The Thaon Factor

by Eugene Wilson

  In that article, numerous black people were angered and had voiced their opposition against the Blaxploitation movement. Such films, they argue, create false heroes who demean the image of black people. In the New York Times, writer, author, radio host Clayton Riley had expressed: “that the new black films portrayed a fairy tale treatment of black life.” Thus, black Americans, of whom the vast majority comprises decent, law-abiding and hard-working citizens, are blatantly misrepresented. In addition, mainstream media give enormous radio and television coverage to violent rioting within black communities, violent crimes committed by black youths and young adults.

  In contrast, scant, if any news coverage of positive images of hard working, respectable black men and women, as well their historical and contemporary achievements are shown. In essence, outright discrimination, physical harassment and injustice faced by many black people are viewed by many within mainstream society as acceptable, if not profitable. Many educational, law enforcement and other officials have concluded that violent crime is destroying an entire generation of young black people. After pondering over these facts, David concludes that Anthony Weiss is the mastermind behind Nathan and Tyrone’s arrest. The situation, he decides, has come down to war. Yet, he decides that this particular war can be successfully waged not with rage and a gun, but with thinking, cunning and skill.

  The Williams Residence

  Wednesday, 14 August 1974 (11:23 AM)

  “No sir, I am not making this up. Police officials here in Anonwood had informed Mrs. Clark that her sons were suspects in the theft. I’ve already talked to a lawyer. Also, Major Woods indicated to me that he was unable to verify any such personnel listing. That’s when he transferred my call to you. Mr. Daniels, believe me, I am telling you the truth.” David has a pleading tone in his voice.

  “Mr. Williams,” Craig Daniels replies. “I understand the difficulty that you are facing. Still, we need to investigate this matter further, although this may be the one lead that we are looking for. Now, I have an idea. Would you be willing to drive all the way here?”

  David thinks about the five-hour long one-way drive before answering. “Mr. Daniels, I will be in your office in the morning by eleven sharp.”

  “Mr. Williams, that sounds good. I will be expecting you to be in my office by eleven o’clock tomorrow morning.”

  “Thank you Mr. Daniels.” David hangs up the receiver. Several things are now weighing heavily on his mind. First and foremost is the arrest of his two friends. Second is Janez’s accusation and last is Harold Tanner’s warning of U.S. military involvement, which appears to have come true.

  The possibility of him, along with the Williams and Clark family being detained is becoming a possibility. The prospect that an international political-military crisis would erupt is more frightening. David concludes this would most likely occur if other powerful nations such as Russia and China discovered that the United States have come into possession of an alien superweapon. He feels trapped. Suddenly, his phone begins ringing. He lifts the receiver. “Hello.”

  “Hey, what are you up to?”

  “Sylvia?”

  “Yours truly,” she answers with a slight laugh.

  David smiles. “I’m so happy to hear from you! I’m sorry about what happened to your brothers.”

  “Yeah, we were all shocked! Mom was hurt bad.”

  “I know. She’s blaming me for your brothers’ arrests.”

  “So, what do you plan on doing about it?”

  David senses the fear in her voice. “I plan on getting to the truth. I’ve already made several phone calls. To be honest, I couldn’t blame you if you thought that I…”

  “Please stop that! I’m not blaming you for anything.”

  Lowering his head slightly, David has never felt such helplessness. “I can’t help it. Everything is going wrong. My whole life is falling apart.”

  “Well, you’re just going to have to pull yourself back together. I know you’re not guilty of any of this. I trust you.”

  Sylvia could not have uttered a more profound statement that could have made him feel any better about her. In light of the difficulties he is experiencing, the love and trust she has for him is of great comfort to him. Still, a measure of guilt haunts him. “You’re telling me all this after all the trouble I’m causing and especially after all the hurt I’ve caused you.”

  Although Sylvia is annoyed by David’s continued feelings of guilt, she understands the distress that he is experiencing. In the time she has known him, she has never seen him so emotionally distressed. She begins quoting a specific verse from a love poem that he had written her. “‘A relationship can be fraught with uncertainties, I agree. I will strive to be open and honest. On this, you will see. Before you, I was like a man searching aimlessly throughout the world. My search for happiness will end only if you become my girl.’ Does that sound familiar?”

  “Yes.”

  “If we want our relationship to work, we’ll have to learn to deal with these problems. What we do together in resolving these problems can strengthen our relationship. You asked me to help you before. Right?”

  “Yes…I did.”

  “Well, is there a reason why you can’t ask me again?”

  David is convinced that Sylvia Clark is an extraordinary and discerning woman.

  He agrees with one of the wisest kings in history who penned yet another Hebrew proverb: “Her value is far more than that of corals.”

  “Sylvia, would you be willing to help me again?”

  “Yeah. Let’s do this together.”

  After a long pause, he smiles. “You are one incredible woman.”

  Sylvia laughs. “Do you mean that?”

  “Yes, I do. After what your mom told you, I know that you’re taking a huge risk. I know that we can find a way out of this situation. God willing, I am determined to free your brothers and my best friends.”

  Her reply is genuine. “I know you will.”

