The 30-year-old Sam Gardner didn't have much education, so it was natural he couldn't find a high-wage job. His previous job was working as a salesman, but he lost that job during a company layoff. As such, he could only work part-time at a gas station while looking for a new job.
Sam Gardner felt that he an extremely unlucky person. 30 years old with no achievements, not even a full-time job. His girlfriend, who had been with him for several years, also left him after he became unemployed. And something that happened not long ago made Gardner realize what "bad luck" truly meant.
While Gardner was walking on the road, he was actually shot by someone, and the shot hit him exactly in the leg.
Gardner had thought that he was going to die. He called the cops, which started a large-scale gun fight later. It was only after Gardner was hospitalized that he found out that the guy who shot him was a hostage of the kidnappers. The hostage used him to alert the cops.
For Gardner, it was really an unexpected disaster. He hurt his leg and could not work for quite a while. And because he was unemployed, he didn't have any medical insurance, so he was worried about his medical bills. He thought that he would go bankrupt because of that.
At that moment, an obese lawyer came to him. He indicated that he was willing to bear all of Gardner's medical costs as well as a sum of money as compensation.
Of course, Gardner agreed to it without hesitation the moment he heard that he could receive money. It was the thing he lacked most. Gardner gave the lawyer the medical bill, and at the same time, he received a check worth 200,000 dollars. He then signed an agreement that stated that he would no longer pursue the matter.
200,000 dollars. It was an incredible amount. It would've taken him four to five years to earn that much money when he was a salesman. It was regarded as compensation in damages, which was not categorized under a person's income, which meant that it wasn't even taxable. With this money, even if Gardner didn't work, he would still be able to enjoy a comfortable life for seven to eight years.
Gardner felt that his luck was changing. He left the old apartment that he originally rented, and moved into a better condominium. He even bought himself a car for practical use.
Then the lawyer appeared again. This time, he even brought along a reporter. They said that they wanted to interview Gardner, and at the same time, they even invited Gardner to appear on a talk show. Apart from that, the lawyer also stated that they were in contact with a publisher. They wanted to help Gardner publish a book titled, "The Bullet That Changed My Life."
Gardner never would have thought that he would have an opportunity like that. He was without a doubt an underachiever back when he was a student, and now he was about to get interviewed by a reporter, visit a talk show, and even publish a book!
...
A talk show was live on the television, and the special guest was Gardner.
"Not long ago, I was a man in poverty. I had nothing, and every day was a struggle. I rented the cheapest apartment and relied on food stamps. I could have gone bankrupt at any time. I made my livelihood by working part-time at a gas station nearby," Gardner said pitifully.
"Stop kidding me. I heard that you recently moved into a new apartment, and you even bought yourself a new car," the host said. He then waved towards the big screen. The screen immediately played a video clip of Gardner showing the reporter around his new apartment and new car.
"Yes, you've all seen it. That is my life now. All of those things are because I was shot in the leg!" Gardner pulled up the leg of his pants as he said that, leaving his gunshot scar exposed.
"I don't quite understand. What's the relationship between getting shot and changing your house and your car? Sam Gardner, why don't you tell everyone your story!" the host announced immediately.
Gardner began talking about his experiences.
"Mr. Gardner, are you saying the person who shot you paid for your medical fees, and he even gave you 200,000 dollars in damages? That is the annual income of a lot of people." The host intentionally showed that he was shocked.
"Yes. He is a good man, and I need to thank him," Gardner said.
"Thank him? He shot you! Not only do you not hate him, you even want to thank him? Is it safe to assume that you have completely forgiven him?" The host continued his barrage of questions.
"Of course, he was also a victim. He was kidnapped and locked in a room without windows. He couldn't call for help or call the cops, so he did it to save himself. I can understand him. Not to mention, he has given me enough compensation, this money has completely changed my life. I don't have to worry about my survival every day like before. I don't have to worry about my credit card payments anymore. I can live in my new apartment and own a new car. This is exactly what I want!"
Gardner paused briefly and continued, "I'm only an ordinary person. I don't want to stand out. My dream is simple. To have an ordinary house, an ordinary car, and to marry the person I love, have some kids, and live a peaceful life. But I've worked so hard for so many years without getting any of that, my dream was gradually moving away from me. But now, I can see the hope for me to realize my dreams again!"
Gardner's words resonated with many members of the live audience. Most people were ordinary; they didn't fantasize about being the best, what they wanted was simply to live an abundant and stable life. However, even with that pure desire, many people were unable to realize it no matter how hard they worked.
