MY
FINANCIAL CAREER
Stephen Leacock is f famous humorist and writer of
many books on the subjects of Economics and Political Science. In this story he
writes in first person portraying him and highlights the behavior of foolish
people that they show while dealing with some sort of business of foolish people
that they show while dealing with some sort of business, which they do not
understand. In this connection the writer narrates his personal experience while
opening an account in a bank. The nervousness and the awkward behavior of the
writer have made the story more interesting.
The author says that he has always been afraid of banks. Whenever he went
to a bank, he looked as a fool and his attitude made him a laughing stock.
Everything in the bank seemed to frighten him and so he always avoided the bank.
But one day, he had to go to a bank because his salary rose to fifty-six
dollars. He thought that there was no place with him to keep his money except a
bank. Keeping this thing in view he made his way to a bank. As he stepped in the
bank, he looked nervous and lost self-confidence on seeing a large number of
people. He had an idea that a person intending to open and account must meet the
manager. So, he went to the accountant and expressed his desire to see the
manager alone.
The accountant brought the manager to him and the writer told him that.
He wanted to see him alone. Because of his mysterious behavior, the manager was
alarmed and took him to his private room. He locked the door and both sat down
looking at each other. The writer did not know how to open the subject. He had
created a mysterious atmosphere that confused the manager. He thought, perhaps,
he was a detective. So he asked the writer it he were from Pinkerton’s
detective firm.
The author negated him and said by realizing his nervousness a bit that
he had come to open an account. This situation misled the manager and he thought
the writer a son of a millionaire, as the people do not consult the manager for
small accounts. When the author told him that he had come to deposit fifty-six
dollars only, the manager got furious and spoke the writer to go to him. In
confusion, the author headed towards the iron safe instead of going towards the
door. The manager addressed him harshly and showed him the other way.
The writer went to the account and handed over the money to him. At that
time he was very puzzled and was experiencing a strange condition. He was
directed to sign some paper. When the account had been opened, it occurred to
the writer that he had deposited all his money and he had left him with on money
for the current use. So he thought to draw six-dollars and asked for a
chequebook. Some one told him how to write the cheque. Due to confusion, the
writer wrote fifty-six dollars instead of six. He handed over the cheque to the
clerk without having a second glance at it. The clerk was surprised and asked
the author whether he wanted to draw all his money. Then the author realized
that he had done a grave mistake. He had become utterly nervous and could not
understand how to explain. All the clerks on the scene stopped working to look
at him. He felt so miserable that he burst out and said he wanted to draw every
cent of his money from the bank. He tried to gibe an impression that he was a
man of quick temper and that the bank staff annoyed him.
The clerk gave him his fifty-six dollars and he went out of the bank. The
author heard a roar of laughter behind him when he was leaving. After that
dismal experience he never went to the bank. Now he keeps money in his trousers
pocket and his saving in silver coins in his socks.
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