Looking for a Place

New York, Jamaica, at dawn

In March, dawn came a little earlier in New York than in winter, but at six o'clock the streets were still gray and dim.

Jamaica had a distinctive smell in the early morning... the diesel fumes left behind by garbage trucks, the sickly sweetness of bakeries starting to bake bread, and the wind rising from the subway vents, mixed with rust and body odor.

Lin An stood on the street corner across from a church, his hands in his coat pockets as he watched the scene before him.

St. Mark's Church in Jamaica was a red-brick building with a small porch, but a long line had already formed outside.

There were around forty or fifty people in line, most of them Black, along with a few Latinos. They wore all kinds of clothes, but shared one thing in common... they were all painfully thin from long-term malnutrition.

At the front of the line, a large Black man in an orange reflective vest was handing out meal boxes.

His movements were practiced. He handed out a box with one hand and made the sign of the cross over his chest with the other, murmuring something that sounded like a blessing, though his voice was too quiet to make out.

"Darnell, who's that man?"

Darnell, standing beside Lin An, was chewing on a doughnut, powdered sugar clinging to the corner of his mouth. His cheeks were stuffed, and he spoke indistinctly.

"Oh... that's... hang on, let me swallow first... that's Deacon Williams."

He swallowed hard and patted his chest.

"He runs the kitchen at this church. He's been here... about ten years, I guess? Anyway, he was here before I came to Jamaica."

"Is he a good person?"

"Probably."

Darnell licked the sugar from his fingers.

"As far as I know, he also helps people find work—cleaning, hauling, construction labor, day jobs like that. The homeless around here go to him when they're looking for work. But I don't like him."

"Oh, why?"

Lin An looked away from Williams and back at Darnell.

"Didn't you just say he was a good person?"

"Yeah, Big Guy says he's a good person."

Darnell scratched his head.

"But I just don't like him."

"I see. Then I'll have to change my plans."

Lin An said. He'd been thinking of working with Williams, but after hearing what Darnell said, he changed his mind.

As the old saying went, your face reflected your heart. When you met someone and disliked them at first sight, when you felt an instinctive resistance, you should trust your gut and stay away—or at least be on your guard, so you wouldn't be fooled by what they said later.

When you disliked someone at first sight, it was your instincts telling you that person might be bad for you. Maybe your personalities clashed, or maybe they were plotting against you.

In short, trust your instincts.

Lin An's body was only in its twenties, but his mental age was much older. He'd learned that lesson the hard way more than once.

He'd been able to get along with Darnell because his first impression of him had been good. That was how they'd become friends.

Since Darnell, this Black guy, didn't like Williams, Lin An decided he wouldn't deal with the church deacon.

"Come on, let's find somewhere to sit."

They crossed the street and entered a small diner diagonally across from the church. It was called "Mary's Little Kitchen," and a breakfast special was advertised on the glass door.

There were only two customers inside, both elderly, white-haired men. They sat at separate tables, slowly sipping coffee.

Behind the counter, a waitress in her fifties, with her hair dyed an unnatural shade of blond, was wiping it down with a rag.

"Two seats, please."

Darnell sauntered in as if he owned the place.

"Mary, how's the coffee today? Still taste like dishwater?"

"Shut up and sit down."

The waitress didn't even look up.

Darnell turned and winked at Lin An.

"See? We're close. Her name's Mary, same as the diner, but she's not my mom. My mom's also named Mary, and she works at a nursing home. Both Marys are tough customers, if you know what I mean."

They sat at a table by the window. Lin An ordered a black coffee and a slice of bread, while Darnell ordered another doughnut.

"Darnell."

Lin An set his coffee cup on the table without drinking.

"I want to talk to you about something."

Darnell took a bite of his doughnut and spoke indistinctly.

"What is it? Go ahead, I'm listening. I'm the most business-minded young man in Jamaica. There's no problem I can't solve!"

"It's about making money, and it has to do with the homeless."

"Huh?"

Darnell pulled the doughnut out of his mouth in surprise and set it on his plate, stopping his meal for the moment.

"You want to make money off the homeless? Wait, bro, you're not thinking of..."

Darnell leaned closer, lowering his head toward Lin An as he asked in a hushed voice, his tone exaggeratedly tense.

"You're not planning to be a dope dealer, selling them stuff? Bro, are you crazy? My mom always said drugs were the devil's trap, and anyone who touched them would go to hell! My stepdad used to say the same thing when he was alive. Anyone who touched that stuff was an idiot. He sounded more serious saying that than the preacher at church!"

"I understand. I'm not touching that stuff."

Lin An sighed.

"I just want to hire the homeless to do some work. Don't get the wrong idea. I might not be a good person, but I'm definitely not a dealer."

