Worth at Least Ten Bucks

"What? Holy shit! Then I'd better take a good look!"

As soon as Gavin finished speaking, Eugene hurriedly pulled out a pair of binoculars and pressed them to his eyes, looking toward the lake.

Madison came over to Gavin, surprised, and looked at the binoculars expectantly.

It wasn't that Old Robert didn't matter. He just wanted a look, too. After all, Old Robert could still talk back, and if he could talk, didn't that mean he was still alive?

As for Gavin...

He peered through the binoculars at the middle of the lake, about 2.6 kilometers away. His gaze lingered on the naked person lying on their back in the water, occasionally moving their hands and feet, and his brow furrowed.

After a couple of quick glances, Eugene finally found the woman. He instinctively said to Gavin, "Woohoo, found her. But are you sure she isn't a zombie? That person doesn't look like she's swimming at all. She's just floating there, with the occasional splash or two!"

"Let me see, let me see! You jerk, what can you even see with your eyes?"

Seizing the opportunity, Madison snatched the binoculars and started looking.

Meanwhile, Gavin lowered his binoculars and explained to Eugene, "You'd better pray she isn't a zombie, buddy. Because if zombies can swim, then I'll have to prepare for them to dig tunnels and pole-vault, too!"

"Uh..."

Gavin's words startled Eugene, but then he suddenly remembered something. With a strange grin, he replied, "Wait, Quarterback. Zombies that can pole-vault and dig tunnels? Are you sure you're not talking about Plants vs. Zombies?"

"Are we going to see Michael Jackson crawl out of his grave with a bunch of dancing zombies, moonwalk up to us, and crack open our skulls?"

Eugene burst out laughing at his own joke, chuckling away to himself.

Michael Jackson had died in 2009, and Plants vs. Zombies had also come out in 2009. Neither had lost its impact by 2013.

Hearing Eugene mention Michael, Gavin pursed his lips and said regretfully, "Give it a rest. Michael was my friend. Anyway, let's go check on Old Robert first."

"I know, boss. You even sent Michael a voice message back then. Too bad no one wanted to believe you, Madonna, or that arrogant blond real estate developer."

Madison answered as he lowered the binoculars. Then he came over to Gavin and continued in a quiet voice, "But boss, are you sure the person in the lake isn't a zombie? I don't have your eyesight, but she doesn't look alive to me. She barely moves!"

"We'll find out soon enough whether she's human or a zombie. Old Robert's villa has a little dock that extends into the water. He should have a couple of small boats. We'll check in a minute!"

As he spoke, Gavin pulled open the villa's front door and strode inside.

"Old Robert, are you in there?"

As soon as he entered the villa, Gavin shouted.

He didn't need an answer. Following the sound of coughing, he looked toward the upstairs landing.

Old Robert was coughing as he lay naked, face-down on the stairs leading from the second floor to the first. His face was flushed as he looked at Gavin.

"Cough, cough... This isn't exactly the best time for a reunion. I've made a fool of myself, young Gavin..."

Old Albert said awkwardly.

Seeing Old Robert still sprawled across the stairs, Gavin hurried over the carpet and reached him, embarrassed as he tried to pull him up.

As he reached out, he asked, "What happened? How did you end up here? I thought I'd find you lying in bed, wishing you were dead, or sitting in a recliner, ready to swallow a gun!"

"Wait! Don't! Don't pull me!!!"

Gavin's sudden movement startled Old Robert. He hurriedly stopped him, then quickly explained, "I've got a slipped disc, damn it. I must've strained myself coughing too hard at some point!"

"Whatever you do, don't pull me. My whole lower back and butt hurt like hell. Cough, cough... Just let me... adjust my position first!"

As he spoke, Old Robert's face turned red as he desperately tried to cover his backside.

He was home alone, and usually slept naked with just a bathrobe on. Now he was lying headfirst on the stairs, with his feet up, so naturally his bare butt was sticking out.

Behind Gavin, Eugene and Madison glanced at Old Robert. Eugene gave an awkward laugh and said, "Ahaha, that's one white butt. Hey there, old buddy, I'm Eugene!"

