Capítulo 138: Chapter 138: A Group of Sissies!
Since Uncle Thomas Johnson had already provided the best solution, Ethan Jones spent the next few days making several trips to Oakland, wanting to understand the specific circumstances of his father's comrades-in-arms.
After several days of communication, Ethan learned that Michael's full name was Michael Blanco, born in 1940, and actually only 36 years old this year. The reason he looked so aged, with hair already graying, was due to the survival pressure after being discharged from the military. His years of service could not secure him a stable job, and at this moment, he could only do odd jobs at the docks of Oakland.
"Although the job of a dock worker pays well and is respectable, this kind of treatment is only available to union members," Michael Blanco's wife, Fran Anna, said with a helpless smile. "Because of his involvement in the Vietnam War, the local unions simply wouldn't approve Michael's membership application. So now, he can only do odd jobs at the dock, earning up to twenty dollars on a good day. But if luck is not on his side, there might not be temporary work for several days, possibly resulting in a week without income."
American ports operate on a landlord port model, with the American government entrusting port authorities to plan the ports and lease docks to domestic and international port operators. The port authorities and dock operators do not directly employ dock workers; instead, agreements are signed with labor unions to assign their dock workers, warehouse workers, and truck drivers to work.
With union protection, their welfare benefits are exceptionally good. Ethan had heard in his previous life that port workers could earn up to a hundred thousand dollars a year while ensuring an eight-hour workday.
Regarding holidays, the unions also provide excellent support, allowing their workers to enjoy a full two days off every paycheck week, in addition to well-known statutory holidays such as Christmas, Christmas Eve, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, New Year's, and others like Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Lincoln's Birthday, where they also enjoy paid leave. After working for a year and actually working over a thousand and one hours, all workers also get to enjoy a minimum of one week of annual leave.
Because of these excellent welfare benefits, in Ethan's era, the job of a port worker had even become hereditary; if a father worked at the port, at least one child would secure a job there after reaching adulthood, as unions would prioritize these employees' children for membership.
Because the benefits for full-time employees were too good, when these employees took leave, ports in need of personnel would hire temporary workers. Michael Blanco was now in such a position. Being temporary meant no guarantees; the union would not take care of them at all, treating these cheap laborers as tools to be called upon and dismissed at will.
Even so, Michael's situation was considered good among his peers.
According to his wife, Fran Anna, "Ethan, the other few people you met the other day also don't have formal jobs. Some go out to sea to fish, possibly not returning to shore for several days; some work on the Oakland railway transport line, carrying goods for others; some work in construction, earning a variable income based on the length of the project; and some work as laborers for farm owners, perhaps digging through the soil for kale one day and becoming fruit pickers in an orchard the next day."
"For people like us, earning three to five thousand dollars a year is already a lot."
"At least…"
"We won't starve."
Hearing this made Ethan's heart heavy.
He nodded silently, saying, "This income, indeed, makes it difficult to support a family."
At these words, Michael's wife, Fran Anna, suddenly laughed.
"Support a family? Oh—Ethan—they don't need to support a family."
"In fact, besides me and Michael, only one of the other seven men, who works in railway transport, has started a family. The others can hardly find wives."
"Those who go out to sea to fish can hardly spend days at home, making it impossible to live a normal life."
"Those in construction often need to follow their boss to other cities, sometimes unable to return home themselves. How many women would want to wait for them?"
"As for laborers, it goes without saying, not every farm owner is like Uncle Thomas Johnson, who would allow workers time to go home for meals. They'd rather finish harvesting all the vegetables and fruits in a few days since the workers' wages are calculated daily. In such cases, the places they can go…"
"Are only strip clubs."
Ethan was speechless.
These facts left him at a loss for words.
During the subsequent casual chat, Ethan also learned that Michael and his wife actually had a child. However, since neither had stable jobs, they were forced to seek help from the American Child Protective Services and send their biological child to a middle-class family in Sacramento through foster care.
As these facts were laid
out one by one, Ethan couldn't hold back anymore!
He revealed his identity to Michael's family.
He announced that he was the inventor of the currently popular "Pac-Man," and had also created "Snake" before. These past few days, he had come to invite them to work for him.
This news was like a bolt from the blue for Michael!
Although he had never played "Snake" or "Pac-Man," because the twenty-five cents per play was too extravagant for them, he had witnessed the popularity of these two games firsthand.
When these two games took over the entertainment rooms around the Oakland docks, becoming the leisure choice of many workers during their spare time, the scene of thousands of people chasing after them represented countless amounts of money.
And these games were made by Ethan Jones?
"Oh, Ethan—I thought it was just a coincidence of names when I first heard about the inventor!"
"I never imagined, never imagined that these games were actually made by you?"
"Oh—Ethan—Jimmy in heaven would be so proud of your achievements!"
Michael was overwhelmingly excited.
Yet, at the same time, he shook his head and declined Ethan's kind offer.
"Ethan, thank you for thinking of us, but we'll have to pass on the job offer."
"If you need someone to handle a gun or fly a helicopter, we could definitely do it well, but if it's about making circuit boards, we really don't know how."
"We've never learned anything about circuits before; taking up such work would just be a burden to you."
"Thank you for your kindness, just your visit makes us happy."
Ethan could not accept this outcome.
He immediately stated that making circuit boards was actually very simple and that the company would provide regular training before they officially started working, ensuring they would be skilled enough to begin.