"Oh, what do you want the homeless to do for you?"

"Anything. I don't have money to pay them right now, so I can only provide food and clothes."

Lin An said.

"There's something I need your help with."

"Go ahead, bro. If I can help, I definitely will. Who do you think I am? I'm Darnell Washington, the most reliable man in Jamaica—and there's no one else even close!"

Darnell thumped his chest as he made his promise, pounding so hard it boomed. He looked so cocky, you'd think he could solve every problem in the world.

"Find a safe place for the homeless to stay, somewhere sheltered from the wind."

Lin An said seriously.

"Preferably somewhere free."

"Bro, are you serious? A free place to stay?"

"I'm serious."

Lin An picked up his coffee, but didn't drink it, just warming his hands on the cup.

"After the 2008 crisis, there should be a lot of vacant houses around here. Ones the banks repossessed and no one's looking after."

Darnell lowered his voice, his bravado fading a little, though he still tried to sound tough.

"You want to take over houses illegally with the homeless? Bro, don't mess around! If a gang catches us, we're both done for. My mom's counting on me to look after her when she gets old!"

"Tell me more about it."

Darnell wiped his mouth and sat up straight, putting on his usual "I know everything" act.

"There's a whole bunch of them in South Jamaica, south of Brewer Avenue, near the Long Island Rail Road overpass. They're all wooden houses. White people used to live there, but they moved away. The banks boarded the places up to keep people out."

"Boards won't keep out people who need somewhere to stay."

Lin An replied.

"Right, but the area's a little dangerous."

Darnell hesitated. For once, his voice held a trace of genuine concern, though he still tried to play it off.

"Not because of the cops. It's... there are gang members around there. They've taken over a few houses and turned them into stores."

Stores? What did he mean?

[This is Black slang. He means drug dens, places where they sell drugs.]

That did sound dangerous.

Lin An wasn't afraid of gang members, but the homeless people were. They'd be terrified.

"Then are there any houses the gangs haven't taken over? Or an abandoned warehouse that people could live in?"

"Bro, you're asking for too much."

Darnell grumbled about Lin An's unrealistic expectations, his hands on his hips, looking as if Lin An had no idea how things worked.

"Every place in Jamaica Community where you can stay for free has already been taken over by gangs. Only someone as smart as me could find a safe way through!"

"Then are there any open lots near a water source?"

Lin An continued asking.

"Oh, I see."

Darnell rubbed his chin, thinking. His weathered face scrunched up, and for once, he really did look like a thirty-eight-year-old man.

"If that's what you're looking for, there are quite a few possibilities. But there's another problem..."

"What problem?"

"The cops will come and chase them off. They might leave one or two homeless people alone, but if there are more, and someone nearby complains, the cops will definitely come. Bro, if you want to hire the homeless, you can't have them staying in those places.

If the cops show up, I'm not sticking around. I'll run faster than a rabbit... Of course, I'd be running to get help for you. You know what I mean?"

[What the hell? Is it really that hard for the homeless to get by?]

[Ugh, what a pain. Being homeless in America is such a hassle.]

[The good places have been taken over by gangs, the slightly worse places by the old hands, and the okay ones get cleared out by the cops.]

Yeah, this was a real hassle. Lin An scratched his head.

He knew everything was hard at the beginning, but he hadn't expected it to be this hard.

Maybe tonight, he could take a gun and wipe out the local gang, then take over their hideout. That would give his workers a place to stay, and provide the initial capital for his project.

Lin An began considering this plan, which sounded crazy even to him, and felt that it was quite feasible.

Watching him, Darnell scratched his head again and took a bite of his remaining doughnut. Powdered sugar scattered over the tablecloth. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh, his voice rising by an octave.

"Bro, we're not going to come up with an answer sitting here. Why don't we ask the homeless? I'm a genius. Only I could come up with an idea like that. Of course I'm the smartest person in Jamaica!"

"Hm?"

Lin An looked up, his delicate features curving into a smile. He immediately understood what Darnell meant.

"You mean we should ask the people waiting in line for food where they can stay, right?"

"That's right!"

Darnell nodded vigorously, still chewing. His words were muffled, but he remained as cocky as ever.

"They hang around this area every day. They know better than us which places are safe, where no one bothers them, where they can hide from the cops, and where there aren't any gangs..."

"Didn't you say you were the best Black guy in Jamaica Community?"

"I'm the best Black guy, not the best homeless guy, bro! I've got a mom and a home. I'm not like them, wandering the streets every day!"

Darnell looked rather helpless.

[The Black guy has a point.]

[Hahaha, of course the homeless know best where the homeless can stay. Go ask them already, protagonist. Quit dawdling.]

