1. The Meeting

This story is entirely fictional.


GEOFFREY AND MAVIS
AND THE CREDIT CRUNCH.


बी

Geoffreysmum

Introduction.

Geoffrey and Mavis are a middle aged couple living in the North of England. They own, or at least they did own, a small company called the Northern Block Toffee Company. Sabotaged first by a rogue bank manager, then by his rogue consultancy firm friends and finally by the Credit Crunch, they set out to end the evil practises of the financial sector and get Northern Block Toffee back in the sweet shops. This story is a dark and disturbing one of David versus Goliath or rather Northern Block Toffee versus the banks.

1.

The Meeting

Geoffrey and Mavis got a letter from the bank. It said, “you must urgently re-negotiate your Company loan.”

So they went to the bank, expecting to meet Mr David Likemall. But he wasn't there and instead they met Mr Angus Chargingbull.

“It's like this” snapped Mr Cragingbull immediately, “You've got our money and we want it back, right away”.

“But we've only got a small loan and we've always paid if off religiously” said Geoffrey “Mr Likemall says we're his best customers.”

“Well Mr Likemall is gone ” said Mr Chargingbull, “you're dealing with me now and I want all the banks money back by this time next week.”

“Next week” said Geoffrey alarmed “that's a bit precipitous isn't it? We've been banking here for thirty years. Mr Likemall is usually offering us money, not demanding it back.”

“Things are different now” snapped Chargingbull again, “people like Likemall used to give you all the money and people like me have decided it's time to get it all back. Your account's closed and I want your loan paid off by next week.”

“But what about Stan” said Mavis, “and Irene and Reginald? How will we pay them?”

“Who's Stan” said Chargingbull?

“He's our quality controller” said Geoffrey. “There's not a man in the whole country knows more about making toffee than Stan. He's been in the toffee business for....”

Mr Chargingbull stood up and sneered down at Geoffrey. “Do you really think I give a damn about people called Stan? I just want the Bank's money back and I want it back now.”

“But what's the rush” asked Mavis? “We've only got a year to go on our loan and then it will all be paid. Can't you wait a bit longer?”

“Wait?” shouted Chargingbull, “wait? Don't you read the papers you silly woman? We need all the money we can get. All of us, all the banks. The world may not know it but we've been losing millions. Mark my words the cat'll be out the bag and in the oven in the very near future. So we need money and if we don't get it back soon, people like me won't get our great big bonuses.” he was starting to get very over excited now and Mavis and Geoffrey both noticed he was sweating rather nastily and his nostrils were flaring.

“If I don't get my bonus, I won't be able to keep my luxurious house and I won't be able to afford the expensive holidays my wife likes or the expensive clothes and jewellery and do you know what will happen then?”

“No” said Geoffrey and Mavis, cowering slightly behind Chargingbull's desk.

“I'll tell you what'll happen” he screamed at them. “She'll leave me! She'll get a divorce and she'll keep the house and the kids and the Aston Martin and the jacuzzi and the dog and.......”

“Oh, now now lad, calm down a bit” said Geoffrey, “I'm sure it won't come to that. After all, we only owe you a few thousand pounds and that's not much in the...”

“Not much” Chargingbull started screaming again. “Not much! Do you know how many people owe the bank 'just a few thousand pounds'? Have you got any concept of the billions we're given little plebs like you?” he was getting very excited again now and there was very disturbing steam coming from his nostrils. “All you horrible little people out there, you come round here expecting us to lend you money and then...”

“But that's what you do isn't it?” said Mavis.

“What?”

“You lend people money don't you? Isn't that what Banks are all about?”

Chargingbull was so incensed by this comment he started to walk menacingly around the desk towards Mavis.

“I think its time we were going” said Geoffrey. And seeing the murderous look in Charginbulls eyes, he grabbed Mavis's hand and they ran out of the office.

“The Formal demand will be in the post tomorrow” Chargingbull shouted after them.

To be continued..........

copyright N Barton 2008