Chicago 1990

On Friday afternoon, the small gymnasium of the school cancelled other activities. A wooden podium decorated with school emblems was erected. There were hundreds of folding chairs neatly placed opposite the podium and a row behind it.

Song Ya was sitting on the row of chairs at the back. He sat Hayden on his left and a black woman with a very intellectual temperament on his right. She was a representative sent by the Chicago Equal Rights Organization, named Michelle, with the title of Law. PhD, a terrifying degree.

Opposite, the faculty and staff took their seats one after another. Familiar faces such as Aunt Susie and Old Joe also came. The principal stood in front of the podium, watching everything silently.

Song Ya waved to Aunt Susie and Old Qiao, and involuntarily pinched the speech in his pocket with the other hand, feeling a little dry.

"Take a deep breath, don't be too nervous, it's okay to say something wrong." Michelle keenly noticed the change in Song Ya's mood.

"Thank you." Song Ya smiled at the other side. Michelle is from the Donkey Party, and so is Underwood who has not yet been there. Both were introduced by the principal, so the principal's political inclination is self-evident.According to regulations, public schools should be politically neutral. School funds, services, or resources must not be used to influence the election of government officials or party political activities, but what I did this time is definitely not a political activity, although It is a good opportunity for politicians to expose and please black voters.

Speaking of speaking, he hadn't met Congressman Underwood himself. Song Ya probed for him. Except for the black female assistant and some reporters he had met, Congressman Underwood was still missing the end.

"Ladies and gentlemen……"

The principal looked at his watch, and the agreed time came. After he spoke, the gym was quiet. When everyone sat down and started to look at the podium, he continued to make his opening speech, "Today is an honor for the school and Alexander Song. day……"

He leaned sideways and gestured towards Song Ya. Song Ya felt everyone's eyes shift to him, and quickly stood up, showing a standard smile that he had practiced for a long time.

"In order to affirm his achievements in music, the American Radio Music Association decided to accept him as a member. This is also the first... the association member from our school and the youngest member of the association..." the principal continued.

Song Ya sat down.

"Our school has been cultivating various art disciplines for many years and has cultivated... and other talents, which are inseparable from the professional hard work of the faculty and staff..."

"Here I also want BMI's recognition of our students, as well as the selfless help provided by Dr. Michelle of the Affair Association and Mr. Underwood of Illinois State Assemblyman. The persistent disease of racial discrimination has profoundly affected all aspects of America. ..."

"Below, I would like to invite a special representative of BMI... to issue a membership certificate to Song..."

When the principal finished speaking, he took a few steps back and let the podium out.

A representative of the BMI from the three brothers stood in front of the podium, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to represent BMI............ BMI has struggled for many years on the front line of fighting racial discrimination. In the era of the most serious discrimination, Granted...and a series of membership qualifications for African-American artists...Today, I am honored to serve as a representative to present this certificate to Alexander Song..."

BMI is very experienced in dealing with these kinds of crises. They did not send a white person, which would become a target of public criticism, nor did they send a black person, which would seem a little deliberate. The dark complexion of the third brother is a good candidate.

Song Ya stepped forward and took the certificate handed by the third brother with both hands, and there was a timely applause from the audience.

After the third brother retired, Hayden took the stage again and presented Song Ya with a transparent plastic trophy. "On behalf of... Magazine (a small media that has a good relationship with SBK Records), I will present the Amerika March Best Newcomer Composition Award to Alexander Song...in order to commend him for bringing us such excellent works as second-hand stores..."

Song Ya took the trophy,

"Thank you, thank you." After receiving the things, Song Ya stood in front of the speech stage, put the trophy and certificate on the stage, and took out the speech script from his pocket.

"Thank you BMI for your personal affirmation and...magazine's absurd praise, ladies and gentlemen, I was born here and grew up here. As a poor and ordinary boy with a single parent family, I want to thank the whole society for its kindness to me. ..."

As he talked, he gradually relaxed. While reading the manuscript, he was able to distract himself and observe the details of the face-to-face audience.

Daniel said that to help him understand how the entire American society works, now is the best empirical environment.

Daniel said that to be the person who gives points, at this moment, is the result of his hard work.