  A moment of reflective silence passes between them. David lowers his head. “I love you Sylvia. I love you so much,” he confesses warmly.

  “I love you too. Look, I have to go now. Take care and be strong.” She hangs up the receiver and steps out of the phone booth. After a brief look around, she walks across the street back to her house. After hanging up the receiver, David worries over the fact that so many things could go wrong. He reasons that timing will be a critical factor.

  More than ever, he desperately wants, albeit needs Sylvia’s help in this. He swears within himself that he will repay her back for the love and trust that she is showing in him.

  You Make Me Feel Brand New, one of the Stylistics’ newest love songs, aptly describes his feelings for her. Yet, he knows that he cannot do this alone. Closing his eyes again, he leans his forehead against his folded hands in prayerful silence.

  The Smith Residence

  Wednesday, 14 August 1974 (2:30 PM)

  Phillip Thomas Smith, 17, hears five quick knocks at the front door. He puts down his soldering iron and walks to the door. An avid electronics hobbyist, Phillip spends much of his free time building various types of homemade electronic devices. From regulated DC power supplies to audio amplifiers to low-level radio frequency transmitters, the five-foot-ten and rather quiet teenager have conceived, designed and built various electronic projects since he first entered high school. After opening the door, he is surprised to see his good friend, another avid electronics hobbyist.

  “Hey David,” Phillip begins, “what have you been up to? Have you built any new projects lately?” Phillip notices that David is holding a black case.

  “Hey, Phillip! What’cha know good? Look, I know that I haven’t been coming around lately. I’ve been involved with some important things. Can we talk, old friend?”

  “Sure, come on in,” Phillip replies with delight.

  After following Phillip to a back room, David begins smiling as he sees various electronics parts and devices around the room.
“Ah! What have we here?”

  “Take a guess,” Phillip answers. David looks into the upside down metal chassis. After taking note of the mounted side controls, output jacks and circuit layout, he reaches a conclusion. “It looks like you’re building a combination variable waveform and frequency oscillator.”

  “You’re right,” Phillip states. “I’m building my own test equipment for my next big project, an AM/Short-wave radio frequency transmitter. I can switch the output waveform between sine, triangular and square waves. Now get this! I can vary the output frequency up to four megahertz. I’m using a Heath Kit oscilloscope that I ordered.”

  “That’s cool,” David replies. “And building projects is what I came to see you about. Phillip, I’m in serious trouble.”

  “What kind of trouble?”

  After motioning Phillip to take a seat, David opens his carrying case. After pulling out a hand drawing of a rectangular device. He hands it to Phillip.

  Puzzled, Phillip looks at the drawing. “What’s this?”

  “It’s an old transceiver. I and some friends found it in a cave last.” He is hoping that Phillip will not ask for too many details. Phillip, though, is still puzzled. “Cave? How did it end up in a cave?”

  “I guess someone lost it while they were exploring.”

  Phillip looks at the drawing again. David knows that Phillip’s mind is racing with questions. Time, however, will not permit him to answer all of Phillip’s questions. Since their initial meeting in electronics class, both shared an acute interest in hobby electronics, circuit design and computer technology. Their electronics teacher, James Hale, noticed the budding friendship between them. In time, Phillip and David had become the top two students in Hales’ class. While building various home-based electronic projects, they abandoned using antiquated 1950s-era vacuum tubes to using transistor and integrated circuits.

  Along with repairing many radio and television receivers, they would design electronic devices such as audio voltage and power amplifiers, oscillators, radio transmitters and receivers. With the help of magazines such as Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics, David and Phillip begin designing more sophisticated electronic devices by using transistor/transistor logic chips. Finally, they switched over to using small scale integrated circuit chips. They would often discuss their new ideas over a two-dollar Burger King Whopper Combo.

  “So, what kind of transceiver? VHF? UHF? Ham Radio?”

  “No, not quite,” David replies. “I will tell you this. It’s something that is out of this world.”

  “Okay. So why are you in trouble?”

  “Two Air Force officers are trying to take it away from me and they are threatening two of my friends, Nathan and Tyrone Clark.”

  “Air Force?” Phillip asks. “I don’t get it. What reason could they have for wanting a simple transceiver? They have thousands of these things.”

  David knew that it would come to this point. “It’s complicated.”

  “I still don’t understand.” Wanting more information, Phillip surmises that David is not relating the entire story.

  “Phillip, I promise that I will tell you everything in time. Right now, I need for you to help me to build this project.”

  David opens the carrying case wider and pours the entire contents out onto the table. Phillip laughs at what he sees. From Cain’s Electronics on Aberdeen Road, David has purchased a wide assortment of electrical and electronic components; ten 2N3904 small-signal transistors, three low-voltage signal transformers and twelve red light-emitting diodes. Phillip also notices seven packs of one-half watt carbon resistors ranging from one thousand to one million ohms, twelve low-voltage non-polarized ceramic capacitors, ten low-voltage electrolytic capacitors, one miniature 8-ohm speaker a Fairchild Semiconductor waveform generator IC chip.

