenges from Earl’s hand, and put them back in their place, sternly saying.

Earl wasn’t angered by the officer’s action. Instead, he scoffed with even more disdain: "So, what is this, April Fool’s Day? Are you joking with me?"