He gave the principal a reason for encountering'racial discrimination' and a reason for an'awarding event'. He gave points, and the principal turned this reason into an actual political activity. The principal gave it to Congressman Underwood. He scores points with Dr. Michelle, while Senator Underwood and Dr. Michelle provide help to pressure BMI. They are also the ones who give points.

Perhaps this is the essence of the operation of society.

"First of all, I want to thank my music teacher..." Song Yanian said here, controlling her facial muscles, and showing a grateful smile to the music teacher in the audience. "When I was full of doubts about music, it was your care and sternness to give again. I am confident that I will keep going on this road full of thorns. It is you who have given me all the conveniences for this poor boy, allowing me to concentrate on creating without interference in the school instrument storage room..."

When he was reading these, he saw everyone in the audience looking at the music teacher. The admiration in the eyes and the arc of the smile were all carved out of a mold, like a kind of ritual music defaulted by the society. ', a kind of'ritual', regardless of what is inside, the external performance must conform to the mainstream behavior pattern.

The music teacher helped him, and he also reported the points. I don't know what she will do with the points in the future. Maybe it's the qualifications for promotion, maybe it's something else, of course, those have nothing to do with him.

"I also want to thank my math teacher..." Song Ya turned his gaze to the elegant old lady in the audience, "Without your encouragement and help, maybe I'm like those children who give up on their own, and start to focus on doing nothing. The fun, the gangsters, the drugs...I remember that after you gave me full marks, everyone called me A+. They used this as a nickname. I am very proud, so my signature in my work is A+, APLUS..."

The old lady looked at herself with moist eyes, her eyes full of kindness, and she kept nodding slightly. Maybe he had already used the points for self-satisfaction in teaching and educating people.

"I have to thank you, Aunt Susie..." He turned his gaze to Aunt Susie.

Aunt Susie knew nothing about this kind of "ritual" familiar to the teachers. She excitedly pointed to herself on the stage, showing off her talent RAP to the people next to her, "This is my sister's son. Raise him until he grows up..."

"Also, my boss, Joe, hey, BOSS..." He looked at Old Joe.

Old Qiao changed into a dark suit, handsome, smiled and stood up and made several curtain calls to the surroundings.

All of these were accompanied by bursts of applause of standard length and standard volume. These teachers may not like this time-consuming activity in their hearts, but the response given by everyone is impeccable. This is the quality of teaching. The worst public high school in the black ghetto.

"Next, I would like to thank Dr. Michele for his hard work for me and for our African-American community in the fight against racial discrimination..."

Following the principal, he turned sideways and looked at Dr. Michelle.

Dr. Michele stood up and greeted him. Senator Underwood sat on the outermost chair at some unknown time, and the reporter's flashlight started to work.

"Finally, I must thank someone who has served the community for many years..." Song Ya began to read the beautiful words provided by the Underwood campaign office, "Thank you, Congressman Underwood!" Finally, he said emotionally.

The time and volume of the audience applause began to increase dramatically.

Underwood stood up, smiled and beckoned frequently. He was of medium height, fat but sturdy, with deep and firm eyes, and a unique temperament that was a mixture of aggressiveness and affinity.Song Ya had never seen him before, but he could guess his identity at a glance. In short, he must be a big man.

"thank you all!"

When all this was over, Song Ya left the podium to Michelle and Underwood, "I have contributed a little bit of points for the two of them." He thought to himself.

Michelle gave a wonderful speech on racial discrimination. She quoted widely, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Mandela, from the whole world to the South City of Chicago. Song Ya sounded just four words, not clear.

Finally, it was the finale speech of Congressman Underwood. He spoke very lively and humorously, very grounded, and interspersed with some self-deprecating jokes.

This time, in addition to the eyes and applause, the audience also accurately responded to Underwood's every little joke, and laughed at the right time. The same, very standard.

Finally, Underwood announced a government-funded project plan for schools.

This time, with thunderous applause, the teachers stood up and clapped their hands, smiling more sincerely.

It seems that for this media exposure and black votes, Underwood also brought a lot of points.

"thanks, thanks."

Underwood stepped down, the principal had ordered everyone to form a row, shook hands with Underwood one by one, and the camera moved forward and began to take close shots.

A perfect event.