  Finally, Phillip sees one rectangular plastic box with an aluminum back cover, terminal strips, two momentary push-button switches and two RN-8 RF connectors, one can of spray paint and one can of spray gloss. Phillip takes acute notice of a pre-etched circuit board. “This is a lot of stuff,” he remarks. He picks up a hand-drawn schematic diagram. “I see what you’re building, but what are you going to use it for?”

  “Phillip, I’m going to teach some idiot a serious lesson.”

  Anonwood North Hill Police Station

  Friday, 16 August 1974 (10:00 AM)

  As they continue walking toward their police cars, several uniformed police officers notice an angry-looking black teenager walking past them toward the main precinct building. “Now what could be eating him?” Officer Brad Wells asks the other two with a short laugh.

  “That’s easy,” Officer Wade Collins replies. “He’s here to visit his old man in jail like all their kind.” All three officers break out in a loud laugh. After pulling his hands out of his pockets, the teenager walks up to the first officer he sees sitting at a desk. Detective Charles Wright, 38, is in the midst of typing up a criminal report document when he looks up and notices a somewhat nervous teenager standing a few feet away. The teenager, Wright notices, is dressed in a blue, short-sleeved shirt and black plants.

  In turn, the teenager, although attempting to appear as calm and composed as possible, knows that he is taking a major risk in coming to the precinct. He takes notice of Wright’s nametag and thick mustache.

  Wright’s introduction is somewhat tense. “Yes, may I help you?”

  “Officer Wright, I am here with regard to my friends, Nathan and Tyrone Clark. They had been arrested on the charge of suspected theft. I was informed that I was a possible third suspect.”

  “What’s your name, son?”

  “Officer Wright, sir, my name is David Williams.”

  Wright walks to a nearby filing cabinet. After pulling a specific drawer open, he pulls out a folder. Upon opening the folder, he pulls out a data sheet. After examining the information, he focuses his attention back on David. “Are you turning yourself in, Mr. Williams?” Wright motions two other officers to approach from behind.

  David briefly turns around and sees the police officers. “No sir. I want to confirm that both my friends are being falsely accused.”

  Wright looks at one of his officers. “Do you have a lawyer, Mr. Williams?”

  “Yes sir, I do.”

  “Mr. Williams, please follow me.”

  A few minutes later, David is sitting by a rectangular table in a locked interrogation room. The wait seems long as he mentally counts the passing minutes. Suddenly, someone unlocks the door and opens it. Detective Officer Wright enters the room. Tyrone, Nathan and two other police officers are following him. “My brothers!” David yells, standing up. All three greet one another with their unique hand slap followed by a quick embrace. Wright motions all three teenagers to seat themselves. “Mr. Williams, two Air Force investigative officers have positively identified you and your friends in being in collusion with three other men in the theft of some military equipment.”

  “Officer Wright, I find it highly unlikely,” David begins, “that three teenagers can break into a highly secured Air Force military base and steal sensitive military equipment.”

  “Maybe, although it’s not impossible,” Wright replies. “Still, we have to investigate these claims as made by the Air Force officials who contacted us. They are on their way here. So y’all just sit tight until they arrive.” Wright and his officers leave. The door is locked.

  “We didn’t steal anything! It’s all a frame!” Tyrone protests.

  “Tyrone! I know that! Let’s keep our voices down,” David tells him. “Did you guys talk to a lawyer yet?”

  “Yeah!” Nathan replies. “We have to stay in a holding cell until we do a hearing before the judge. What’s mom doing?”

  “She’s worrying herself sick. The police gave her some jive story about of us being Bloods members. Now she thinks that we stole those devices.”

  “The Bloods!” Nathan yells. “I have never been a gang member!”

&nbs
p; David motions the others to huddle together across the table and talk in a low voice. “Nathan, we know that. That’s not the real issue here.” Before continuing, he takes a quick look around the room. “This is about the alien devices. Someone wants them and he’s pulling no punches.”

  “Who?” Tyrone asks angrily.

  “Your former girlfriend’s boss! That’s who!”

  “You mean Anthony Weiss?”

  “Oh yeah! He and his hoods are behind this.”

  “So where’s the proof?” Nathan asks.

  “Nathan! Get real! They don’t care about any proof. All they want are the devices. To them, we’re just a bunch of lazy, dumb blacks.”

  “I’m not lazy or dumb,” Tyrone asserts.

  “We know that! Now look, something unexpected came up yesterday morning.”

  “What?” Nathan asks.

  “Right now, I don’t want to say what the situation is. However, I need both of you to play along with me. It is critical that you all do this.”

  “Why?” Tyrone asks. “What are you planning on doing?”

  “I’m planning on getting all of us out of here. Plus, we need to be out of here by Saturday.”

  Briefly, Nathan and Tyrone look at each other before returning their focus to David. “I pray to God that you know what you’re doing,” Nathan begins. “A lot of innocent people have wound up behind bars because of crap like this.”

  “Trust me, my brother,” David avows. “I know what I’m doing. Regardless of what you see or hear from this moment forward, both of you have to play along with me. Please. You have to!”