[Chapter 29: The First Employee]
The first business deal was a good start; making money and making connections did not conflict with each other.
Robert Downey Jr. faced setbacks in his career, but his reputation wasn't completely tarnished yet.
Hawke found no success in Brentwood; the area was crowded with peers, and he couldn't secure any exclusive opportunities.
He developed a few contacts at the Wing Chun dojo, but there remained a blank spot at Tracy Gym. It wasn't just Downey, it was also the go-to place for various Hollywood and sports stars.
Since Hawke had just arrived in Los Angeles, he had no connections. After some thought, he remembered director Eric Emerson whom he had met at the Sundance Film Festival. Eric had mentioned that he would be coming to LA to pursue opportunities.
Hawke dug out Eric's phone number and called.
Eric responded with surprise, "You're in Los Angeles?"
"There are more opportunities here," Hawke replied, which was somewhat true. "So I moved to LA to pursue my career."
Eric said, "Do you have time? Let's meet and talk."
Hawke directly said, "Actually, I wanted to ask for a little help from you."
They agreed to meet in Century City.
...
Twenty minutes later, Hawke arrived at Starbucks and waited a short while until Eric showed up right on time. Compared to their meeting at Sundance, the young director seemed energized.
Hawke ordered coffee and asked Eric, "Looks like you've been doing well."
Eric laughed heartily, "Well, it's going okay." He looked Hawke up and down. "But you look different. If you hadn't introduced yourself, I might've thought you swapped bodies."
Hawke chuckled, "I wish I could. If I could become a handsome star, then I'd be set for life based on looks alone."
Eric joked, "It's not just about looks; they rely on their butts and mouth too."
His expression turned serious. "If you want to network with the big shots, you have to be willing to put in the effort."
Hawke realized there was a philosophical side to this artistic director.
His collaboration in Park City boosted Eric's confidence in Hawke. "Have you found work? You coming to help me?"
"I've got a job," Hawke politely declined, then asked, "How's everything going for you?"
Eric replied, "By mid-next month, D.C. Heights will be fully released on DVD and VHS. This project's making money, and Katherine agreed to finance my next project with a million bucks to make a real theatrical feature. I'm working on the script."
Hawke, knowing little about scriptwriting and filmmaking, merely asked, "Is the script done?"
Eric waved his hand, "Not that quick; it'll take at least six months." He looked despondent. "So, I have to lick for a long time..."
Hawke noticed Eric's shaky attitude and reassured him, "Compared to George and others, you're doing better. At least Katherine is a woman!"
This lit a spark in Eric; after a moment's thought, especially compared to his rival George Hansen, he felt much lighter.
Hawke continued, "I just got to LA, and I don't know many people. I've hit a small snag, and I figured I could ask for your help."
Eric eagerly responded, "Just tell me what you need."
"Since Sundance wrapped, I've kept up a high-intensity workout regime, and you can see the results." Hawke semi-jokingly said, "There's a Tracy Gym in West Hollywood; I heard their facilities are top-notch, and the trainers are really professional. I tend to gain weight easily, so I want to join for workouts, but it's a members-only place and I need an existing member to vouch for me."
Eric reminisced, "I've heard about that gym; it's really well-known in the industry. Katherine mentioned it too. I'll ask her about it."
Hawke said, "Thank you."
"No problem," Eric suddenly thought of George, recalling the sudden blackout at Crystal Theater, and asked, "You're not planning to stir up trouble at the gym, are you?"
Hawke struck a muscle-pose and joked, "Of course not! I'm just here to work out."
Eric relaxed. "Just wait for my good news."
They chatted about Eric's new project for a while; Hawke was keenly aware to just listen about content creation without chiming in.
...
At noon, Hawke treated Eric to lunch when he got a call from the convenience store owner in North Hollywood saying that Robert Downey Jr. had gone to the Wing Chun dojo.
He immediately drove over.
In front of the store, the blonde owner, Bree, lounged while looking at the dojo across the street. Inside, mixed-race black worker Edward busied himself moving inventory.
Noticing Hawke exit his car, Bree waved him over and pointed across the street. "He's been in there for a while. His wife just chased after him. I know her; that's Deborah. She was just in the newspaper."
Hawke had read about it too. Deborah had moved out of Brentwood with their child and was now separated from Downey.
Nodding, in keeping with the usual courtesy, Hawke handed Bree $20, saying, "Thanks."
Just for a phone call, Bree was pleased to pocket $20 and returned inside.
