Nair continued reading, and soon everything became clear, but all he could muster was a sigh.
According to the newspaper, the suicide was because the boy couldn't bear to watch his family fall into increasingly difficult circumstances. Their apartment on Dreggers Street had been without gas since April, and his father, Harold, likely lost his job at Edison Company due to a hernia. While his father awaited surgery at Kings County Hospital, Mrs. Trollinger and their six children had to wait for relief assistance.
The worst part was that due to their poverty, the family couldn't even afford a simple funeral for the child. At the request of the local women and children's protection organization, the nearby Herbert Police Department helped arrange a hasty burial.
A unique economic atmosphere seemed to be hanging over New York, one of utter despair. The birthrate in the city had plummeted to its lowest point in history. If the market didn't recover and the economy didn't improve, the entire United States would inevitably slide back into the depths of another civil war.
With Roosevelt's "New Deal" and "Economic Recovery" as campaign slogans, his victory seemed assured.
With a heavy heart, Nair arrived in New York, where Wilkie's assistant, Moses, came to pick him up at the station. Moses had been with Wilkie for five or six years, handling things efficiently and earning Wilkie's trust.
Wilkie had already arranged for dinner, waiting for Nair's arrival. However, since it was still early, Nair had enough time to drop off his luggage at the apartment and return the Indian motorcycle home.
The apartment had been thoroughly cleaned, and the furniture was new. There was even a six-pack of Coca-Cola in the fridge, as Wilkie had noticed that Nair liked it. Or, maybe, who could resist sugary carbonated water? He made sure Nair had a few.
Nair probably wasn't interested in cooking, so Moses had already arranged for milk deliveries for the entire year, to be delivered daily. The local bakery had also been informed to deliver bread once a week, along with butter, ham, and jam.
All Nair needed to do in the morning was fry an egg or cook some porridge. Even someone like him, who wasn't keen on cooking, could easily handle boiling rice and watching porridge cook.
Lunch would be handled by a service, and in New York, there were special meal subscription services. The company also had a tea lady who could pick up lunch for Nair. Dinner would be Nair's responsibility, but with plenty of restaurants nearby, a dinner costing one or two dollars would hardly be an issue for him.
The laundry service was already arranged, and they would come to his place in a couple of days. Nair only needed to confirm the name of the shop. Wilkie had already paid for a year's worth of services, so Nair only had to tell them what to clean.
Everything was thoroughly arranged, and Nair was satisfied. After a brief rest, he left with Moses to go to the restaurant where dinner had been arranged.
This time, things were different. Sitting beside Wilkie was a graceful lady, whom Nair immediately recognized as Mrs. Wilkie. Wilkie was treating Nair like an insider, as if he were part of the family. Mrs. Wilkie didn't even try to hide, and they all sat down for a pleasant dinner.
During the meal, Nair kissed Mrs. Wilkie's hand in greeting. After a round of introductions, the evening was spent enjoying good food and pleasant conversation. In just a few days, Wilkie had found a large plot of land in the suburbs of New York, which had previously been a rundown baseball field and club. The original owner had gone bankrupt and left.
The court had tried to auction the property for over a year but couldn't sell it because the area was undesirable. If the land were developed into a golf course, it would be too small. Keeping it as a baseball field didn't seem like a viable option either, especially at this time of year when there were few spectators or members.
During the real estate boom, the land might have been developed into single-family homes, but now, many developers had lost everything.
Wilkie had a couple of contacts and worked with the court, securing the land and club for just $2,900. The construction workers were already clearing the site, and progress was moving quickly.
Nair had previously suggested that Wilkie aim for a grand opening by Christmas, and it seemed that this goal was within reach. However, Nair had one piece of advice: make sure to avoid any accidents on the construction site. Since the Republican Party was under scrutiny, any mishap could damage Wilkie's political debut.
Wilkie understood this and had already spoken to the construction company, emphasizing the need for both quality and speed. Wilkie was focused, and his energy was evident.
After a successful dinner, Nair and Wilkie headed out to part ways. As Mrs. Wilkie got into the car, a gust of wind blew a newspaper onto the ground near their feet.
Looking at the newspaper, Nair was reminded of the earlier news he had read about the 13-year-old boy who had committed suicide due to poverty. It struck Nair as a powerful issue, something Wilkie could potentially use to his advantage.
Even in a large city like New York, there were still millions of homeless people, and during the winter, many couldn't survive due to the lack of heating. The Republican government seemed to turn a blind eye and provided little assistance.
"Does Mrs. Wilkie have any social positions?" Nair asked, glancing at Mrs. Wilkie inside the car.
"Eh? She? No," Wilkie replied, unsure of what Nair was thinking.
"Right now, there are many poor women and children in New York. I think this is a stage where Mrs. Wilkie could make an impact," Nair said thoughtfully, offering his suggestion.
He suggested that Mrs. Wilkie get involved in social welfare organizations or women and children's protection groups, perhaps even donating her dowry or inheritance—$3,000 or $5,000, or even $10,000. She could help distribute food and blankets to women and children without income during the winter months.
Although children couldn't vote, they would eventually grow up. Furthermore, Mrs. Wilkie was a reflection of her husband, and by having a good public image and charitable reputation, it would only benefit Wilkie's future political ambitions.
Additionally, Mrs. Wilkie could encourage other women to donate, thus helping those without income while building political connections. This would pave the way for future meetings between Wilkie and other influential men.