Nair and Frederick, like a pair of fools, were craning their necks, staring up at the Empire State Building before them. Unfortunately, even though their necks were aching from tilting back, it was still impossible to see the top of the building.
However, there were many fools like them—first-time visitors to New York, all stunned by the 1,250-foot (381-meter) tall Empire State Building. It had become a landmark not only for New York but for the entire United States.
In the small town of Waynesburg in Brooke County, West Virginia, Frederick's Ford sedan was already the most eye-catching vehicle. The traditional, rural scene had hardly changed for decades, even for the past century. But after a short, half-day train ride, it was as though they had entered a completely different world.
New York—where desire and fame intersect!
Willkie was busy in New York, and naturally, he couldn't personally come to meet them. Instead, he had assigned a junior assistant from his law firm to handle the matter. The assistant was also tasked with showing the two around the city and giving them a glimpse of New York's splendor.
Compared to Pittsburgh and Chicago, New York was a whole other level. Sure, there were still the poor and homeless, but in big cities, the homeless had their own way of surviving.
Perhaps many had read O. Henry's story The Cop and the Anthem, which is set in New York, specifically at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. In the story, a homeless man named Sobby, when he feels the cold, tries to get arrested for a three-month prison sentence so that he can spend a warm winter at Blackwell's Island.
Of course, in the story, he never gets arrested after engaging in petty crimes like stealing food, breaking windows, and disturbing women. In the end, he is only arrested for standing in front of a church. We don't need to criticize O. Henry's portrayal, but it shows that New York's homeless seemed to have a way of finding shelter for themselves.
Perhaps, in the future, some elderly people in Japan might deliberately steal a few hundred yen from convenience stores to get a three-year sentence. The prison would provide food, clothing, and regular medical checks, and they could chat with fellow prisoners who, in essence, aren't really bad people but simply have no other choice.
At that time, in America, there were probably at least two to three million people incarcerated in various detention facilities, many of whom were homeless individuals seeking shelter rather than dangerous criminals.
Nair didn't know the specifics…
"Gentlemen, how about we go upstairs for some afternoon tea?" The assistant, aware that Nair and Frederick could afford to invest $300,000, was overly attentive. Despite their rural appearance, $300,000 could definitely change people's perception.
"Sure!" The two countrymen eagerly agreed.
After rubbing their necks from looking up for too long, Nair and Frederick walked into the Empire State Building. Apart from office floors, the top floors were reserved for sightseeing. The decoration was luxurious, and every day, various dignitaries visited to admire the grandeur and magnificence of New York.
If only there were social media like today. Even though Nair usually seemed calm and composed, he might have taken a photo here to post on his feed to show that he had been there.
Reaching the 86th-floor observation deck, the assistant had already reserved a spot using Willkie's law firm's name. Since Willkie was paying, the assistant got to enjoy the experience as well.
The waiter seated them, and although the menu offered various dishes and drinks, the main focus was the view. When Nair and Frederick were born, humans hadn't yet been able to build such tall buildings. In just twenty years, construction technology had advanced so much—it was truly incredible.
"What would you like to drink?" Frederick looked at the menu.
"One Chablis," Nair instinctively responded, thinking of the refreshing white wine from Chablis.
Chablis, a perfect wine to enjoy in the summer. Drinking Coca-Cola here might seem a bit out of place, and Nair certainly didn't want to drink soda all the time.
"I'll have the same," Frederick said, handing the menu to the assistant. The pastries didn't matter much, as they all tasted overly sweet—Nair never had a particular fondness for such sugary treats.
"Your boss must be quite busy lately," Nair asked the assistant, curious.
"Yes, indeed. Recently, many import and export trading companies, banks, and postal services have been facing financial disputes, many of them international," the assistant responded naturally.
"I heard Germany's situation is bad, and even the British Commonwealth is in some trouble."
"That's right. On the other hand, those doing business with the Russians have become quite wealthy," the assistant added, eager to provide more details. In New York, there was no shortage of such gossip.
"Are you talking about the Soviet Union?" Nair asked, though he wasn't very curious and didn't want to delve into such matters.
"Yes, exactly. That country needs all sorts of goods, and they pay well for them."
Well, that was true. The Soviet Union's rigid and outdated collective farming policies had caused agricultural production to plummet. Last year, the country's meat supply had already dropped, and this year, there was a full-fledged food crisis. In Ukraine alone, three million people had died from hunger.
"Let's not talk about that. What's the news in New York?" Nair waved his hand, wanting to shift the topic.
"Well, the current governor, Roosevelt, has quite a bit of skill," the assistant replied, not outright agreeing but acknowledging Roosevelt's influence.
"Do tell more," Nair was intrigued. Last year, Governor Roosevelt, who had just been re-elected, was actively trying to fulfill his political ambitions.
Leaving his personal morals aside, many of Roosevelt's policies were praiseworthy. He actively encouraged the rich to invest heavily in New York, while also facilitating "friendly negotiations" between the wealthy and labor unions to lower wages. His goal was to ensure that everyone had a job, even if it didn't offer great benefits.
At first glance, it seemed like Roosevelt wouldn't gain the support of the workers. But in reality, he earned the admiration of wealthy capitalists, as well as a broader support base among workers who now had jobs to survive on.
The Republican Party, which had long dominated New York, was quickly disintegrating, while Roosevelt's Democratic Party was emerging as the savior of the state.