Yet, even so, Michael was still hesitant.
Therefore, Ethan played his trump card, stating that inviting them to work was not out of charity, but rather because he hoped to have trustworthy family members help look after the factory.
At the same time, he also shared his own experiences.
When Michael learned that Ethan's subordinates, in order to protect other employees, had followed the normal procedure to fire some troublemakers, and that these troublemakers, instead of leaving with their compensation, continued to cause trouble—
He immediately stood up in anger!
"MFxxk!"
"These people must not want to live!"
"Not only causing trouble themselves but also bringing in dealers?"
"If I were there, I would've made sure they ate a bullet!"
"Dealers? The second thing I hate most in this life is dealers!"
'...'
The sudden surge of anger took Ethan by surprise!
But seeing Michael's indignant demeanor, his heart settled down again.
Because he knew.
That fierce appearance was only directed outward.
When Michael decided to help his comrade's son keep an eye on the factory, things became much more manageable. He gathered the seven individuals he had met before, informing them of Ethan's predicament. Perhaps due to the hardships of their current lives, or possibly Ethan's situation inciting their anger, after some discussions, they all agreed to Ethan's proposal—to work in the Milpitas factory.
This development overjoyed Ethan. Upon returning to the company, he called Alan Massey, instructing him to purchase some vacant land near the Milpitas factory. His plan was to build a dormitory area for the employees. This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment idea but the result of careful consideration for several reasons. First, Oakland was too chaotic, making it unsafe to live there. Second, the commute from Oakland to Milpitas was not only time-consuming and exhausting but also costly, especially with soaring gas prices. Third, it was to implement Uncle Thomas Johnson's employment theory.
Of course, the planned employee dormitory was to be comprised of two-story buildings. Ethan didn't intend to offer these for free but decided to spread the final construction cost over ten years, renting them to these uncles and aunts. Once they paid off the total price of the house, it would belong to them.
At first glance, this payment method might seem somewhat impersonal, but once Michael and the others learned that Ethan was willing to provide housing at the construction cost, they were overjoyed. After all, if there had been any other choice, who would want to live in a slum? By providing jobs and creating a better living environment at construction cost, Ethan's actions were akin to charity for them. Grateful for such welfare, some even suggested selling their useless bungalows in Oakland to fund the construction themselves. Moreover, they stated that hiring workers for the construction was unnecessary as they could do it themselves.
Hearing these heartfelt words, Ethan simply smiled and allowed them to proceed. He also instructed Alan Massey to calculate the construction costs, excluding the labor costs and contributions of Michael and his group, ensuring that what they ultimately paid would only cover the land price and the difference they couldn't afford.
As the construction of the houses progressed rapidly, on September 19th, the trouble-making hippies showed up again. This time, Damian Dean didn't have to intervene; Michael, who was working nearby, came forward with a hammer in hand.
"Oh! Sxxt! So it's you lot causing all the trouble?"
Although Michael held a hammer, he didn't intend to threaten them. Instead, he stood tall, looking down on them, chest puffed out, ready to confront them head-on.
"MFxxk! The company paid you compensation as per legal requirements!"
"What? Can't you losers accept defeat? Lying around here like women, refusing to leave?"
"Ah ha! Let me tell you! Today is our first meeting, so we won't beat you!"
"If you dare come back, I swear I'll unscrew your heads and kick them around like soccer balls!"
Despite being a veteran, Michael's physique remained impressive, bolstered by his experience hauling heavy loads at the docks, giving him a solid build. His stance, akin to a raging bull, caused the usually bold troublemakers to collapse, legs giving way beneath them.
"Who are you? We're looking for Damian from Destiny Games! This has nothing to do with you!"
The fallen troublemaker's gaze shifted away, but he still shouted back defiantly.
"Don't look for trouble!"
This threat only amused the onlookers.
"Who are we? We're your grandfathers!"
Another man sneered at the trio on the ground, swinging his arm to make the hammer whizz through the air. "Destiny Games is under our protection. Keep shouting if you dare!"
"If you shout, I dare to smash your knees!"
"I can help you shout even louder!"
He then slammed the hammer onto the ground, creating a loud thud as the durable hammer kissed the earth, leaving a deep dent. The rebound slightly off, creating a beautiful arc in the air, heading towards the direction of the hippies.
This action prompted the three to hastily concede defeat.
Using their hands and feet, they retreated rapidly.
Turning on their heels, they ran, not daring to utter a sound.
In no time, they vanished from sight, their awkward escape drawing laughter from Michael and the others.
"Truly a bunch of sissies!"
They made their judgment clear.
"Coming here to make trouble?"
"Must've smoked their brains out."
Witnessing this from the factory loft, Damian Dean was shocked.
"Holy Q! How could these guys be so pathetic?"
He never expected those he had been dealing with for half a month to back down so quickly. Ethan Jones, having seen the entire episode, simply smiled.
"It's simple," he said.
"When someone wants to solve a problem through thuggery, there's no reasoning with them."
"You have to be even more thuggish than they are for them to sit down."
"It's not because you're right."
"It's because they're afraid of you."
This theory took the Stanford prodigy by surprise.
Ethan, without further explanation, waved his hand, "Since this matter is behind us, let's not dwell on it. Damian, I have a question for you. Do you want to make games?"
Ethan, hands in pockets, looked calmly at him.
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