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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