Chapter 28 The Person Who Gives Points

On Friday afternoon, the school’s small gymnasium canceled other activities, and a wooden podium decorated with the school emblem was erected. Hundreds of folding chairs were neatly arranged in front of the podium, and a row was placed behind it.

Song Ya was sitting on the row of chairs behind him. On his left was Hayden, and on his right was a very intellectual black woman. She was a representative sent by the Chicago Equality Organization. Her name was Michelle, and her title was Jurisprudence. Ph.D., very scary academic qualifications.

Directly opposite, the faculty and staff sat down one after another, and familiar faces such as Aunt Susie and Old Qiao also came. The principal stood in front of the podium, watching everything silently.

Song Ya waved to Aunt Susie and Old Qiao, and involuntarily squeezed 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 noticed the change of Song Ya's mood very keenly.

"Thank you." Song Ya smiled at the other party. Michelle is a member of the donkey party, and so is Underwood who has not yet arrived. Both of them were introduced by the principal, so the principal's political inclination is self-evident. According to regulations, public schools should remain politically neutral, and school funds, services, or resources must not be used to influence the election of government officials or party political activities, but what I have done this time is definitely not a political activity, although It's a good opportunity for politicians to gain exposure and curry favor with black voters.

Speaking of which, I haven't seen Congressman Underwood in person yet. Song Ya looked for it. Except for the black female assistant and some reporters who had seen it, Congressman Underwood still couldn't see the end.

"ladies and gentlemen……"

The headmaster looked at his watch, and the appointed time was up. After he spoke, the gymnasium fell silent, and when everyone sat down and stared at the podium, he continued to make his opening speech, "Today is a glorious day for our school and Alexander Song." day……"

He turned sideways to gesture in Song Ya's direction. Song Ya felt everyone's eyes shifted to him, and stood up quickly, showing a standard smile that had been 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 member of the association from our school, and he is also the youngest member of the association..." the principal continued.

Song Ya sat down.

"The school has been cultivating in various art categories for many years, and has cultivated talents such as..., which is inseparable from the hard work of the faculty and staff..."

"Here, I also want to affirm BMI's affirmation to the students of this school, as well as the selfless help provided by Dr. Michelle of the Affirmative Action Association and Mr. Underwood, the Illinois State Congressman. The persistent disease of racial discrimination has profoundly affected every aspect of America. ..."

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

After the principal finished speaking, he took a few steps back and gave way to the podium.

A BMI representative of the third brother stood in front of the podium, "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to represent BMI... BMI has been fighting on the front line of racial discrimination for many years. We are in the most serious age of discrimination. Granted... a series of African-American artists... Today, I am honored to be a representative of Alexander Song to issue this certificate..."

BMI is very experienced in dealing with this kind of crisis. They didn't send a white person, which would be a target of public criticism, and they didn't send a black person, which would appear a little deliberate. The third brother with dark complexion is a good candidate.

Song Ya stepped forward and took the certificate from the third brother with both hands, and the audience burst into applause at the right time.

The third brother backed away, and Hayden came on stage again, and presented Song Ya with a transparent plastic trophy, "On behalf of... magazine (a small media with a good relationship with SBK Records), I will award the Best Newcomer Composer Award in March America to Alexander Song...in recognition of him bringing us great work like Secondhand Stores..."

Song Ya took the trophy,

Hayden winked at him.

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

"Thank you BMI for your personal affirmation and...magazine's praise, ladies and gentlemen, I was born here and grew up here. As a boy from a poor and ordinary single-parent family, I would like to thank the whole society for my support. ..."

As he spoke, 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 now is the best empirical environment to help him understand how American society as a whole works.

Daniel said that to be the 'point giver', at this moment, is the result of his hard work.

He gave the principal a reason for encountering 'racial discrimination', he gave the principal a reason for an 'awards event', he gave points, and the principal turned the reason into an actual political campaign, the principal gave Mr Underwood Points with Dr. Michelle while Senator Underwood and Dr. Michelle help themselves to put pressure on BMI, they are also the ones who give the points.

Perhaps, this is the essence of how society works.

"First of all, I would like to thank my music teacher..." Song Yan said here, controlling the muscles of her face, showing a grateful smile to the music teacher in the audience, "When I was full of doubts about music, it was your care and strictness that gave me back I am confident, let me persist on this thorny road, it is you who have given me all kinds of conveniences for this poor child, allowing me to concentrate on creating without interference in the school musical instrument storage room..."

When he was reading these, he saw that everyone in the audience was looking at the music teacher. The admiration in their eyes and the curvature of their smiles seemed to be carved out of the same mold, like a kind of "ritual and music" defaulted by society. ', a kind of 'ceremony', no matter how the heart is, the external performance must conform to the mainstream behavior pattern.

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

"I would also like to thank my math teacher..." Song Ya shifted her gaze to the elegant old lady in the audience, "Without your encouragement and help, maybe I would be like those children who gave up on themselves and started to focus on doing nothing Playing with gangsters, getting in touch with 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 on the work is A+, APLUS..."

The old lady looked at herself, her eyes were moist, her eyes were full of kindness, and she kept nodding slightly. Maybe he had used his 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 the familiar rituals of the teacher class. She pointed at herself excitedly and rapped to the people around her, "This is my sister's son. raise him up..."

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

Old Qiao changed into a dark suit and looked handsome. He stood up with a smile and made a few curtain call greetings to the surroundings.

All of these are accompanied by bursts of applause of standard length and standard volume. These teachers may not like this time-consuming activity in their hearts, but everyone’s responses are impeccable, which is still the quality of teaching Worst black ghetto public high school.

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

Following the headmaster's example, he turned sideways and looked at Dr. Michelle.

Dr. Michel stood up to pay his respects. At some point, Congressman Underwood sat on the outermost chair, and the flashlights of the reporters under the stage began to work.

"Finally, I have to thank a person who has served the community over the years..." Song Ya began to read the words of praise provided by Underwood's campaign office, "Thank you, Congressman Underwood!" Finally, he said emotionally.

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

Underwood stood up, smiling and beckoning frequently. He was of medium height, slightly fat but strong, with deep and firm eyes, and a unique temperament mixed with aggression and affinity. Song Ya had never seen him before, but he guessed his identity at a glance. In short, he must be a big shot.

"thank you all!"

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

Michelle delivered a wonderful speech on racial discrimination. She quoted from many sources, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Mandela, and from the whole world to Chicago Southside.

In the end, Congressman Underwood gave his finale speech. He spoke very vividly, wittily and down-to-earth, interspersed with some self-deprecating jokes.

This time, in addition to the eyes and applause from the audience, there is also the timely laughter after accurately responding to each of Underwood's little jokes, which is also very standard.

Finally, Underwood announced plans for a government-funded school program.

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

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

"thanks, thanks."

Underwood stepped down. The principal had ordered everyone to line up and shake hands with Underwood one by one. The camera moved forward and started to shoot.

A perfect event.