Chapter 6: Taking Photos
May 2, 2023 Author: Yue Shang Xintou
Unfortunately, news of the film's release was in late January.
Now it was already mid-November, long past its relevance, and the chance to capitalize on its popularity was gone.
Colin knew that after *City Lights*, Charlie Chaplin had filmed another silent film in the following six years, which was also Charlie Chaplin's last silent film – *Modern Times*.
Furthermore, Einstein had shed tears again after watching the film.
But that was already a matter for 1936 and beyond, too slow to be of immediate help, and useless for the current predicament faced by the Messenger Newspaper.
As he thought, Colin's gaze swept across the newspaper's reports about the film, quickly landing elsewhere.
"...Actually, no one is starving. These homeless people are eating better than before... In New York, one homeless person ate 10 meals a day."
Immediately after, his gaze was drawn to the enormous words on the newspaper page.
"Who is so bold as to say such things during a time like this? Oh, it's Hoover, then it's fine..."
A hint of confusion flashed through his mind, but once Colin saw the source of the news, he instantly understood.
Speaking of Hoover, he was practically the unluckiest president in the history of the United States.
He happened to become president just before The Great Depression, and the public's dissatisfaction and anger towards The Great Depression were all vented upon Hoover. Consequently, for a long time to come, Hoover's name became synonymous with "poverty."
During The Great Depression, the dilapidated and shabby shantytowns built by the public from tin cans, cardboard, and gunnysacks were called "Hoovervilles"; the gunnysacks carried by the unemployed, used for collecting scraps, were called "Hoover bags"; in some places, impoverished farmers sawed off the front ends of broken-down, cheap automobiles and attached them to emaciated mules, calling them "Hoover carriages"; park bench sleepers wrapped themselves in old newspapers for warmth, calling them "Hoover blankets," and so on.
From a future historical perspective, Hoover's presidency could be described as ill-fated.
However, currently experiencing The Great Depression, Colin could somewhat understand why the public of this era harbored so much resentment and dissatisfaction towards Hoover.
Especially when he saw Hoover's replies to reporters' questions in the newspaper, even Colin couldn't help but frown.
Hoover's actions of distancing himself from the public during The Great Depression, and his incompetent policy performance also became the primary reasons for his later presidential election defeat.
"Wait a minute, maybe I can..."
Silently looking at the reports about Hoover in the newspaper in his hand, a subtle change gradually appeared in Colin's eyes.
"Little John."
Putting down the old newspaper in his hand, Colin immediately called out.
"I'm here!"
Hearing his name, Little John, who was standing beside the typesetting machine, subconsciously grabbed his camera and replied.
He walked to the office desk in a few quick strides, looked at Colin sitting behind it, subconsciously swallowed, and said with a hesitant expression, "What are your orders, boss?"
Click-clack, click-clack—
In front of the typesetting machine, Old John's hands moved swiftly across the keyboard, but his gaze involuntarily shifted towards the office desk.
"I hope you can help..."
Reaching into his pocket and rummaging around, he picked out a few well-worn coins and pushed them in front of Little John, then Colin quietly gave some instructions.
In front of the office desk, after listening to Colin's instructions, Little John looked up at him with some surprise, then quickly lowered his head, collected the coins from the desk, and replied in a muffled voice.
"Understood, boss, I'll go right away."
Watching Little John's retreating figure leave the newspaper office, a flicker of doubt appeared in the eyes of Old John, who was sitting in front of the typesetting machine.
However, before he could say anything, Colin, sitting behind the office desk, spoke up and asked him, "Old John, do you know how to get in touch with those Newsboys?"
"Newsboys?"
Facing Colin's question, Old John blinked his eyes behind his brass reading glasses, and then stopped his hands on the keyboard, saying, "Normally, the newspaper office doesn't need to specifically contact the Newsboys; they come to buy newspapers themselves on the weekly publication day."
In this era, the relationship between Newsboys and the newspaper office was similar to that between a manufacturer and a wholesaler.
Newsboys were not employees of the newspaper office; on the contrary, they needed to wholesale a bundle of newspapers from delivery persons or the newspaper office for 70 cents per bundle, and then break it apart to sell individual copies to passersby for 2 cents each, thereby earning a meager difference to survive.
This was also why Newsboys cared about The Messenger Newspaper's sales.
If the newspapers couldn't be sold, they would lose money. Some Newsboys had to work until late into the night just to earn money.
"Are there any other ways to immediately get these Newsboys to meet me?"
Weekly publication day?
Colin didn't think the Messenger Newspaper, in its current state, had enough time to last until the weekend's newspaper publication.
"Well... let me think..."
Faced with Colin's request, Old John hesitated slightly before saying, "I know a delivery person who might be able to find those Newsboys."
Hearing this, Colin nodded.
Just then, the newspaper office's tightly shut main door was opened from the outside; Little John had returned.
So fast?!
Looking at Little John, who had returned to the newspaper office, Old John's face couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
Only eleven or twelve minutes had passed since he left.
"Did you get the photo?"
Colin's face, however, showed no surprise; he simply asked calmly.
"I did."
Nodding, Little John raised the camera in his hand and replied in a muffled voice, "I followed your instructions, boss. After taking the photo, I immediately gave the cake to that family."
The "Three-no" cake Little John mentioned was, naturally, not the kind of cake people of later generations were familiar with.
"Three-no" cake—this was a distinctive food invented only during The Great Depression. With the absence of the three traditional ingredients for making cake—milk, eggs, and butter—people used water instead of milk, baking powder instead of eggs, and vegetable oil instead of butter. These three items were mixed together with flour, a small amount of sugar, and various spices, and then baked into a cheap food.
As for the taste of this "cake," made in such a way, one naturally couldn't expect too much.
Its only purpose was simply to fill one's stomach.
For the impoverished masses living during The Great Depression, filling their stomachs was already the most important thing; as for taste, it wasn't even within their consideration.
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(end of chapter)