[Maybe the homeless know about places that are even more out of the way—and safer—than the ones Darnell knows?]

[Go for it, streamer! And see if you can find some capable homeless people to hire. That'll make things easier later.]

The Bullet Screen comments flew by. Lin An glanced at them, the corners of his mouth lifting.

He gulped down his coffee, quickly finished his bread, and nodded toward Darnell.

"Come on. Let's ask them."

They paid the bill. Mary still didn't look up, but as they turned to leave, she muttered, "Don't get into trouble, especially not hanging around with the homeless. If the cops arrest you, don't come hiding in my place."

Darnell turned and waved, calling back with a cheeky grin and an utterly defiant tone.

"Yeah, yeah, Mary. Who do you think I am? I'm Darnell Washington. How could I get into trouble? Even if I did, I could handle it, so don't worry!"

When they left the diner, the gray haze of dawn had begun to fade. The line outside the church was still long, and Deacon Williams continued handing out meal boxes in an orderly fashion. The cross on his chest glinted coldly in the weak light.

Lin An frowned without thinking. Remembering that Darnell had said he didn't like Williams, he deliberately avoided the front of the line and walked to the back.

At the end of the line stood a tall, skinny Black man in a faded jacket with frayed cuffs. His hair was a mess, dust stained his face, and he stared at the ground, scuffing it with his toe, looking listless.

Darnell's eyes lit up. He pulled Lin An over, and Lin An handed him a long baguette that a viewer had tipped him.

Darnell walked over with the bread and patted the man on the shoulder. His slap was forceful but familiar.

"Hey, Old Joe, remember me? Darnell Washington! The coolest man in Jamaica!"

Old Joe raised his cloudy eyes, a glimmer of light in them. When he recognized Darnell, he tugged at the corners of his mouth, forcing a smile.

"Darnell? Oh, I remember you, the kid who's always stealing Mary's doughnuts. What brings you here? Don't you have a mom? Why are you here for food?"

"No, no..."

Darnell waved a hand and handed over the bread he was holding, looking pleased with himself.

"Here. It's way better than the church bread. My brother and I need your help with something. You're lucky I, Darnell Washington, came to ask you. It's an honor!"

Old Joe took the bread, his eyes lighting up at once. He hurriedly tore open the wrapper and took a big bite, speaking indistinctly.

"Go ahead, go ahead. If I can help, no problem!"

Lin An stepped forward, wearing a polite smile. In his slow, Chinese-accented English, he said, "Hello, my name's Lin An. I'm Darnell's friend. We're looking for a place where five or six people can stay without paying, where the cops won't chase them off and there aren't any gang members. Somewhere as hidden as possible. Do you know a place like that?"

Old Joe paused mid-bite and looked around warily. Then he pulled Lin An and Darnell over to the corner of a nearby wall and lowered his voice, speaking cautiously.

"You're looking for a place like that? Is it for you to stay in, or..."

"It's for some homeless people."

Lin An answered openly.

"I want to hire them to work. I'll provide them with shelter and food. No drugs, no trouble."

Old Joe froze. A flicker of surprise crossed his cloudy eyes, then he grew wary again.

"Hire the homeless? You're not trying to trick us, are you? Around here, no one cares if we live or die, except for that fat guy Williams."

"I'm not lying to you."

As he spoke, Lin An reached inside his coat and pulled out two packets of Chinese bread and a bottle of mineral water, then handed them to Old Joe.

"You see, I have food. If you can find a place, all of this is yours. I don't have much money. When I first started hiring homeless people to work, all I could offer was clothes and clean food."

[Do Old Joe and Darnell know each other?]

[Streamer, be careful. Don't let the homeless guy fool you. What if the place he takes you to belongs to a gang?]

Lin An glanced at the Bullet Screen, not worried in the slightest. He simply smiled without replying and continued watching Old Joe.

Old Joe held the bread and hesitated for a moment. Then he left the group and led the two of them somewhere less crowded, where he answered in a low voice.

"You really are looking for people to work?"

Darnell immediately stepped forward to vouch for him, pounding his chest so hard it thumped. His confidence was boundless.

"Yeah, Old Joe. If you don't trust him, don't you trust me? I'm Darnell Washington, the most trustworthy man in Jamaica. My word's more reliable than the Bible in a Church!

"I wouldn't lie to you about this. Otherwise, my mom would make me pray all night!"

Old Joe didn't get mad at Darnell for talking such big game. He even nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, kid, I know. I just have one request... If you're hiring people, could you take me on?"

As an old Ni Ge, Old Joe had a better eye for people than Darnell. He could tell at a glance who was in charge.

"Don't let my age fool you. I'm only in this state because I've been hungry too long. Once I've had a good meal, I'll be a hard worker. I can do anything quickly and well!"

