Chapter 22: Steve Jobs

Ethan repeatedly scrutinized the business card, finally convinced that he hadn't misspelled the name.

With this realization, his eyes shot wide open, even larger than when he was ogling women earlier!

His gaze sharpened, sweeping up and down, as though it could pierce through the man before him. That intense scrutiny unsettled the hippie gentleman.

"Sir, did I say something wrong? If I've offended you in any way, I sincerely apologize," the man inquired, puzzled.

Ethan ignored him, continuing his assessment.

Though the hippie before him wore a cowboy hat and large aviator sunglasses that obscured most of his face, Ethan Jones could still discern the man's true identity through his facial structure.

This man was unmistakably Steve Jobs! No doubt about it!

That broad jaw and prominent chin were a perfect match for the image of the tech icon stored in Ethan's memory. And that sharp, thin, aquiline nose—it was unmistakably a defining feature of Jobs.

More importantly, in this moment, Ethan Jones recalled Steve Jobs' personal history.

Before co-founding Apple with his friend Steve Wozniak, Jobs had held a legitimate job—he worked at Atari and was an electronic engineer. He had even left his mark in the video game world by co-developing Breakout with Wozniak.

And now, this legendary figure was standing before him, dressed as a young rebel?

Oh my God!

"Mr. Jobs?"

Despite his excitement, Ethan quickly composed himself and smiled. "Oh, I apologize for my earlier rudeness. It's a pleasure to meet you here."

He extended his hand and introduced himself.

"I'm Ethan Jones."

Pointing to his temple, he added with a grin, "When I saw your name, I had this nagging feeling I'd heard it before, but my mind suddenly went blank. I hoped your appearance might spark some... inspiration? Or perhaps, a revelation."

"If I caused you any discomfort, I apologize."

"Not at all, that's a relief," the hippie man said, visibly relaxing.

Then, removing his sunglasses, he smiled and asked, "Do you still feel anything now?"

'There's no doubt about it!'

That youthful face only reinforced Ethan's conviction. But outwardly, he denied it, saying, "No. Now I don't feel a thing."

Steve Jobs burst into laughter and firmly shook Ethan's hand. "Good thing you don't, or I'd start to question if I was in the right place, Mr. Jones."

Although his words carried some ambiguity, perhaps enough to raise eyebrows in certain circles, Ethan wasn't bothered—his moral flexibility allowed him to take such remarks in stride.

"Indeed, I believe it's wise not to overstep here."

Ethan nodded. "The atmosphere in places like this can easily twist one's words."

"Oh! It seems we share the same view."

Raising an eyebrow, Steve Jobs pointed to the Snake Game machine and asked directly, "Mr. Jones, if I'm not mistaken, are you waiting for a customer?"

"But I'm curious—are you selling the machine, or just the game?"

"If it's the game, have you found a partner yet?"

"And if it's the machine, how many have you sold today?"

His precise questions spoke of a mutual understanding between professionals, and as he spoke, Jobs glanced at the table, where a handful of coins—ones Ethan had laid out earlier—rested.

This subtle hint didn't escape Ethan's notice.

With a smile, he replied, "Mr. Jobs, your instincts are spot on. I'm here to sell the game, and currently, I don't have a partner."

Steve Jobs grinned at this answer.

He rose and pointed toward the exit, "Shall we step outside for a chat?"

"Of course." Ethan nodded.

Before leaving, he made sure to call back Mr. Frank Flaubert, who had been thoroughly enjoying himself.

When Frank learned that a potential buyer for Snake Game had appeared, he was genuinely happy for Ethan.

But the moment he realized the buyer was a hippie, his expression shifted, and he tugged at Ethan's arm. "Are you sure this guy's legit? Not a con artist?"

"Absolutely! I'm sure of it!" Ethan nodded confidently, half-expecting Frank's usual nervousness.

"Alright, just be careful."

Frank waved him off. "Don't worry about the machine. I'll keep an eye on it."

With Frank guarding the machine, Ethan felt reassured. But with the arrival of Steve Jobs, the machine was no longer Ethan's top priority. What he truly desired now was a good conversation with this man.

In fact, when Ethan had decided to learn from the independent studios of Hollywood and collaborate with industry giants, Atari, the undisputed leader of the market, had always been his ideal partner.

After all, they had released the iconic Pong! In the world of arcade games, Atari was the Disney of the industry. If they agreed to distribute Snake Game, it would be Ethan Jones' ticket to success.

However...

When crafting his plan, Ethan hadn't included Atari on his pitch list.

The reason was simple.

Atari was currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Magnavox over the rights to Pong. For a former Magnavox employee to approach Atari with a game proposal at such a time? It would seem suspicious, wouldn't it?

Anyone with half a brain would think it was a trap set by Magnavox!

Despite knowing Atari was the best publisher out there, Ethan hadn't bothered to pursue the idea.

But now...

Since mid-sized companies had proven too greedy and unwilling to offer fair terms, and since Steve Jobs, an Atari employee, had shown up, Ethan was left with no choice but to test the waters with this industry giant.

After leaving the exhibition with Steve Jobs, the two of them sat down at a nearby McDonald's. After briefly introducing himself, Ethan quickly realized that his earlier assumptions might no longer apply.

When he revealed to Jobs that he was a former employee of Magnavox, the normally composed man suddenly looked shocked.

"What? Wait! Did you say you worked at Magnavox?"

"Oh, this is one hell of a surprise!"

"Man! I'm thrilled to meet you here!" Steve Jobs exclaimed, tapping the table in excitement.