Chicago 1990

On Capitol Hill, Song Ya, who had booked an appointment, completed the temporary documents and passed through the checkpoints under strict security before he was able to reach outside the office of Federal Member Underwood in the Capitol.

People in the hallway talked in low voices, or held thick documents, all walking in a hurry. No one was interested in his identity as a singer, and he didn't give him a second glance.

"This is the heart of Amerika, right?"

Song Ya was thinking, "Come in, Congressman Underwood is waiting for you." The 30-year-old white man who led the way opened the door and let him in.

"Thank you, Mr. Stamp." Song Ya thanked him.

"Just call me Doug."

This capable temperament Douglas Stamp is Underwood’s most trusted assistant and think tank. When Song Yachu met him, he misunderstood that he was an agent of the IRS or the FBI. Watching the other person with cold eyes, the kind of person who wants to see through you.

In the Capitol building that can hit nine congressmen and one senator with a brick, the office of the newly appointed Congressman Underwood is not big. The door is a small office, a female clerk sitting in front of a typewriter, and then it is a simple The reception room and waiting room are just a few sofas, and at the end there is a door, which should be the office of Underwood. The door is currently closed.

Wait a moment, Doug asked Song Ya to sit down on the sofa, knocked on the door, put his head in and said, "APLUS is here."

"Let him in!" Underwood's angry voice came.

Song Ya stood up again and followed Doug in.

In addition to Senator Underwood, there were three blacks and one white sitting around his desk, all of them turned their heads to look at themselves.

"Hey, welcome to our Chicago star boy." Underwood stood up and smiled and stretched out his hand.

"It's an honor to see you, Mr. Underwood again." Song Ya hurried forward to shake hands with him.

"You all know each other?" Underwood said, pointing to the four guests.

Song Ya can only recognize the two black people on the left. They are both Baptist pastors. One of them has cooperated in the promotion of De Klerk to De Klerk. He has a great influence in the black community in South City. Lisson, the other is the pastor of the church near the South City, the male god of Aunt Susie, named William.

"Hello Pastor Alison, hello Pastor William." Song Ya first shook hands with them, "Hello, hello." He shook hands with the unknown person on the right hand side, black and white, Doug moved a chair, and he went to sit under.

"Alexander, you haven't been to my church for a year?" William complained to him.

"Uh, this year is too busy, Pastor William, I will go, and Connie made him the godfather of his child." Song Ya can only deal with it.

"Young people these days don't fall in love with churches." Allison murmured and turned to business affairs.

Song Ya didn't understand the purpose of Underwood putting himself in, so he could only sit and wait.

After listening for a while, I probably understood the purpose of the four people here. The black man on the right is the worker representative of the bus company, and the white man is the attorney of the bus company. Because of the recent deteriorating public security situation in South City, the bus drivers organized a strike and demanded Reduce the frequency of dangerous road sections during the day and cancel some night shifts.

The two pastors on the left are representatives of the residents of Nancheng, and they naturally would not agree.

"The public security in South City is getting worse and worse, and there are more and more impoverished people. If you agree to cancel the bus service again, Congressman Underwood, our church will not endorse you again next time you vote." Allison warned.

Song Ya knew that this was a very serious warning.'Endorsement' was originally an accounting term, which meant the transfer of ticket rights, but was later extended to a political term. It was probably an opinion leader who expressed trust to a political figure and called for his influence. Voters give support.

"Don't do this, Pastor Allison." Senator Underwood's expression remained the same, but he must be a little flustered. He kicked the ball. "What do I care about this matter, Chicago City Government..."

"You can manage, you have a lot of energy, everyone knows." Allison doesn't take this set.

Senator Underwood turned his eyes to the two on the right.

"The demands of our bus drivers have been expressed very clearly." The union representative said: "Some shifts, especially night shifts, are simply a gamble on life. A car came back last month and found two bullet holes near the fuel tank. Two weeks ago, one of our workers was injured by a few guys in the car, and the case has not been solved yet."

"I will contact the local police and let them..."

Congressman Underwood was interrupted again, "We don't expect the police anymore. Now our appeal is very simple. We are working to earn hard money, but we are not out to kill ourselves." The union representative said.

"Ugh!"

Congressman Underwood sighed and looked at Song Ya, "APLUS, you are also a child of Nancheng, right? You can give me some advice."

"how……"

Song Ya didn't expect the other party to call his own name, "I'm still in high school..." He played the same old way.

"Chengbei private high school, good school, good environment, he will not live in Nancheng long ago." Pastor William knew him well, and seemed to follow Aunt Susie's remarks.

