486 A Battle Outside the Court Part Two (1/2)

The 30-year-old Sam Gardner didn't have much education, so it was natural he couldn't find a high-wage job. His previous job was working as a salesman, but he lost that job during a company layoff. As such, he could only work part-time at a gas station while looking for a new job.

Sam Gardner felt that he an extremely unlucky person. 30 years old with no achievements, not even a full-time job. His girlfriend, who had been with him for several years, also left him after he became unemployed. And something that happened not long ago made Gardner realize what ”bad luck” truly meant.

While Gardner was walking on the road, he was actually shot by someone, and the shot hit him exactly in the leg.

Gardner had thought that he was going to die. He called the cops, which started a large-scale gun fight later. It was only after Gardner was hospitalized that he found out that the guy who shot him was a hostage of the kidnappers. The hostage used him to alert the cops.

For Gardner, it was really an unexpected disaster. He hurt his leg and could not work for quite a while. And because he was unemployed, he didn't have any medical insurance, so he was worried about his medical bills. He thought that he would go bankrupt because of that.

At that moment, an obese lawyer came to him. He indicated that he was willing to bear all of Gardner's medical costs as well as a sum of money as compensation.

Of course, Gardner agreed to it without hesitation the moment he heard that he could receive money. It was the thing he lacked most. Gardner gave the lawyer the medical bill, and at the same time, he received a check worth 200,000 dollars. He then signed an agreement that stated that he would no longer pursue the matter.

200,000 dollars. It was an incredible amount. It would've taken him four to five years to earn that much money when he was a salesman. It was regarded as compensation in damages, which was not categorized under a person's income, which meant that it wasn't even taxable. With this money, even if Gardner didn't work, he would still be able to enjoy a comfortable life for seven to eight years.

Gardner felt that his luck was changing. He left the old apartment that he originally rented, and moved into a better condominium. He even bought himself a car for practical use.

Then the lawyer appeared again. This time, he even brought along a reporter. They said that they wanted to interview Gardner, and at the same time, they even invited Gardner to appear on a talk show. Apart from that, the lawyer also stated that they were in contact with a publisher. They wanted to help Gardner publish a book titled, ”The Bullet That Changed My Life.”

Gardner never would have thought that he would have an opportunity like that. He was without a doubt an underachiever back when he was a student, and now he was about to get interviewed by a reporter, visit a talk show, and even publish a book!

...

A talk show was live on the television, and the special guest was Gardner.

”Not long ago, I was a man in poverty. I had nothing, and every day was a struggle. I rented the cheapest apartment and relied on food stamps. I could have gone bankrupt at any time. I made my livelihood by working part-time at a gas station nearby,” Gardner said pitifully.

”Stop kidding me. I heard that you recently moved into a new apartment, and you even bought yourself a new car,” the host said. He then waved towards the big screen. The screen immediately played a video clip of Gardner showing the reporter around his new apartment and new car.

”Yes, you've all seen it. That is my life now. All of those things are because I was shot in the leg!” Gardner pulled up the leg of his pants as he said that, leaving his gunshot scar exposed.

”I don't quite understand. What's the relationship between getting shot and changing your house and your car? Sam Gardner, why don't you tell everyone your story!” the host announced immediately.

Gardner began talking about his experiences.

”Mr. Gardner, are you saying the person who shot you paid for your medical fees, and he even gave you 200,000 dollars in damages? That is the annual income of a lot of people.” The host intentionally showed that he was shocked.

”Yes. He is a good man, and I need to thank him,” Gardner said.

”Thank him? He shot you! Not only do you not hate him, you even want to thank him? Is it safe to assume that you have completely forgiven him?” The host continued his barrage of questions.

”Of course, he was also a victim. He was kidnapped and locked in a room without windows. He couldn't call for help or call the cops, so he did it to save himself. I can understand him. Not to mention, he has given me enough compensation, this money has completely changed my life. I don't have to worry about my survival every day like before. I don't have to worry about my credit card payments anymore. I can live in my new apartment and own a new car. This is exactly what I want!”

Gardner paused briefly and continued, ”I'm only an ordinary person. I don't want to stand out. My dream is simple. To have an ordinary house, an ordinary car, and to marry the person I love, have some kids, and live a peaceful life. But I've worked so hard for so many years without getting any of that, my dream was gradually moving away from me. But now, I can see the hope for me to realize my dreams again!”