Chapter 161 A Belated Gift
The charity dinner hosted by the SSD Stanford University Chapter was held as scheduled at the Langham Garden Hotel in San Francisco.
Former Chief of Naval Operations Thomas Hayward did not expect to receive so many people's attention after his retirement, and became the focus of the audience.
Those attendees in suits, almost everyone would come over politely to have a chat with me, and then inadvertently ask about the cooperation plans between the Guardian Foundation, Veterans Association and SSD that I mentioned in my speech just now , such as using technology to improve the living conditions of veterans.
Thomas swears to God that he is willing to come to the charity dinner to help out on the platform because the SSD Stanford branch donated 100,000 yuan to his foundation. Of course, the speech is also provided by SSD. He just read it roughly and there is no problem, so he read it That's all.
As for how to use technology to improve the living conditions of veterans? How does he know? Maybe transforming them all into mechanical skeletons and bringing those people back into battle?
In the end, he could only ask these people to ask SSD, the organizer, to learn more about the technology part of his speech.
When a group of business representatives from various companies in Silicon Valley asked Tommy Hawke, the person in charge of the SSD organizer, Tommy Hawke stood in front of these people with dignity, starting from the opportunity of this cooperation, and finally talking about technology The details of the order, that is, they learned that many World War II veterans are already very old, and even suffer from Alzheimer's disease, so the Veterans Association, Guardian Foundation and SSD are going to find a technology company to cooperate to develop a portable electronic product. Something like an electronic bracelet or necklace to keep those poor veterans from getting lost...
Tommy Hawke said the demand without blinking an eye, and the serious expression made the people present never think that this portable product to prevent getting lost was purely fabricated by him to trick them into buying tickets.
There are even business representatives of several Silicon Valley hardware companies, seriously thinking about whether this kind of hardware product can be realized.
That night, thanks to these nerds who were eager to get orders, they raised a total of 310,000 US dollars for the Veterans Association. Although they did not become the champion of SSD's charity dinner rankings over the years, they also managed to break into the top ten. The eighth place in the historical fundraising list.
This made the former chairman Charles, who was informed of the news for the first time, call from Yale University, scolding Tommy Hawk for not being brotherly, and helping Actor himself, but he didn’t want to help Actor until after he left office. The SSD Stanford chapter made this kind of gimmick, so that he didn't enjoy the honor as chairman.
For this charity dinner, in addition to officials from the headquarters, representatives of 17 university chapters attended the SSD, but except for several major military academies, other chapters in California came to help.
After the charity dinner, the presidents of these chapters changed a relatively private private clubhouse with Ian, Ted, Donald Rumsfeld, Thomas Hayward, Pete Wilson, Dick Cheney and others During the meal chat, the main topic was around the pharmaceutical company and the military's prescription drug discount plan, which was a topic that Tommy didn't care about anyway.
Having dinner with these bigwigs is of course the privilege of SSD branch chairmen. Naturally, those rookies who are brought to gain knowledge from SSD don’t have this opportunity, but they don’t get nothing. Tommy brought Jason, Tony and Dennis, and brought A dozen rookies from several military academies took them to another nightclub for drinks.
The rookies of these military academies are no strangers to Tommy and Jason in front of them. After all, these two guys appeared on the cover of the fraternity's internal magazine and achieved financial freedom at a young age. Many SSD brothers enshrined them as A new generation of business icons for SSD.
And Tommy also showed all the virtues that a qualified SSD brother should have, bold, generous, and talkative. After a few glasses of wine, he became friends with these dozen or so trainee officers who talked about everything.
When Tommy stood up again and raised his glass, everyone looked at him. Tommy pointed to Tony and Dennis, who were obviously alienated because they were not members of SSD, and said to the dozen or so people in front of him: "I know why they appear Here? Who's from West Point, stand up, stand up!"
The four SSD members of the West Point Military Academy stood up and looked at Tommy with some doubts. Tommy pointed at Dennis: "That guy is called Dennis, the first thing you do when you change from a rookie to a veteran is to deal with him severely. Because at that time he will report to West Point as a freshman, you know what I mean? He will report with my SSD internal recommendation letter, so you can figure it out for me now, how to adjust this guy to the newcomer assessment period. He was incontinent."
"Really?" The four rookies at West Point shook hands with Dennis, and the leader showed a smile: "Hi, Dennis, we will take good care of you as Tommy ordered."
After shaking hands with the four of them, Dennis scratched himself with that hand: "Wow, I can already feel your enthusiasm."
SSD members from other academies suddenly burst into laughter, and the four members of the West Point Military Academy stared at Dennis and raised their middle fingers: "I remember you, Dennis, you will definitely appear in SSD, and I promise, not only people who let you We can feel our enthusiasm.”
