Chapter 20 Discrimination and Clowns

Upon entering the party venue, Jerry started "finding himself", adopting a demeanor of morose self-doubt, shy and subdued, not fighting back when hit, nor retorting when insulted. An image of one easily bullied.

Jerry had contempt in his heart for "Jerry", who indeed was a drag on his friends, but now he was merely pretending to be the victim. In his previous life, he had never been disadvantaged; whoever would dare to trouble him, he had myriad ways to ensure they couldn't walk away scot-free without consequences.

Schools around the world were the same in this regard. The less articulate, the more timid, the more they attract bullying - a natural magnetism. Those who resist, even if feeble, won't get harassed often.

Jerry quickly realized that merely acting like a victim wouldn't spur others to full-on mockery, so he started donning a provocative expression - one that suggested disdain for everything around him. He acknowledged people with a nod, remained silent, refusing to meet their eyes as if he deemed everything beneath him. Then he would take some appetizing food and retreat to a corner to eat alone.

He sent out a clear message that he was here only for the food, and none of them was irrelevant to him.

His performance soon bore fruit.

The New York Knicks had won the Summer League, but this was merely mentioned in a small news segment. The MVP didn't even score a photo, let alone Jerry. New York's sports media had not covered him.

The management had planned to publicize him through a televised interview, keeping the mystery until then. Their security measures were so stringent that they had inadvertently created a bizarre scenario. When several middle-school basketball coaches approached Jerry, mocking the notion that an NBA coach couldn't secure employment.

The video footage captured what reporter Haley from the sports channel deemed unmistakable discrimination - beyond harsh words, Jerry was outright ignored by others.

The most profound form of discrimination was not verbal abuse but indifference. In the United States, this was a widespread societal phenomenon.

Discrimination was seldom overt, and Archer dared to belittle Jerry only because he saw him as an easy target. What he didn't realize was that the Jerry he knew was not the Jerry who stood before him now.

Listening to those seemingly well-intended but actually sarcastic insults, Jerry felt no irritation.

They sounded just like the underhanded comments from the last gathering in his memory.

He didn't get angry because he harbored no inferiority. He considered himself a growing dragon, looking down upon a group of proud ants. No matter how they strutted, they were irrelevant to him, for their realms were different. The person they ridiculed was not him at all.

Having eaten his fill, Jerry approached Archer to take his leave.

"I'm leaving. Thank you," Jerry said with a smile.

"No thanks, just pay the 50 dollars," Archer replied with a crafty triumph in his eyes.

Jerry regarded Archer much as one would a clown and asked calmly, "When you called me, you didn't say anything about paying. Isn't the buffet free?"

"For those with invitations, of course, it's free. Do you have an invitation? This isn't someplace where just anyone gets a free meal. Can you even afford this?" Archer turned to the crowd, mocking.

Several nearby onlookers laughed. It wasn't the first time Archer had bullied Jerry, and everyone had grown accustomed to the spectacle.

Yet, the embarrassment they anticipated didn't occur. Jerry didn't lash out in anger; rather, he pulled out his wallet, took out a 100-dollar bill, and handed it to Archer. "Please give me the change."

"What?"

"I know you're a jerk, so feel free to keep it if you don't want to give change. I can afford it now; consider it a tip. By the way, I've already found a job. I am the assistant coach for the New York Knicks." Jerry stepped back smoothly, allowing the camera to focus solely on Archer.

"New York Knicks, you?" Archer paused for a moment, then laughed loudly. "Are the management of the New York Knicks all imbeciles?"

The laughter around grew louder.

Jerry laughed, too. That last remark had insulted the entire New York Knicks team. He wondered what James would think once he saw the video. It was bound to be interesting once it aired.

"I am grateful to the New York Knicks management team, and I admire the courage of the owner. They value a person's abilities over their appearance, unlike the people here. Especially you, Archer. I am curious as to why the University of Southern California agreed to let such a morally corrupt person be a basketball coach. Just because your father's on the board, can you do whatever you want?"

Jerry remembered Archer boasting about his father being on the board of trustees at the University of Southern California.

"Are you insane?" Archer couldn't believe that Jerry could become a coach for the New York Knicks, even though he noticed that Jerry seemed different from before.

Some of the spectators showed looks of surprise. Many were accustomed to catching news online, and they had heard that New York Knicks had a Mexican assistant coach, they just hadn't thought it could be someone from their own cohort.

"You all have insulted me a lot," Jerry continued coldly. "Knowing you have been unpleasant. This is the last time I fall for your tricks, so from now on, please don’t come looking for me."

Archer knew Jerry's background - an orphan, a poor Mexican. Such people were, in his view, the lowest social class, meant to be manipulated and bullied without fear of consequence.

Now, though, Archer had an ominous premonition.

What had changed with him? He seemed so confident. He had just handed over 100 dollars so carelessly?

To Americans, 100 dollars was not a small sum. In that era, it could buy 20 movie tickets in New York and 30 in the Midwest and allow a person to eat more than 20 meals at McDonald's. On sale, you could get four or five brand-name T-shirts or three pairs of Nike shoes.

Archer glanced at the bill, finding that it wasn't counterfeit. Jerry was already out the door.

That 100 dollars was intentionally left behind. No one questioned it; no one spoke up for him. Wasn't such callous disregard for his situation evident to anyone?

Once broadcast, this footage would depict a room full of scoundrels, with Archer as a chief villain among them. How he would be perceived and whether it would implicate his father remained to be seen.

As Jerry left the venue, he boarded the radio station's business car across the street.

"Haley, did you get the video? Can it be broadcast?" Jerry asked with a sigh.

"We'll need to edit it a bit, then have a meeting to decide," Haley replied, the atmosphere in the car becoming awkward. "Jerry, I didn't expect this to happen. Not all people are like this."

"I know. My colleagues at the New York Knicks are all very kind to me. We are people of quality. It's just that these people are infuriating. I really hope the people of this city, especially those around them, will see their vile faces for what they are. Otherwise, being friends with such people will only lead to being taken advantage of."

"That will happen," Haley assured him gravely.

Tomorrow, the cable TV would have big news to report.