The Way It Works Read Online Free Page A

run to the dry cleaner’s. The lady who owns it happens to be Chinese too. Her name is Mrs. Wong. She listens to my story. Then she tells me she didn’t see my money. I can tell she’s being honest. Sometimes you just know about people. She lets me search through my pants. She even lets me look around the floor of her shop.
    Nothing.
    My money is gone.
    Okay, Walter, think. Think hard. Where did you last see the money?
    I remember. Last night, as I was falling asleep, I felt it in my pocket. I had it then. So it must have fallen out in the car.
    Which is now at the impound lot.
    I debate calling the lot to ask them to look for it. But that has to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever had. Of course they’ll find it. Then they’ll keep it.
    Because that’s the way it works.
    How can I even pay for my suit? Mrs. Wong is waiting to see what I’m going to do. She reminds me of Yolanda’s mom. I wonder if I can get lucky twice in a row. What do I have to lose?
    I bow deeply. Then I say, “Nho ma?”
    Her face lights up, and she laughs.
    â€œWhere did you learn that?” she asks. “Black people don’t speak Mandarin!”
    You need to meet Yolanda , I think.
    But that’s too complicated to explain right now. Instead, I tell Mrs. Wong about my job interview. I tell her what happened to my money. I beg her to let me pay her later. She nods. I’ve been in here before.
    She knows me well enough.
    â€œYou can pay later, okay,” Mrs. Wong says. “I remember your face.”
    â€œThank you, thank you, thank you,” I say.
    Mrs. Wong smiles again.
    â€œIn Mandarin, we say ‘Xiè xiè,’” she says. It sounds like sheh sheh .
    â€œXiè xiè,” I say, and I bow again. That information might come in handy. It would sure impress Yolanda’s mom.
    My suit is ready. I put it on in the washroom at the bus station. It looks great. Mrs. Wong even got the dirt out of the knees.
    Then I head for Capital Investments. It’s almost three o’clock. I’m so worried about my money I feel like I’m going to throw up. But I can’t show that now. I need to put my game face on.
    Finally, I have a real job interview.
    It’s time to show the world who Walter Davis really is.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    â€œN ow that is the sharpest suit I have seen in a while.”
    The man who’s speaking is just a few years older than me. He sits in a black leather office chair. He’s blond, trim, with ice-blue eyes. He stares at me for a full five seconds. Like he’s waiting for me to crack. I look back at him. Maybe he thinks he can make me nervous. And to tell the truth, I’m terrified. But I’m not going to show it.
    â€œThanks,” I say. “I like yours too.”
    He smiles. Then he holds out his hand.
    â€œJon Watts. You can call me Jonny.”
    â€œWalter Davis.” We shake.
    â€œSo, you want to work for Capital. What do you bring to the table?”
    â€œI’ll be straight with you,” I say. “I don’t have a fancy education. What I do have is brains and talent. And I can work harder than anyone. If you give me a chance, I won’t let you down.”
    Jonny nods. Then he smiles.
    â€œLet’s take a walk,” he says.
    We go down a hallway lined with office doors. Then we come to a big room with lots of desks in it. On every desk is a phone. And on every phone, someone is talking a mile a minute. They’re mostly men around my age. A few women. A few older guys.
    â€œThis is the boiler room,” says Jonny. He steers me to an empty desk. Then he pushes a phone at me. “This is yours,” he says. He hands me a couple of papers. “This is your script. Here’s a list of numbers. You want people to invest with our company. Tell them anything you want. I don’t care. Just get their money. Once they say yes, pass them on to a supervisor. We’ll get their personal