"Would you like a few drinks?" Dennis picked up a whiskey and said to the four, "Maybe I can show you how much I drink before going to report. It's not easy to make me incontinent, but I promise, if you pass out before I do, my bird will help you **** better later on."
"Brothers from the Naval Academy, where are you?" Tommy ignored Dennis' drinking competition with the four rookies at West Point, but continued to look at the crowd and asked.
Three SSD members of the Naval Academy stood up: "We can help you too, Tommy, so need us to help teach another idiot?"
"No!" Tommy put his arms around Tony's shoulders with a smile, and introduced to the three of them: "Tony, my half-brother, because of family reasons, he will study a year later, so he will go to the Naval Academy next year. Although he is a rookie, but he is my brother, you can trust him, any trouble to him to help you solve, he is omnipotent God, believe me, after all, I have known him long enough, every time he does not it disappointed me."
"Nice to meet you all." Tony said with a smile after shaking hands with the three.
"Can you solve any trouble? Tony? Tommy is a legend of our SSD. I'm curious to let him praise you. How powerful you are. You are welcome to enter next year. We will hold a small seminar for you. Welcome ceremony." The leader of the rookie and Tony had a drink and asked with a smile.
Tony nodded: "I hope it's not that kind of welcome ceremony for incontinence."
"Of course not, the Naval Academy prefers to strip rookies and tie them to the mast of the training ship." The other party said with a smile.
"I'm sorry, because of my health, I can't enter the military academy. I love this country. I would give everything to this country, but it's not too bad. At least for now, you, you SSD **** brothers, guard me This country, when I see you, I feel that I am with you. If I can't stand on the battlefield, let me stand behind you and do what I can. In school, in the army, if you encounter any trouble, you will be fine. Call me and chat." Tommy held his wine glass and said to everyone:
"Maybe I won't be able to go to war with you, but I might be able to make a little present for your parents on Mother's Day, Father's Day, for those of you who are busy defending America, or when they're not feeling well. Accompany them to the hospital, in short, give me what you can’t do by yourself, and I will help you complete it, we are brothers, helping each other, this is the meaning of SSD’s existence.”
"To SSD!" a fraternity member raised his glass and shouted.
The rest of the people also raised their glasses and echoed: "To SSD!"
Yes, this is the meaning of SSD existence.
"I wish you all the best in the army, cheers, officers!" Tommy Hawke raised his glass and wished these young faces with bright smiles.
…
After the charity dinner, Tommy Hawke took off his suit, switched back to jeans and a T-shirt, and returned to Stanford University to start his studies.
Most of the time, if a friend wants to find him, he only needs to go to three places: classroom, library and residence.
One year later, Sophia finished all the graduate courses of Stanford Law School. After saying goodbye to her classmates, she saw Mr. Page open the rear door of the blue Cadillac under her name:
"Miss O'Connor, I'll pick you up."
"Thank you Paige, but, where are you going?" Sophia looked curiously at the old man who was expressionless most of the time, and asked in confusion.
Page said expressionlessly: "Go where Mr. Hawke wants you to go, he has arranged a job for you."
"He didn't even ask me if I would like to continue working for him after graduation." Sophia sighed, looked at Page and smiled wryly.
Page asked calmly: "So, do you need me to call him and ask him to ask you this question?"
"No, of course he doesn't need to ask me." Sophia turned her head to take a last look at the campus, then turned and got into the car.
The car started and carried Sophia away from the campus of Stanford University. Her campus life was over.
…
"Good Girl, I knew you could do it." Tommy took out two cans of Coke from the refrigerator, opened one for Susan with his own hands, and handed it to her with a smile.
Susan in front of her has recently completed her credits at Davenport Community College and received a transcription notice from Stanford University, which means she will become a member of Stanford's freshmen.
"What major are you going to study?" Tommy sat across from Susan and asked with warm eyes.
Tommy in front of him looks more mature, but Susan thinks that the biggest change in Tommy is temperament, which is a change that cannot be explained clearly.
"Any suggestions?" Sophie asked with a smile after taking a sip of Coke.
Tommy shook his head: "No, you have to choose the major you want to study, and no one else can provide any help for this."
"Not bad professional." Hearing Sophie's answer, Tommy nodded slightly, and after thinking for more than ten seconds, he said slowly:
"This major is a trick for women. I like to do tricks and make people take shortcuts. It's normal for you to choose this way. You are too deeply influenced by me, but the success of tricks requires an important prerequisite..."
"The ability to match it." Susan took the initiative to speak without waiting for Tommy to finish.