"I'm Madison. This is quite the unusual way to meet someone, haha!"

As the two greeted Albert, his face gradually turned bluish-purple, and his coughing grew worse.

When they saw how hard he was coughing, the three of them quickly backed away.

Seeing them retreat, Old Robert grimaced at Gavin. "Don't back away so fast, kid. I know what's wrong with me. It's just pneumonia from getting a little cold, like a racehorse jumping into the water right after a race!"

"Go to the room on the left on the first floor, the one with the dog, and bring me two boxes of azithromycin. That stuff works wonders. Cough, cough!"

"Azithromycin?"

Madison murmured, then went downstairs and headed left.

Before long, a fierce Rottweiler chased him back, barking all the way.

Watching the Rottweiler chase Madison, Old Robert struggled to roll over on the stairs. He pushed himself up against the carpet, grabbed the banister, and leaned there, his face full of pain and nostalgia.

"Ha... cough, cough, haha. How long has it been since I saw a scene like this? When I was young, Bella's grandpa used to chase our farm's slaves around and bite them just like that!"

"Give it a rest, old man. There weren't any slaves when you were young. I'm here to save you, not listen to you brag!"

Gavin cut Old Robert off irritably.

At that, Old Robert playfully pursed his lips. "Ha, they just changed the name. They went from slaves to hired hands, but there's no real difference."

Old Robert did have a point. When he was young, it had been the 1960s and '70s in America.

In those days, the status of Black people in the northern states had improved a little.

But in the more conservative South, especially in the eyes of the big plantation owners, Black people might no longer have been slaves, but they could still be killed on a whim for so much as looking at a white woman.

Listening to Old Robert, Eugene couldn't help bursting into laughter.

Still laughing, he called out to Madison, who had just run back, "Haha, go on, Old Mac! That good dog Bella's ancestors probably chased your ancestors around, too!"

"Fuck you, Eugene!"

Madison shouted back, easily escaping the Rottweiler and making it to Gavin's side.

"Boss, I've got the medicine!"

He handed the azithromycin to Gavin.

On the stairs, Old Robert got a good look at Madison's imposing height and build. He finally swallowed and said, "Shit, I didn't get a good look earlier. You're one huge Black kid. If you'd been around a hundred years ago, I'd bet you'd be worth at least ten bucks. Might've even gone for twenty!"

"Haha, of course. This body of mine—wait..."

Madison had just started to respond proudly when something suddenly struck him as wrong. Rolling his eyes, he asked Old Robert, "That wasn't a compliment, was it? I should've known better than to bring you the medicine, you old bastard!"

"Come on, forgive an old man, Gavin. Hurry up and give me the medicine."

Old Porter gave Madison a mischievous wave, then held out his hand to Gavin.

Gavin glanced closely at the medicine box and swallowed hesitantly. "Old Robert, are you sure this is the right medicine? It's clearly for dogs. It says so right on the box!"

As he spoke, Gavin pointedly showed Old Robert the dog's head on the packaging.

To everyone's surprise, Old Robert snatched the azithromycin from him and cheerfully opened the box.

"I know. It's veterinary medicine. I'm not Joanna—I'm a veterinarian!"

"Believe me, veterinary medicine is sometimes more effective than medicine for people. It might have a few side effects, but it works faster. Cough, cough!"

Amid his coughing, Old Robert popped out a few pills and swallowed them dry.

After forcing the pills down, he caught his breath and leaned against the banister, beckoning Eugene over.

"Redhead, could you get me some water? There's some around here somewhere."

"Ha, you sure know how to boss people around. Fine!"

Eugene chuckled and nodded, then turned to look for water.

Watching Eugene walk away, Old Robert continued smiling at Gavin. "Young Gavin, where do you find these fine young men? That redhead is a born cowboy. He's got a cowboy's hair and a cowboy's face, and he's as short as most cowboys, too!"

"Damn, you really didn't need to add that last part. Old Mac, go get this old bastard some water. I'm going to the lake to pick up that naked girl!"

Eugene turned around and raised his middle finger at Old Robert, then rushed toward the villa's back door—the one that led to the backyard and the little dock.