Edward caught sight of this and complained to Bree, "I found him first."
Bree shot back angrily, "Get that pile into the warehouse! I'll order fried chicken and watermelon juice for you at noon!"
"Do you think I'm a slave? Working every day for no pay!" Edward was genuinely ticked off, tossing aside his apron, "I'm out of here!"
Hawke caught the commotion and wanted to look back, but at that moment, Downey and Deborah burst out of the dojo, engaged in a heated argument.
They were bickering fiercely, with Deborah calling Downey a low-life unfit to be a father to their child.
Seeming to realize he was in the wrong, Downey got in his car and drove off. Deborah shortly followed in another vehicle.
Hawke set down his camera, and just then, Bree's voice rang out from the store, "If you leave me, you'll be living on the streets!"
Edward shouted back, "I'd rather live on the streets than let you squeeze me dry!"
Hawke curiously looked back at the convenience store.
"Hey, man, good to see you again," Edward flashed a wide grin, pointing at the camera. "You got some good stuff?"
Before Hawke could respond, Edward continued, "See? Every time I run into you, it's good luck. I saw the front page news you shot last time; what's up this time? You ready to cash in again?"
Hawke put away his camera, casually saying, "Just making a little extra cash."
Remembering that night's fireworks and subsequent headlines, Edward blinked. "Man, you hiring? I'm really good at this. We work well together. That last headline was thanks to me! I can drive, use the camera, and I never complain. My previous bosses all praised me..."
Hawke smiled but said nothing, pointing back toward the store.
"Wait, wait, this isn't the same," Edward quickly explained, "I felt sorry for her because she was divorced and had a child, so I chased after her thinking I'd be her boyfriend. I didn't expect that when I treated her as my girlfriend, she treated me as free labor, no, as a slave! Here, I am more pitiful than our ancestors who picked cotton."
Hawke hit the nail on the head, "Why did you pursue her, honestly?"
Edward shoved his hands in his coveralls pocket and replied, "Divorced with a kid, she must get alimony. I thought I might snag a piece of that."
Hawke asked, "Is this the first time you've done something like this?"
Edward scratched his head, "I came out of Compton, and I wasn't living on the street, just riding the coattails of single moms with kids. When they divorce, they get at least half of everything and some decent alimony. They usually have houses but feel empty and lonely, missing a man to do the heavy lifting..."
Hawke found Edward's take surprisingly interesting; this truly seemed like a unique survival skill. He asked, "Who taught you these things?"
Edward said, "I observed it myself." He glanced back at the convenience store. "But this time, I struck out. During the day, she's squeezing all my effort out of me at work, then at night, she squeezes me out of my spirit. I can't take it anymore."
Hawke really needed someone to help him and walk ahead to clear the mines. Edward's skin color was an obvious advantage in the dark, so he said, "Get in the car first."
He handed the keys to Edward, got out his phone to call Jack for a meetup at their last transaction spot.
...
Being a native of Los Angeles, Edward knew the city well; when Hawke called out the location, they arrived quickly.
After a brief wait, Jack, with his bushy beard, showed up.
Hawke sent Edward away to begin negotiating, closing the deal at $200.
Downey's couple drama wasn't earth-shattering news; without tying back to the hot headline before, it wouldn't even be worth $200.
...
After Jack left, Edward returned, "Did you close the deal?"
Hawke nodded and said seriously, "Now let's settle your employment with me. Show me your driver's license or some other ID, plus your social security number."
"Come on! Is this really necessary? It's just work," Edward sighed, reluctantly pulling out his driver's license and reporting his social security number.
Hawke took a picture of his license and noted the social number. He stated, "One month probation period, California minimum wage, hours can be irregular, meal provided while working, and you need to keep your phone on 24/7, ready to go."
Edward nearly lost it: "Man, even when my ancestors were on the plantations, they had better treatment than this!"
Hawke replied, "Feel free to leave if you don't want to do it." He spun a grand vision. "My studio is just getting off the ground, and once it's successful, you could be my partner."
Edward wanted to refuse but suddenly recalled that night's fireworks, responding, "If it's not a good fit, I can walk anytime."
Hawke countered, "You're jumping the gun. To earn this job, you need to go through my test."
Hawke never scorned the idea of requiring employees to 'pay to work' or asking them to lend money to the company, but anyone wanting to join West Coast Media Entertainment Studio needed to pass a test. It was essential to create a sense of commitment to avoid losses.
*****
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