Tommy cast his eyes on Susan Curtis in front of him. After two years of experience in community college, she has washed away the dusty atmosphere on her body. Now she is wearing a red baseball jacket and a T-shirt with red piping on a white background. Light blue printed jeans, bare feet on a pair of white casual shoes, no different from those college students, the whole person sitting here, just like the summer in California, giving people a free-spirited, energetic sense of fashion.
Being answered by the other party, Tommy was not unhappy, but just asked with a smile: "The last time I saw you, you still have the gorgeous and fashionable temperament of studying in the Upper East Side of New York."
"Last time, it was because I wanted to help Mark go to New York to meet someone, so that attire, as you said, is another face of a person." Susan looked down at her attire: "Now I'm going to be a freshman, so naturally I look younger and full of energy.”
Tommy slowly lit a cigarette, looked into the distance and gave his suggestion softly: "I think you might as well start an internship on political science while you are studying at Stanford University, for example, set up a fraternity organization where both men and women The fraternity organization that can join, there is only one hard standard to join this organization, the other party must be... the first generation of Stanford college students in the family, if you can play with these first generation college students and make them agree with you, I want to wait for you to graduate, There are many well-paying political science-related jobs available.”
"Brotherhood?" Susan froze for a moment: "It's beyond my expectation."
Tommy looked at Susan: "I will provide you with the expenses for the first year, but from the second year onwards, you and your organization will have to support themselves. If you want to get my donation, you must give me the money that attracts me. This is the first lesson of political science, resource replacement.”
"I guess, you helped me figure out its name?" Susan shrugged, smiling and looking at this guy who was obviously younger than herself, but she could always make herself habitually dependent on her words.
Tommy said: "O-N-E in the Greek alphabet, together it happens to be the English word ONE. This is its name, and it is also the name of all members of this fraternity. First generation, what do you think of this name?"
"It's fine if you like it, the name is not important, I will try to set it up." Susan said to Tommy: "If you want me to do that."
"What reward do you want? I mean you got the transcription notice, which deserves an extra reward." Tommy laughed and asked Susan.
Susan let out a breath, and after serious thinking for a long time, she said to Tommy, "Give me a hug, Tommy, a hug."
…
Warwick, Rhode Island.
Colin Hawke opened these envelopes with the Stanford school badge and read the contents inside:
"Tommy Hawk, it has been confirmed that your total GPA has reached 3.5 or above. We are honored to award you the honor rope of Stanford academic achievement."
"Tommy Hawke, it is confirmed, thank you for representing the Stanford University table tennis team to achieve breakthrough results, and won the third place in the California League. We are honored to award you the Stanford Outstanding Achievement Rope."
"Student Tommy Hawke, after confirmation, thank you for your participation in the formulation of software engineering standards and the research on information technology standardization of the Department of Computer Science at Stanford University during your school days. We are honored to award you the commemorative rope of honor for participating in important Stanford projects."
"Tommy Hawke, the former chairman of SSD, it is a great honor to present you the SSD graduation commemorative honor rope on behalf of all SSD brothers before your graduation ceremony."
Tommy looked at his father from the side: "These honors give me the courage to invite you to my graduation ceremony, Dad, these are enough to prove that I have not wasted my time."
"Of course you didn't waste your time, but these are not important enough. In my opinion, you should be most praised..." Colin Hawke carefully put away these letters, and said to Tommy:
"The most commendable thing about you is that you found a girlfriend when you were in college. Ottilia is a good girl. During your years in college, every time she came back for vacation, she would come to greet me and Bethea. I need Solemnly tell you one thing, the rules of the Hawke family on breaking up, if Otilia finds a better man and asks you to break up, I will comfort you, son, and encourage you to get her back , but if you're ready to let her down because you can't control yourself, or you met another woman, I don't know what will happen to her father, Mr. Farrell, but my advice to you is the same as I gave to your brother Tony , that is the man from the Hawke family, if he dares to disappoint the woman who has given him so much, I will personally **** him, and then send your thing to your girlfriend as a souvenir."
"Remember what I said, I prepared a gift for you? It took a long time to prepare, but it was finally ready before I graduated. At this time, I am waiting for you in California." Tommy looked at his father, like I remembered another thing.
Colin stared into Tommy's eyes: "If it's a gift like a California girl, I guess your mother wouldn't like it in heaven. I'll say it again, you can't let down the people who treat you well, Otilia is When I rushed back from abroad, I even called to tell me that the tailor arranged to come to my door and help me tailor the clothes for your graduation ceremony. You can't let this kind of woman down."
"What are you thinking, dad? My son is helping his father pimp? I am so unbearable in your mind?" Hearing what his father said, Tommy said dissatisfied.
