America 1982-Chapter 615 - 137: The Benefits of Bringing Black People_3
"I just think you look more like a man and you’re far enough from that despicable couple. Why not sit on the carpet and I could ride you? Or, scooch over and make some space on the couch next to you. I don’t want a close-up of their lovey-dovey crap."
"Quiet! Tommy, pay attention to Stephen’s voice-over. I think his delivery is so brilliant. He said last time that he wrote it himself," Sophia said, clutching a bucket of popcorn, as she heard Tommy and Quinn bickering and told Tommy to keep it down.
Tommy squeezed into the space between Sophia and Quinn and turned to the TV, which was showing a preview of "Soar to Success". Stephen’s punchable voice came from off-screen:
"The last time someone told the world they were of noble birth was on the eve of the French Revolution. Not long after those words were uttered, those nobles started lining up at the guillotine."
"Now, some mess of a variety show keeps telling us how noble Americas nobility is, how pure their blood is. So, are they suggesting we reenact how nobles march to the guillotine?"
"Full of lies, these shows are! To avoid being ruined by idiots who think they’re nobility just because their granddaddy made a few bucks trafficking people or exploiting workers, please allow me to tell you there are no nobles here, only the miraculous American dream. Because this isn’t France, this isn’t England, this is the Land of Miracles, America."
"I will invite three friends from my Stanford University days, who have already achieved the American dream, to join the show and give up their wealth, status, and even their identities. They are allowed to bring only one assistant who is also shedding their identity. They will be thrown into a completely unfamiliar city where nobody knows them, nobody cares about them. They’re just nameless faces among Americas teeming masses. But they will accomplish a great feat: achieving a high-profile American dream all over again with a brand new identity."
"If they can do it, make no mistake, so can you in front of the TV. Let’s have these three tell you, there are no nobles here, only the American dream."
"And now, let’s witness the leap to success of these three underdogs."
"Our first contestant is Bert, a Stanford University graduate. He made commissions by helping his classmates invest their pocket money in stocks during his time at school. By graduation, his commission earnings alone reached a hundred thousand, and his personal stock earnings broke a million. This Stanford genius, who excels at maximizing economic benefits, and his assistant, his brother Arthur, will be sent to the small river city in far-off Washington. Friendly reminder, Bert, there’s no stock market in river city."
"Our second contestant is Jason, who clinched the Best Male Lead award from the California Small Film Actors’ Union in his freshman year. He earned twenty thousand for starring in his first movie. Later, he invested the twenty thousand in starting a software company with his roommate. In just one year, when others were still fretting over their student loans, his shares were already worth millions. This Silicon Valley up-and-comer and his assistant, also his girlfriend, Susy, are heading to Sacramento, the impoverished city in California. I’ve done my research, Sacramento’s total number of computers doesn’t even add up to a hundred, and 99% of the population has never touched one." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Hearing his introduction, Jason frowned and complained, "Why the hell did that idiot Stephen have to bring up my Best Male Lead award? Was he worried my dad in Mississippi wouldn’t know where to buy the collector’s edition of my adult film?"
"You’re welcome; I specifically negotiated that for you." Tommy took a bite of the popcorn from Sophia’s fingers and said endearingly, "Listen, they’re about to introduce me. The big shots always save the best for last."
"Our third contestant, Tommy, he’s an old friend of mine. I knew him long before college; we even had a wild trip overseas together. He could have become a billionaire, but he insisted on earning only what he should. Some might remember his photo, yes, that’s him, the Stanford good Samaritan who offered his word processing software for free to the public!"
"He and his assistant, a young black man named Martin that he happened to meet on Long Beach in Los Angeles, will head to Miami, Florida. There are many people living below the poverty line there, and I wonder if Tommy will choose to exploit their meager savings, revealing his hypocritical nature, or if he will remain a truly noble soul, helping them."
"Stephen couldn’t have cheesily praised you like that, could he? Are you sure he wrote that script himself? And Martin was a coincidental find? Wasn’t it actually Page who went to Long Beach to fetch him for you?" Jason asked suspiciously.
This time, it wasn’t just Jason; Susy and Sophia also turned to look at Tommy, because the lines didn’t sound like something Stephen would say unless he was threatened by Tommy, with a gun to his head. Sophia also asked:
"Did you kidnap Stephen?"
"I threatened not to shoot any additional scenes unless he made some slight adjustments to my part," Tommy said.
Jason looked at Tommy, "Why didn’t I get a notice? What did you adjust? Did you delete all your embarrassing moments?"
"No, nothing was deleted; I just made it so as much as possible fell on Martin’s head," Tommy admitted candidly.
On the TV, Stephen wildly substituted the real conversation between Tommy and Martin with narration: "We see Tommy in a serious conversation with Martin on the plane. Martin is very grateful for the opportunity Tommy has given him, so he can’t wait to offer help. Upon learning that they are headed to Miami, he suggests to Tommy that they should first trade some unhealthful drugs to make their first bucket of gold. Tommy indignantly refutes him and persuades Martin to turn over a new leaf and be a good person like himself."
"I can’t fucking watch this," Jason said, "Is this why you insisted on taking a black assistant instead of Sophia back then? So you could blame him for your actions during the final edit?"
"Now you get it, don’t you? The perks of your slave-owning ancestors always carrying a few black servants with them wherever they went."