Song Ya was embarrassed and looked at Underwood.

"You can express your opinion from the perspective of ordinary residents." Underwood waved at him, "COME ON! No one here will blame you for saying the wrong thing."

"Uh……"

Song Ya estimated in his heart that the current situation is not like the last Kenneth arbitration. Neither Old Joe nor Pablo can offend. The priest holds the votes, and he has to count on Underwood to help in the acquisition. The driver's union has nothing to do with him.

"The security in Nancheng really needs to be improved." He said first.

"Everyone is working hard on this." Congressman Underwood replied.

"Then, emmmmm... Nancheng has a large poor population. Many families do not have a car. I can only rely on public buses for travel. I used to take the bus. If there is no bus anymore, many poor people with inconvenience can only take the risk and find a way. Money to buy a car..."

Song Ya's words were nodded and affirmed by the two pastors, and the union representatives were unhappy, "They are inconvenient to travel, we have to fight our lives."

"You are too exaggerated." Senator Underwood complained.

"If you didn't say anything, you will continue to strike if you disagree, and the union and union family members will no longer support you, Congressman Underwood." The other party also warned.

"Hey!" Pastor Allison ran out with anger and rap. "You can't man like this~ Are your drivers also from Nancheng? I know, many of you also live in Nancheng, I know."

"So? We didn't cause the public security problem. Your pastor did not do a good job of enlightening responsibility."

"What can we do? Young people, especially boys the size of APLUS never go to church. Only women and old people come to listen to the sermon..."

On both sides, I confided in your words.

Song Ya listened to their quarrel, thoughts drifted away, saying that rap seemed to originate from the rhyming and rhythmic tirades of black priests' sermons. Like MC Hammer, who won the Grammy award before, his rap style was influenced by blacks. The influence of the pastor is profound.

"Calm down, calm down." Senator Underwood opened his hands and finally silenced both sides, "APLUS, what can you do? Doug?" He lay on the chair and looked at Song Ya and Doug.

Doug shrugged and said nothing.

"Your driver's focus is on personal safety, right?" Song Ya suddenly remembered a Chinese idiom and got an idea. After the other nodded, he looked at the two pastors again, "Nancheng's bus schedule can't be reduced..."

Obtained affirmation from Allison and William, he said, “Isn’t that simple? Under the principle of not reducing the total number of bus schedules, we can adjust the routes and the number of departures... In this way, I have been in Nancheng for ten years. For a few years, I only knew that after school, students who missed the school bus took too long to wait for the bus. The line is safe and the gangs will not be embarrassed. We can reduce the frequency of dangerous road sections and increase The frequency of that line. Before the supermarket closes, many poor people have to wait for half an hour or more after buying discounted goods. You can also move from the dangerous section to increase the frequency of that line..."

He talked eloquently, "There are other routes that can solve the actual difficulties of the residents, and the gangs on those routes are not easy to fight because they are all women and children sitting next to the house. Such a move, it seems that The total number of shifts remains the same, and Pastor Allison and William can explain to the residents of South City when they go back, but the number of departures for night shifts and dangerous road shifts has actually been reduced, and the personal safety of drivers is also more guaranteed."

After speaking, the two groups of people who had just been arguing were silent at the same time, all looking down to calculate the gains and losses.

"Wonderful! Wonderful! APLUS!" Congressman Underwood clapped his hands and laughed. "That's why I let you participate in the discussion! How about?" He looked at both sides, "On this basis, we can discuss a solution. ?"

The union representative and the lawyer looked at each other and both nodded. The two pastors naturally had nothing to say. Generally, women were involved in picking up children and buying discounted goods, and these were their main audience groups.

"You behaved very well today. Don't blame Claire for complimenting you on the phone." Underwood sent the four away and came back and hugged Song Ya's shoulders, "What are you doing here?"

Song Ya looked at Doug, and Doug stood up wittily, and Underwood signaled that he did not need to, "Doug is the person I trust the most. Just say it."

Song Ya talked about the obstruction of local lawmakers in the acquisition case.

"Uh..." Underwood touched his chin. "Small things." He looked at Doug. "You heard what APLUS said just now, right?"

Doug nodded.

"You can do this for him." Underwood said.

That night, Doug refused the invitation of Songya French Restaurant and chose to meet in a remote simple restaurant.

"Can you get a loan at the local First Bank of New Jersey?" he whispered.

"Yes, I'm about to take a loan..." Song Ya also replied in a low voice.

"How many?"

"I don't know yet, it depends on the acquisition..."

"At least two million, the more the better."

After Doug said this, he threw down his simple meal and got up and left.