2030_ The Real Story of What Happens to America - Albert Brooks [84]
“Taking advantage of your inexperience, and I only mean that from their point of view, might have some validity. But trust me, Susanna, they hated Spiller. They told me so themselves.”
“Well, maybe they treat people they hate with more respect.”
“Those are the Arabs. The Chinese actually want to like you. Have a safe flight and we’ll see you here. Good job, even though you didn’t come back with the loot.”
“I did get a couple hundred billion as walking-around money.”
Van Dyke gave her a chuckle and disconnected. And then he thought about that for a second. When he was a boy, a couple of hundred billion dollars could change the world. Now it wasn’t even taken seriously. It was moments like this, at least for him, that marked the passing of time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Shen Li was on a friendly basis with every bigwig in the Chinese government. He spoke to them often about his desire to take his model of health care to the Western democracies and they were all for it, but they really couldn’t offer assistance. They kept saying to him, “When they ask, you will strike.”
Li had made the government a lot of money as he enriched himself. He also made the government look kinder than they would have without his genius. China’s life expectancy ranking had gone from eightieth in the world to sixteenth. In 2030 the average Chinese citizen could expect to live to eighty-four, and much of this was due to Li’s ability to get care to the people who had been bringing the average down. It was suggested many times that Li get into politics, but Chinese politics did not interest him. He loved giving speeches and getting the adoration, but he also felt that nothing was better than providing a great service and becoming unthinkably rich at the same time.
One night Li was having dinner with Zhou Quinglin, the current head of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee. Quinglin was one of the highest-ranking members of the Politburo. He told Li about the meeting with Secretary Colbert and how China refused the request for three trillion dollars. Li was shocked. He had had no idea his government was finally putting their foot down. He also had mixed feelings. He completely agreed that the United States needed to break its addiction to Chinese loans, but he so desperately wanted into the American market that he didn’t like the idea of alienating such a lucrative source. But Quinglin told him that the Politburo was certain the U.S. would come back and deal on terms that were heretofore unthinkable. “What do you mean?” Li asked.
“I can’t say, but we feel that the opportunity has finally come to change the way we do business with the United States, and possibly the world.”
“Oh, you must tell me what you mean. You can’t hang that in front of me.”
“I not only can, but I can also say that you might get your wish.”
“My wish?”
“We might finally be able to help you crack that market. Your robots may one day be operating on American hearts.”
“You’re so mysterious. Are you planning an attack?”
Quinglin laughed. “Yes, we are going to invade the United States. Rockets are being fired as we speak. Listen, my friend, I’ve said too much already. I just wanted to make a point that things may be getting easier for you to go where it has previously been impossible. That’s all I will say.”
Li had no idea what was going on, but anything that could help make his dream come true was positive. So he decided just to enjoy the anticipation. They both drank well into the night and talked about their favorite subjects, women and money and cars. And music. Shen Li loved classical music, the old and the new. He idolized Beethoven. He also loved Aaron Copland. Sometimes when he was dreaming about conquering the West he would listen to “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Every time the old woman who cleaned his penthouse heard Aaron Copland, she would say, “That’s the devil’s music.” And that made Li turn it up even louder.
* * *
A high-level cabinet