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"Investigating cases is such a drag! Turns out being a slacker and cutting corners is more my style."
Ron stretched as he left the DEA building. After finishing his interview with Detective Hank, he'd stuck around to observe the interrogation of the suspect.
As expected, they came up empty-handed.
The guy kept insisting he'd been partying with some escort for three straight days. Judging by the suspect's genuine expression, Ron already believed him, though Detective Hank kept pressing with questions.
Man, what an idiot to think he could take on someone of that caliber. If Ron had been in charge, he would've handled it differently.
It had to be said that after living in America for so long, Ron had picked up some bad habits.
It was eleven in the morning, and Ron squinted up at the California sun. He was getting hungry—hadn't eaten since dawn—but embracing his family's tradition of frugality, he decided to score a free meal. He was mainly visiting old family friends anyway.
Beverly Hills, nestled right next to Hollywood, boasts the title of "the world's most exclusive neighborhood," a symbol of wealth and fame. Here, you can easily spot celebrities and millionaires who frequently appear on TV.
Even Kobe Bryant, the Lakers legend, owned a mansion here, but none of that had anything to do with Ron.
His destination for today's meal was a modest house with a sign reading "The Tuohy Family."
Of course, "modest" was relative to the other estates around here; if this house were in downtown LA or Pasadena where Ron lived, it would be anything but modest.
He rang the doorbell, and a handsome middle-aged man appeared, offering a warm bear hug.
"Hey, Ron! I can't believe how much you've grown up and how good-looking you've become. Last time I saw you, you were just a little troublemaker."
Ron replied with mock indignation, "Mr. Tuohy, you've got it all wrong. It's always George and Sheldon causing the trouble. I'm just the one cleaning up after them."
Sean Tuohy had been George Cooper Sr.'s college football teammate, and they'd been tight as brothers back in the day. Even after they got married and Mr. Tuohy moved his family to Los Angeles, they stayed in touch.
So when George Sr. heard Ron was working in LA, he specifically told him not to forget to visit—and definitely not to bring Sheldon along.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be a friendly visit but a declaration of war.
Mr. Tuohy ushered Ron into the house. SJ bounded over with an enthusiastic "Ron!" and immediately pounced on the gift bag. Collins gave a polite greeting before returning to her seat, displaying the refined manners of a Southern belle.
Even a penny-pincher like Ron wouldn't show up empty-handed when visiting family friends. He'd loaded the gifts George Sr. had prepared for the two Tuohy kids into his car.
SJ's gift was a football signed by the legendary quarterback Tom Brady—something that had taken considerable effort to obtain—while Collins got a professional tennis racket.
George Sr. was a renowned college football coach, and as everyone knows, football is undeniably America's top sport. Basketball ranks third in popularity, behind baseball but ahead of hockey.
Ron ruffled SJ's hair before standing up to greet each member of the Tuohy family. "Hello, SJ. Collins, you're getting more beautiful every day. Mrs. Leigh Anne, George and Mary asked me to give their regards to your family."
But despite all his preparation, Ron had missed someone.
There was also a large Black teenager in the room whom Ron didn't recognize. The kid stood well over six feet tall, more than half a head taller than Ron.
Catching Ron's stare, the young man smiled shyly, his teeth brilliant white against his dark skin.
"Who's this?" Ron's jaw dropped in surprise.
"Ron, this is Michael Oher, our newest family member," Mr. Tuohy explained, noticing Ron's confusion.
"Yeah, he's my big brother now, even taller than Ron!" Little SJ proudly clutched his football.
Following Southern tradition, they said grace at the table before eating, and everyone had a wonderful time. When Ron said his goodbyes, Mr. Tuohy insisted on walking him to the door. Sensing he had something to say, Ron deliberately slowed his pace. Coincidentally, he had something on his mind too.
"Mr. Tuohy, thank you for your family's hospitality. I'll be working in LA and will definitely visit more often."
"Maybe next time you can bring Sheldon along," Mr. Tuohy said, then chuckled to himself, apparently remembering some story about Sheldon.
"Forget it," Ron felt a headache coming on at the mention of bringing Sheldon to visit relatives and friends. "He's such a buzzkill, and SJ would probably pick on him. But if SJ and Collins are interested in physics, I could have Sheldon tutor them."
Mr. Tuohy's eyes showed a hint of envy. "That's not necessary. Nobody knows those two kids better than me. You know, I often envy George. He's doing what he loves, and he's got three brilliant sons and a beautiful daughter."
Ron offered comfort: "Collins is pretty brilliant too, and SJ's still young. Who knows what the future holds? Maybe he'll become a great quarterback like his old man.
And Michael's obviously got the build for football. With that frame, it'd be a shame if he didn't play offensive line."
Having a father who was a football coach meant that although Ron had never played the sport in his previous life, he'd been around it since childhood and had grown to love this quintessentially American game.
Mr. Tuohy's expression grew serious. "That's exactly what I wanted to ask you about. What do you think of Michael? Does he have what it takes to play professional football?"
As a compassionate man, Mr. Tuohy, having decided to bring Michael into their family, certainly wasn't content with just providing food and shelter. He wanted to find a path for the young man to succeed.
Ron answered almost without hesitation, "With his size and build, he's got nearly all the qualities of an elite offensive tackle. He should definitely give it a shot. You should call my dad—his Longhorns could use a talent like that on their line."
Mr. Tuohy finally nodded with relief, and Ron took the opportunity to ask his own question.
"Mr. Tuohy, I wanted to ask—is your next-door neighbor Elon Musk?"
"Yeah," Mr. Tuohy nodded and pointed to the mansion next door. "See, that's Musk's place. I'm guessing you don't want me to introduce you, right? Can I ask why?
As far as I know, his tax situation is the same as any other wealthy person's. He uses legitimate methods for tax planning, and you won't find anything even if you investigate."
Ron nodded, a gleam in his eyes. "Actually, I do want to meet him, but you guessed wrong about why. I want to talk business with him."
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