Dai Li looked at the man in front of him who called himself Barron Philip with confusion on his face.
The social worker had previously introduced to Dai Li the assistance for Americans with disabilities. For example, the SSI the social worker mentioned was established for the elderly over 65 years old, the blind, and the disabled. You can receive several hundred dollars from the government every month.
For many people with a "lazy mentality", these hundreds of dollars are not free. If someone deliberately deceives this part of the relief money, Li Dai also believes it.
Thinking of this, Dai Li pretended to be confused and said: "Mr. Philip, the information I got here shows that both of your legs were amputated at the ankle joints."
Dai Li said, looking at Phillip's feet again.
"This is a prosthetic leg." Philip smiled nonchalantly, then lifted up his trousers, revealing the prosthetic leg underneath.
"Real prosthetic limbs!" Dai Li recalled Phillip's vigorous steps when he walked in just now, and couldn't help but sigh: "I'm sorry, I really didn't see it. The way you walked just now was exactly like a normal person!"
"I am not a wheelchair athlete. If classified according to the levels of the Paralympic Games, I should be in the T43 level." Philip replied.
In the classification of disabled athletes, English letters represent competition events, such as S for swimming, AR for archery, WB for wheelchair basketball, TT for table tennis, SH for shooting, etc.
The following numbers, the double-digit ten digits, represent the athlete's disability level, such as the word "1" representing the visually impaired category. The number "2" represents the category of intellectual disability, the number "3" represents the category of cerebral palsy, cerebral palsy or acquired brain injury, the number "4" represents the category of amputation and short stature, and the number "5" represents the category of spinal cord injury and some wheelchair groups. .
The double-digit single digit represents the athlete's level in the disability category. The lower the number, the more serious the disability. For example, in the visual disability category, level 11 is total blindness or nearly total blindness and cannot see anything; while level 13 is qualified. Even with the minimum visual impairment standard, you can still see something.
Barron Philip's level is T43, T stands for track, the ten-digit 4 represents amputations and short stature categories, and the single-digit 3 represents bilateral below-knee, above-ankle or through Ankle amputation; amputation above the knee on one side and below the ankle on the opposite knee.
For ordinary people, nine out of ten people will have to use a wheelchair if their legs are missing. Many people have to use crutches even if they wear prosthetic limbs, and it is impossible to walk like normal people.
However, for disabled athletes at the T43 level, they are professional track athletes. To put it simply, they are practicing running. How can a running athlete not even know how to walk normally? Maybe they walk more nimbly than normal people.
Ever since, Dai Li looked at Phillip's prosthetic leg and showed a look of realization: "So that's it, no wonder! You walk exactly like a normal person."
"If I have limited mobility, I won't be able to work." Philip said with a smile.
"Working? In your situation, working will be very hard. Why don't you apply for a subsidy for the disabled?" Li Dai then asked.
"It's not hard at all. I wear a prosthetic leg and it'll be fine once I get used to it. And I didn't apply for SSI living allowance. I don't meet the application conditions." Philip continued.
"I heard from social workers before that disabled people, blind people and people over 65 years old can apply." Dai Li said.
"He may not be very clear about what he said. This is only the target group that can apply for SSI assistance. In addition, there are also financial restrictions. That is, the personal property source limit is 2,000 US dollars. I do not meet this condition." Philip said suddenly. After a pause, he continued, "I can work and live by myself, and I don't need that. But I am still a poor person. For other subsidies I applied for, I need to work at least 20 hours a week to get the subsidy, so I have to work at least 20 hours a week to get the subsidy, so I have to work at least 20 hours a week." It takes four hours of work.”
"Oh, I don't know much about this. I just came to the United States not long ago." Dai Li smiled awkwardly.
"It can be seen that if you are a Chinese who grew up in the United States, you would not be able to ask me this question." Philip said without hesitation: "In the United States, receiving subsidies for many projects requires submitting tax forms for three to six months. The tax return can prove that you are a real low-income group, and it can also prove that you are working and not just sitting around and getting benefits."
"I understand, the U.S. government doesn't support lazy people either." Dai Li chuckled.
Philip shrugged and said in a very talkative manner: "Not long after you came to the United States, many new immigrants like you think that the United States is a paradise with sufficient welfare protection, free medical care, free food, and free housing... But in fact it is not. No, the welfare system in the United States is to protect the poor, not the lazy. As far as I know, this seems to be the case in some European countries. After I lost my legs, I once read a book called " "Second Breath" tells the story of a paralyzed French rich man and a black domestic helper. The black man came to work as a domestic helper just to find a job and then receive relief benefits."
"I will look for this book when I have the chance." Dai Li replied politely. He knew that Phillip regarded himself as a new immigrant.