At that, Lin An's polite smile didn't waver.

"Old Joe, I have a question for you. You need to answer honestly... Do you use coke? The white stuff that's addictive."

At those words, Old Joe's face flushed scarlet. He hurriedly waved his bony hands, his voice urgent and carrying a hint of wounded indignation.

"No, I don't use it. Never! I'd rather starve to death than touch something that would turn me into a demon!"

Seeing this, Darnell quickly patted Old Joe's arm. He hit him so hard that Old Joe nearly stumbled. Then he turned to Lin An and explained, his tone full of familiar concern, though he still couldn't shake his swagger.

"Bro, don't worry. Old Joe would never touch that stuff. He's nothing like those lowlifes! I'm telling you, Old Joe used to be even better off than me. He worked at a furniture factory on Brewer Avenue, and he was the best carpenter there. His work was so good he could turn a piece of junk wood into art. The boss treated him like a treasure and bought him a Coke every day!"

He edged closer to Lin An and lowered his voice, but he still couldn't help raising it a little, as if he were afraid no one would hear how much he knew.

"I'm telling you, Old Joe used to have a wife and a son. They lived in a little house with a yard, and there were roses growing in it. He had it better than my family! My mom once wanted to order a wooden chair from him, but it was too expensive, so she didn't!"

Darnell talked so excitedly that spittle flew, his hands waving about. He acted as if he'd witnessed Old Joe's good old days himself. At the end, he added:

"Only someone as well-informed as me would know all that. There's no gossip in Jamaica that can get past me!"

Old Joe lowered his head. His tangled hair hid his eyes, and his shoulders slumped slightly. He took a bite of the bread in his hand, his voice terribly hoarse.

"That was all last year... The furniture factory went under, and the boss killed himself. I owed the bank on my mortgage, and they were going to take the house. I had no choice but to divorce my wife and save what little money I had left, so she could take our son away from New York and rent a place and find work in another city."

"I looked for work for months, but nobody wanted me. My old skills were worthless in times like these."

He raised his head. His cloudy eyes glistened, but no tears fell.

Darnell's voice softened at once, and his pats on Old Joe's shoulder grew gentler. But he still refused to say anything tender, only grumbling stiffly.

"Hey, it's no big deal! So you went bankrupt. My stepdad went through that too, and he got through it, didn't he? Stick with my bro and you'll have enough to eat. You can get back to carpentry someday, too. I'll be the first to order a chair from you. I'll get one for my sister as well. She'll love it!"

After a pause, he immediately went back to his swaggering self and planted his hands on his hips.

"Of course, you'd better give me a discount then. I'm the one who found you such a great boss, after all. You know what I mean?"

Old Joe looked at Darnell, a hint of warmth flashing in his cloudy eyes. He nodded firmly, his voice choked with emotion.

"Okay... okay... I'll give you a discount for sure. Thank you, Darnell."

"What are you thanking me for?"

Darnell waved him off with a look of disdain, but quietly slipped the half a doughnut left in his pocket to Old Joe.

"I'm Darnell Washington, the most loyal man in Jamaica. This is nothing!"

Lin An watched the two of them quietly, the smile at the corners of his mouth growing warmer.

[Hahaha, Darnell's so stubborn. He clearly cares about Old Joe, but he has to pretend he doesn't.]

[Wait, did Darnell just agree on the streamer's behalf to take this old black guy on? A little brother making decisions for his boss—not cool.]

[Old Joe's had it so rough. I hope things get better for him with the protagonist. Darnell may be all bluster, but he's a good person.]

Lin An glanced at the Bullet Screen and spoke in an unhurried voice.

"Old Joe, once you've eaten, take us to the place you mentioned. If it's suitable, you can work for me, and I can help you find some carpentry jobs, so your skills won't go to waste."

Old Joe's eyes lit up at once, and he nodded firmly.

"Okay, okay! I'll take you there right now. The place I live is well hidden. There are no police and no gangs. It can house five or six people and keep out the wind and rain!"

Seeing this, Darnell immediately came over and patted Lin An on the shoulder, looking pleased with himself. "See, bro? I told you Old Joe was reliable! I've got a good eye for people. Without me finding someone this suitable, your plan couldn't even get started. You know what I mean?"

Lin An didn't argue. He just smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, you're amazing."

"You bet!"

Darnell grew even more pleased with himself and strode ahead with his chest out.

"Come on, I'll lead the way. If anyone tries to stop us, I'll knock them flat with one punch. I'm telling you, my fists hit harder than Tyson's. Some punk messed with me once, and I made him cry with one punch. Believe me?"

Old Joe followed in the middle, clutching the rest of the bread and the water tightly in his hands. His steps had grown much lighter.