America 1982-Chapter 393 - 46: It’s Up to You_2
"I feel that you should learn to refuse. When VOX became famous overnight, you should have refused him. He would have had no grounds for rebuttal. There’s no reason to ask a marshal to resign just after winning a war," Er took a cigarette case from his suit pocket, shook out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth:
"He’s been using you. BT Television, you helped him with the tedious early preparations. And then where were you? Do you have anything to do with BT Television now? VOX, you rented the satellite channels, built the team, recruited journalists—all the hard work was yours. Now, as dawn is about to break, you’re about to be replaced again. He has never been a friend to Black people. He’s a white slaver who knows how to efficiently use Black slaves."
Wolfe looked at Er with a face full of shock: "If Tommy is a white supremacist, then why do you still work for him?"
"We use each other, my Black brother. He uses me to sit there like a sharp-tongued statue, telling everyone, ’Hey, the president of this television network is a Black man, we are Black from top to bottom, all Black people, you must understand that in the United State America, this is the only television network that is family to you!’" Er lit the cigarette, spread his arms, and laughed exaggeratedly:
"But in reality, he uses the network to influence the minds of Black folks, to decide who they vote for, you get it? I do the same. I can use BT to gain more Black support and increase my influence. I’ve joined the New World Foundation, established the Rainbow Organization. Because of the existence of BT Television, my status within the California Democratic Party keeps rising. Everyone greets me voluntarily because I can decide whether the Black people vote for them or not."
"Why are you telling me this?" Wolfe still looked directly at Er with doubtful eyes and asked.
Er sighed: "VOX, what Black people need is not BT, but VOX, brother. We should take control of it ourselves, not leave it in the hands of a white trash who discriminates against Black people."
"So, you think if I refuse Tommy’s decision to leave VOX for another job, I can continue to sit securely in the position of president and CEO of VOX?" Wolfe looked at Er as if he were an idiot:
"Tommy is the boss of VOX, the chairman of the board. I’m just a senior employee with a tiny bit of shares." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖
"If you refuse Tommy, he would have to push for your departure through the board of directors. At that time, I could support you, take the opportunity to expose his past discriminatory actions against Black people, even prove that the programming of BT was all Tommy’s decision. The anger of the Black audience will be enough to force him to sell BT Television to real Black entrepreneurs, to make it truly belong to Black people. If handled well, VOX could also possibly be forced to sell," Er exhaled deeply:
"This is our best chance, Wolfe. If you leave VOX, it will immediately be filled with a bunch of white senior managers that Tommy brings from New York Wall Street, and Black folks will never have the chance to hold this kind of tool for speaking to the world again. But now there’s a chance to fight for it. The only cost is giving up your friendship with that swindler Tommy. He’s just using you. You can’t leave VOX. If Tommy forces it, you can create chaos at VOX. Even if it fails, I can hand BT over to you. I can do it, Wolfe."
After listening to Er, Wolfe crossed his hands over his knees, looked up at the night sky, and remained silent for a long time before speaking: "Er, a hamburger is enough to fill my belly."
After that, he picked up his briefcase, stood up, and walked away into the distance along the street.
"Are you really content to be used by a white man over and over again! Do you know what VOX means?" Er asked Wolfe’s retreating back with a voice full of anger and frustration.
Wolfe stopped, didn’t turn back, and said, "I won’t tell Tommy you came to congratulate me. And if you’re not full, the fast-food restaurant is right there. Good night, Er. I’m going home to be with my wife, to prevent her from always looking for a chance to participate in ’Wife Swap Game’ on BT Television."
...
After taking a taxi home, Wolfe took off his coat, put down his briefcase, and tiptoed first to his daughter’s bedroom where he gave her a goodnight kiss on the cheek, then he returned to the living room.
His wife, wearing a robe, came over and handed him a glass of red wine that was good for sleep, looking at her husband with admiration: "When I called VOX to ask how much longer you had to work, your secretary said you might not come home until very late because today was an important moment for Wolfe and VOX to become known to the world."
"Indeed, VOX has obtained corporate subscriptions from the Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse, which is enough to be listed as the second most important moment in my life in the memoirs I’ll write in the future," Wolfe accepted the red wine, then kissed his wife’s lips and smiled:
"The first being our wedding."
"You’re getting more vigilant, Wolfe, even knowing to give the answer I want without me asking," his wife said gently with a smile.
"Tommy once said, you always have to be more careful with your wife or girlfriend than with your enemies," Wolfe commented while sipping his wine: "I always thought that statement was wrong, but later I found it to be very true."
