[Chapter 747: Unexplained]
The mood of the wealthy tycoon vanished the next day. It was almost funny, really. There were just too many idle people out there, and he felt powerless to express his frustration.
"Opposing office automation? I mean, shouldn't they take that up with IBM? I'm just a small fry here," he lamented.
Filson could only chuckle bitterly. What could he say? After all, your building stood out like a sore thumb. Moreover, there were several major cities represented. If those idiots wanted to protest, who else could they go to?
"Sir, there's really nothing we can do. It's unreasonable talking to them. I've already called the police, and the security system is set to maximum."
"Don't these fools realize that by going paperless, we aren't cutting down trees?"
Filson was taken aback; he hadn't thought about it from that angle. Looking back, the boss wasn't just being obstinate. If the entire world adopted email, the usage of paper would indeed decrease.
"Yeah, we should do some promotions for that."
"Let's wait a minute. They usually have their own agenda when they protest. What exactly do they want?"
"Ahem, sir, it seems they oppose all things modern. The widespread use of computers and phones is seen as a means of exploiting surplus labor."
"Ha! That's simple. NBC has a show about Afghanistan, where even watching television is banned. They're not allowed to read, and aside from growing opium, they don't do any other work."
"I get it! I'll tell Jason to spread the word."
"Let those idiots at the gate know that if they plan to go live like savages, I've got one-way tickets to Afghanistan."
Typically, protests like this in America ended in a day. There was no point in dragging it out without anyone approving it. As for the actual organizers, they were probably just a bunch of morons.
Technology never reversed, did it? If society regressed back to primitive times, what was he supposed to do with all that money?
Is that strange?
It was quite common in America.
Never confront them, and don't argue. Normally, you simply couldn't win that kind of discussion.
...
"Ha! One-way tickets to Afghanistan? Hahaha, does that bastard have enough flights for that?"
"Bill, William White is a real jerk. He would probably suggest these guys ride donkeys to get there. There aren't that many flights to Afghanistan, anyway."
"Hahaha, Michael, enough about that jerk. Have you replaced your CPU yet?"
Michael Dell wore a face full of lament. The trouble he was having with Intel was just too much. It would take at least until next year to get back to normal.
"I say, Bill, can we still have a pleasant chat? By the way, why doesn't Microsoft come out with a patch?"
"Are you kidding? That's a logical operation issue. If I were to patch it up, sure, no problem -- but if something went wrong, I'd be responsible for it. Right now, it's not too bad; I'm just selling fewer software packages."
"You and William White are cut from the same cloth. That poor guy is in for a long time of ridicule."
"Not really. I heard the women's rights groups are after William White again. Hahaha, that's like the dam bursting after the levee was raised."
...
William White had been dealing with a headache lately. He had just gotten rid of a bunch of idiots, and now the women's rights groups were coming for him.
C'mon, can't they present some rationale? Afghanistan wasn't his responsibility; it was the CIA's doing.
Well, when faced with a group of angry women, the best approach was to swallow his pride and apologize. There was no point in trying to be reasonable; that was just a terrible idea.
Since he couldn't play the role of a competent father, he had to take on the role of a devout believer instead.
...
Watching William White speak confidently on television, a group of spectators waiting for a spectacle were left astonished. This guy quoted the Bible in almost every other sentence.
He started off saying how God spoke, and he felt wholly unworthy. Then...
The woman across from him chimed in, and it was like he was mimicking someone else's style. "Hahaha, they call this guy a genius. I truly respect him; is he planning to memorize the whole Bible?"
"Well, son, that is indeed a good strategy. The key is that he talks about what God says, and you can't even dare to refute him or interrupt. Hahaha, that little rascal might as well become a pastor."
Not only were Bush and his son grumbling, but a crowd of pastors also felt the need to vent. They were genuinely curious about how well this guy knew the Bible; he had a knack for bringing up various references effortlessly.
If we had that ability, all those nonsensical religions wouldn't have many followers.
...
Caught off guard like that, William White felt exasperated. Although he hadn't lost anything, he was still somewhat embarrassed.
Here he was, sincerely sponsoring those women's rights organizations.
The group of women in front of him now averted their eyes. Honestly, they regretted agreeing to debate with him.
Ahem, damn it, their carefully planned arguments had barely been spoken. Okay, this check was decent after all; the tycoon certainly remained a tycoon.
Once he dealt with these women, William White headed straight home. He was beyond exhausted. Remembering the Bible was one thing; applying it coherently was not all that easy.
"My God, I'm dead tired. Is there anything to eat, Suzuki?"
"How about sushi? I just made some."
"Great, let me have a bit. Those women are just the devil."
"Pffft! Honey, we just watched the live stream; you're impressive! I can't believe I flipped through the Bible and found what you said. At first, I thought you were just making it up."
"Silly girl, you can't talk nonsense." William White pinched Michelle Reis's cheek, which was still wonderfully smooth.
"Stop it! Always pinching me. Eat something quickly. I'll help you drain the water."
"Mmm, good girl. Your husband is really worn out today."
...
The world could meet humanity's needs but not satisfy humanity's greed. So, please put down that paper; it should have been a tree.
"Damn, does that mean I shouldn't even buy this newspaper?"
"Buddy, it says right here that starting next year, the companies under the White Group will use recycled paper."
"Wow, he's actually planning to do it. Tsk tsk, that's a fantastic environmental initiative."
The folks who originally protested in front of the White Center could only feel lost in the winds. Not only did William White mock their demands, but now he seemed to escalate the situation.
What was this whole paperless office nonsense anyway?
Damn, the demand for computers must have skyrocketed. The first to react were undoubtedly a bunch of Wall Street elites. They recognized that William White's strategy was too clever; those environmentalists must be crying in the corners somewhere.
Tsk tsk, just look at those ridiculous ideas. Don't drive? Damn it, not driving to work? Am I supposed to ride a horse?
And then came William White's proposal to reduce paper usage, which naturally meant preserving forests. "No buying, no harm" was a phrase already worn thin in America.
Caught unexpectedly in a dash for environmentalism, William White was left speechless. As a public figure, he couldn't allow people to cast dirt on him. Regardless of who planned to do so, they had clearly miscalculated this time around.
*****
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