You
drop a coin in a slot. What do you get for it? Is it worth the cost?
Your
whole life you save for the future, for you believe . . .
Money Matters
This is a
story about two men who made cents in many ways. They met in the third grade in
an elementary school on the Lower East Side of New York. Living in a working
class neighborhood, they came from families that toiled from dawn to dusk to
provide for them. Wealth was a distant dream, but coins characterized their
upbringing.
Each had
a piggy bank stowed in his closet. For each good deed performed at home or in
school, they were rewarded with change from their parents’ worn pockets. These
benefits would quickly find a place in their banks.
Years
passed and the bond between the two became stronger. Change characterized their
lives and their partnership remained solid. To coin a phrase, “If you find it
in the road, pick it up and keep it, for a penny saved is a penny earned.” And
both did.
Joined at
the hip, they worked hard to achieve their dreams. They were frugal and saved
their earnings from working for financial firms, as money managers. With these
savings, they went to work for themselves and purchased a building to house
their business. The sign on the building read, “Nickels and Dimes
Corporation—Helping You To Make Your Dreams Come True.” The proud owners of
this impressive structure were Frederick Ford Nickels and Martin Austin Dimes,
financiers of note.
One
bright sunny day in early April, twelve days away from when their taxes had to
be submitted, the road became bumpy. Although the business appeared to be
running smoothly, something didn’t seem right.
Nickels
looked at Dimes, shrugged his shoulders, and said, “We’ve got to undo what has
happened.”
“But
how?” Dimes replied.
“Change.
We need change.”
“Okay,
maybe we do, but what are you suggesting?” Dimes asked.
“Quarters,”
Nickels replied.
“Quarters?
What are you saying?” Dimes queried.
“The
brothers.”
“Are you
serious?”
“Yes,
very much so.”
“Are you
talking about all four?” Dimes questioned.
“They are
the ‘one,’” Nickels said, convinced this was the way to go.
“But will
they be open to joining our team? They’re our competitors, after all.”
“They’ve
wanted to be a part of our world for a while. But it hasn’t been to our
advantage to invite them in. Now it is.”
“You know
they’ll turn us down, unless they’re in control.”
“No,
they’re not going to ‘buck’ our offer,” Nickels stated.
“All
right. Do it,” Dimes said.
Nickels
reached for the phone and dialed the number of “The Quarters Financial Group.”
It rang and rang. It appeared nobody was going to answer. Just as he was about
to hang up, a pleasant, melodious voice sung out, “The Quarters Financial
Group. How can I help you?”
“I’d like
to speak to Robin Quarters, if he’s available. If he isn’t, connect me with one
of the other brothers, please.”
“I
believe Robin can take your call,” the voice chimed.
Nickels
waited patiently. And then, a strong, prosperous sounding man stated, “This is
Robin Quarters, how might I make your life better for you.”
“Robin,
this is Frederick Nichols. I was wondering if my partner, Martin Dimes, and I
might meet with you and your brothers, some time this week or early next week.”
The
silence on the other end of the phone was deafening. Then laughter rose to a
level that was overwhelming.
“Robin,
did you hear me?” I asked.
“Hear
you? Yes. Do I want to talk to you. Not on your life.”
“But
Robin, I have a proposal I’d like to share with you.”
“Unless
you’re asking for my daughters hand in marriage, I’m not interested. I’ve been
waiting for this call, so I could treat you with the disrespect you’ve given my
brothers and me for years. And now that miserable treatment is going to cost
you.”
“But . .
.”
“You’re a
day late and a ‘dollar’ short. And, the ‘buck’ stops here. May you do well in
your economic hell. Good-bye, my friend.”
The line
went dead. Stunned by Quarters’ response, I stared at Dimes, with a blank
expression on my face, and whimpered, “This doesn’t make any cents.”
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