Dai Li was not surprised by this, and he was too lazy to defend himself. The United States is originally a country of immigrants, and it is the largest country in the world in accepting immigrants. Several cities on the west coast of the United States are also popular cities for Chinese immigrants. Chinese people like Li Dai, who know only a little about the American system, can easily be regarded as new immigrants.
Phillip looked at his watch, and then asked: "Although I am late, I really encountered an accident. Now can you take me to see Coach Li, and I will explain to him face to face."
"Are you looking for Coach Li? That's me!" Dai Li said innocently.
"Are you Coach Li? Are you the person in charge here?" Phillip showed a look of distrust.
Americans’ impressions of Chinese-Americans are often that they are nerdy, short, not good at sports, don’t like to socialize, etc. There are also very few Chinese-Americans who engage in sports, so Philip didn’t regard Dai Li as the physical coach here at all. He even I thought Dai Li was here to do odd jobs.
"Hello, my name is Li Dai. I am the operator of this training gym and also the coach here." Li Dai formally introduced.
"Sorry, you are using LEE, so I didn't think of it before." Phillip said.
Lee is also a surname for Europeans and Americans, and there are many Americans with this surname. So Philip's first impression was that the so-called "Coach Lee" was a tall and burly white man.
But from the bottom of his heart, Phillip still didn't trust Dai Li. Sports are originally a score-reducing sport for Chinese Americans, and Dai Li is a "new immigrant" in his eyes. Philip doesn't think that Dai Li will be a qualified physical trainer at all. He even feels that Dai Li is worse than those from charities. Volunteers are even worse.
"I should have guessed a long time ago that the person who is willing to provide free training is definitely not an excellent physical coach. A Chinese and a new immigrant may not be qualified to teach primary school students. I cannot accept his training."
Phillip made up his mind to change coaches, so he asked: "Coach Li, how many coaches do you have here and what kind of courses can they provide?"
"So far, I am the only coach here. I have just opened my business here and can't afford to hire other coaches. As for the courses, I will develop different training plans based on each person's characteristics." Dai Li replied without hesitation. .
Other athletes with disabilities have asked similar questions to Dai Li before. At first, Dai Li felt a little embarrassed, but as more people asked him, Dai Li also had more lice than itching, and he simply admitted that he could not afford to hire one. coach.
After hearing Dai Li's answer, Philip was very dissatisfied. Although Dai Li provided free training, Philip still had the urge to leave.
American consumers have become accustomed to spending money to buy services, such as medical insurance. The bottom class of society has no choice but to choose free medical insurance. Anyone who has the ability will definitely spend money to buy commercial insurance from insurance companies to enjoy better medical services. .
Therefore, even if Dai Li's training is free, Philip is not willing to stay. He feels that if the ideal training effect cannot be achieved, it will be a waste of time.
"Coach Li, I think your training center is not suitable for me..." As soon as Phillip finished speaking, he saw a black man coming outside.
"Hey, Lee, I went around a long way to find your place!" The black man's voice was so loud that it could be heard from a long distance away.
"This man looks a bit like Allen Hampton!" Philip's eyes widened as he watched the black man walk over.
"Allen! I thought you wouldn't arrive in Los Angeles until tomorrow!" Dai Li said with a smile.
Hampton gave Li Dai a hug directly.
"Li, if you don't come to the United States, I will go to Asia if I have the chance!" Hampton said excitedly.
Next to him, Philip stared at the two people in front of him in stunned silence. At this time, he was already sure that this black boy was Allen Hampton.
"Allen Hampton, it's really Allen Hampton! I actually met Allen Hampton. Did he come to Los Angeles to play a game?" Philip couldn't help but take out his mobile phone and planned to talk to Hannah. Puton came to take a photo.
Phillip said with an apologetic look: "Are you Allen Hampton? Can I take a photo with you?"
"No problem." Hampton was already used to taking photos with fans. He posed and then asked: "Are you here to train with Coach Li? You really found the right person. I have met Li." The best fitness coach ever!”
"The best physical coach?" Philip didn't expect that he would hear such a comment from Hampton.
"Of course it's the best!" Hampton nodded: "If it weren't for Li's training, I might not even be able to go to college! It was Li who made me who I am now."
Philip looked at Dai Li subconsciously. He had no idea that this new Asian immigrant in front of him had actually trained the famous Allen Hampton!
At this time, Dai Li said: "Mr. Philip, what you just said was inappropriate, I didn't hear clearly."
"Not suitable? No, I didn't say not suitable. I was asking when can we start training!" Phillip changed his mind instantly. He has clearly realized that a coach who can train Allen Hampton will definitely not be very bad.