Gardner then continued, "Although 200,000 won't let me have everything at once, it could significantly reduce my economic pressures. I have settled all my debts, and I still have a significant amount left. I can get in my car and go to a ball game during the weekends, I can go have a good meal in a better restaurant. And all of this is thanks to the guy who shot me. Thanks to him, I can once again see hope! I feel that he didn't actually hurt me. On the contrary, he helped me. If it were to happen again, I would still be willing to take that shot."
Members of the talk show's live audience began applauding. These people were, of course, planted by the lawyer Wilfrid beforehand. Led by the planted audience, the other audience also started clapping their hands.
After the applause, the camera returned to focus on the host. The host then said, "Getting shot by a gun. Not only does he not hate the person who fired on him, he is, instead, expressing his gratitude! This is the first time I've seen such a situation. Although this sounds extremely absurd, after we've seen Mr. Gardner's current living condition, I can actually understand this behavior of his. Although Mr. Gardner was shot in the leg, he received 200,000 dollars as compensation. He is one step closer to his dream of leading a comfortable and stable life."
...
Under Wilfrid's authorization, many media sources had already interviewed Gardner and reported about him. And in all those reports, Gardner created the image of a lucky person for himself. Gardner also spoke of the 200,000 dollars compensation provided by Dai Li as aid from Dai Li, aid that helped him escape poverty.
The reporters found Gardner and recorded videos and took photographs of his newly rented apartment and newly bought car. Although the apartment wasn't big, the surrounding environment was excellent. The car was an ordinary passenger car, but it was the kind that was practical and popular amongst consumers.
Those were all things that were obtainable for the average person. If what was shown were swimming pools, mansions, or sports cars instead, the general population would feel nothing. That was because they couldn't afford a mansion that had a swimming pool, or a luxurious sports car. For an ordinary person, talking about the luxurious mansion and sports cars were fantasies, and naturally, it would not be able to resonate with them.
However, these seemingly normal things were different; they could reach into the hearts of ordinary people, especially the general population. An apartment located in a livable environment, an average but practical car, those were exactly the things they needed. They were also the things they could aspire to obtain through hard work.
Like the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness," stories where a poor person became a millionaire were indeed touching and inspirational, but for an ordinary citizen, the stories were usually far away. The goal of becoming a millionaire was unattainable for most people. However, Gardner's story made them feel very close. It was very close to their lives, and it even made every normal person feel that they could do it too.
Within a short amount of time, another discussion appeared in public opinion forums. Getting shot in the leg for 200,000 dollars compensation, would you do it?
When talking about money, the previous question that asked, "Would you hurt an innocent person to protect yourself?" The question seemed incredibly empty. An actual 200,000 dollars was being discussed, and someone had actually received that 200,000 dollars in real life.
Under Wilfrid's push, all sorts of survey questionnaires appeared online, and reporters once again went onto the streets to interview passersby.
When faced with money, Americans displayed their honesty decisively.
"Of course I would! It's 200,000 dollars! Look at that Sam Gardner guy, he was only a poor failure, but now he has a car and a house. His life has completely changed!" Passerby A said.
"Of course, I'd be willing! I know that guy called Gardner. He received 200,000 dollars in compensation for damages, and he called the cops to help the hostage who was kidnapped. Not only could you help someone, but you could also get out of poverty. Why not?" Passerby B stated.
"If getting shot once could be exchanged for 200,000 dollars, then please shoot me more! If it were me, if you gave me 200,000 dollars, I would also thank the person who shot me. He's really generous!" Passerby C declared.
In a matter of days, the direction of the news media made a 180-degree turn. Previous public opinion made Dai Li a villain who hurt others to protect his life, asserting that Dai Li lacked morality. Now, public opinion made Dai Li out to be a generous philanthropist who helped Gardner escape poverty, and live an abundant and plentiful life. Dai Li was just doing a good deed.
...
Prosecutor Nick Reese held his tablet and stared at Gardner's photograph the media put out with an ashen expression. He knew that his public opinion offensive had completely failed. Gardner, the man who got shot, actually came out to thank the guy who shot him. From that point alone, Reese had lost this battle outside the court.
The photograph posted by the media is too enchanting for the common people. An apartment in a decent area, an economical and practical car as a substitute for walking, it is the standard package for a normal person. And most members of the jury will be exactly this type of people. If they see these pictures, they will most certainly resonate with them. They will naturally think of the problem from Gardner's perspective. They will also feel that they should thank the accused! Looks like the jury will not be on my side in court.
Reese took a deep breath. However, his eyes were filled with a desire to battle.
That's Wilfrid all right, he really deserves to be called the best criminal lawyer in the US. I must also give it my all! I guess I'll have to go to Plan B…