"When Tony called, he said that you taught him how to take college friends to nightclubs to flirt with dancers and so on. Thanks to you, Ashley, who moved to Maryland to rent a room to study with, now hits him three times a week." Colin drink Take a sip of beer:
"His description of you made me think that you were studying how to pimp at Stanford University in California. Of course, it doesn't matter what you study. The important thing is to have four years of college life that you think is happy."
Tommy looked at his father speechlessly: "Tony told you, I majored in pimping at Stanford?"
Colin hiccupped: "No, he said it more directly. He said that you are a bustard, and he is a cowherd who dresses up and attracts customers for you."
…
In the summer of 1987, Stanford University Stadium, Stanford University's 96th graduation ceremony.
For the graduates, this is the last and most important highlight moment of their college career. Of course, the highlight moment also belongs to the parents of the graduates. Even the slovenly Colin Hawke wore a well-tailored suit and a beard. He was neatly trimmed and his hair was carefully combed.
Like the parents of other graduates, with a bouquet of flowers on his chest, he walked to the stadium along the red-carpeted aisle.
Behind Colin is Otilia who flew back from Europe on purpose. Even among so many parents, she is still dazzling, making many men focus on her. She holds Bethea's hand, Bethea is being introduced to what will happen at the graduation ceremony.
Finally, Tony Leon, the vice president of the US Naval Academy SSD Chapter, is wearing the summer white midshipman uniform of the Naval Academy and holding Ashley on his arm.
After all the parents who attended the meeting were seated, the graduates wore neat academic gowns and hats, and under the leadership of the instructors, walked into the venue slowly with the rhythm of the Stanford march. The children slapped their palms hard.
After all the graduates were seated, the graduation ceremony officially began. First, all the graduates sang the school anthem for the last time, and then President Donald Kennedy delivered the last school speech to the graduates.
Then the student representative spoke. Seeing that it was not her brother but a black girl who spoke, Bethea was very upset: "Tommy is terrible, he didn't speak on behalf of the graduates! If I graduate, I must be a student The representative speaks, but also dresses up beautifully to attract everyone's attention."
After that, former US Secretary of State Warren Christopher delivered a speech as a well-known alumnus and special guest of Stanford University.
When all this is over, the principal reads out the names of each graduate one by one, invites each other to the stage, presents a graduation certificate, and then helps the students turn their tassels, and then the students can make a short confession.
Tommy Hawk was the last one to come on stage. The principal handed him his graduation certificate. After turning the ears, Tommy took the microphone and looked towards the auditorium:
"Dad, I know you're here. Remember what I said about the present you prepared for you? It's ready. On my last day at Stanford, I want Mr. President to help you unwrap this present."
"Mr. Colin Hawk, this is your gift, and it is also a gift from Stanford. In your name, Tommy Hawk donated three million dollars to Stanford University to build a library. He hopes that this building will The library is named Colin and Alida Library. The names of you and your wife will be engraved in Stanford University forever. Every Stanford student will remember your dedication. Thank you for your support to Stanford University. At this moment, I May I invite you to come on stage and personally present you with a certificate of honor on behalf of the school board?"
Volunteers at the scene immediately guided Colin Hawke to the rostrum. When Colin heard the news, he was a little overwhelmed. Under the reminders of Otilia, Tony and Ashley, After following the volunteers to the rostrum, he looked at his son next to him, and at all the people who gave him warm applause, and accepted the certificate of honor presented by the principal with a dazed expression.
It's just that when the principal asked him to speak, he looked at Tommy in a state of bewilderment, and Tommy smiled encouragingly at him: "You can say anything, Dad, you can say anything, even if it's swearing."
"I'm not only swearing." Hearing his son's ridicule, Colin relaxed and looked at everyone in the audience:
"If his mother is here, she will be proud of him. Thank you Stanford... for letting more people in this world remember his mother's name. Thank you, son, you are our pride."
Colin Hawke finally took a deep breath, tried to calm himself down, looked at the principal, and said earnestly in a pleading tone:
"Alida and Colin, I mean, can I put my wife's name before mine, that's my only request."
Before he could continue talking, all the parents couldn't help but exclaimed at this time, and gave the warmest applause for Colin's decision. Even Otilia and Ashley couldn't bear it because of Colin's words. His eyes were red, and he covered his mouth.
Father's decision was beyond Tommy's expectation. He looked at his father beside him and said, "I really hope that Mommy will also sit in the audience and hear your touching words of love, Daddy."
"She can hear it." Colin hugged his son vigorously: "Thank you for the gift you gave us, thank you for remembering your mother, happy graduation, son."
(end of this chapter)