Bits of life

A-3 Words-900

knew at the casino. The forger demanded a percentage which came to about ten thousand dollars. I went to the Pinkerton’s to find out the number of recent forgery cases in town. This was one of the most recent cases. Actually, this complaint against the forger was lodged by the Union Bank. I have friends at the Pinkerton agency. It is also through them I came to know of the way in which Oliver and Jake got the fake signature of John on the stolen cheques. With John’s signature credibly forged, the two friends gathered enough guts to go to the Union Bank.
Oliver had a more believable visage and manners. So, he was pushed into the smooth operator’s role. They chose a Wednesday, which fell in the middle of the week. They chose it because it was a busy day. In a crowd, they could get away with the cash without being noticed. The beginning and the end of the week were not as much crowded as in the middle of the week.

Anyway, coming to the point, Oliver got away with the hundred thousand dollars’ cheque with ease. It was with the same sense of daredevilry they proceeded to encash the second cheque too. Fortunately, on the same day John happened to go to the bank and he was quick enough to realize that someone forged his signature on the cheque and that he was being robbed. Wisely, he brought it to the notice of the bank manager. If I was allowed to digress a bit, the fault lay with the bank as well. Usually, when a large amount was withdrawn, by a second party, they should have contacted their client and should have confirmed that such an amount was withdrawn with his or her approval, only then they should let the cheque to be encashed. They should never take such huge cash dealings for granted. This was a great slip they allowed and could have faced a criminal case slapped against the bank by the client if he chose to do so. This case should serve the customer and the bank a lesson in being cautious in dealing with a transaction,” he paused.

“How do I come into the picture? I was not reckless in any way,” quipped uncle John, looking confused.

“Yes John, you too are responsible for the theft. You could have avoided the whole mishap if you had secured the cheque book in a safer place instead of leaving it at random on a table in the hallway,” replied Luke, with a sardonic smile on his face.

“Yes indeed, Luke. If I think about it, I realize you are right. I should have kept it in a locker,” responded uncle John in a typical manner. He admitted to his lapses quite sportively.

“You guys know the rest of the story as to how the bank staff and the manager planned the denouement of the culprits and saw them being arrested and handcuffed by the police.”
“Mr. Harris, do you think there is a way that the sentence for Oliver and Jake could be reduced in any manner?”
“Call me Luke, John. It is too late to stand on ceremony,” said Luke.
Uncle John nodded as if he agreed with him.
“OK, Luke, well what do you think…”
“John, I understand your sympathy for the boys. Yet, the law has to take its stand. We have to ask the lawyer about it,” said the detective.
That sounded pretty sensible to me. Let the law take its course.
By then we finished our dinner, and our desserts were brought in. We dug into our fruit salads and ice creams with gusto. After that we came out and lingered on the lawn for a bit and decided to call it a day.
We said good bye at eleven in the night and drove away to home. A light was burning in the porch. The house was silent. Much tension was lifted off our heads and we felt relieved at the way things turned out finally.
“Good night Jim. I think I can sleep better tonight,” said uncle John, a yawn escaping from him. It was a long day for me too.
Our doubts were cleared and now we also started thinking in terms of lessening the punishment for the thieves. After all, blood is thicker than water. We could not be partial to Oliver and leave Jake to his fate. If Oliver deserved a less rigorous sentence, so did his friend Jake. They were after all accomplices in the same foul game they dared to play. We needed to be human enough to plead for both for a reduced sentence. Such was the way our minds worked.

On the morning of the next day, uncle John had left for his country home pleading pending work on the fields and farms. He said he would be back after hearing from the lawyer. The Union Bank arranged an experienced man as our lawyer to fight the case on our behalf. The bank felt it was ethically binding on them to see to these arrangements for not playing the role they ought to have played for a trusted customer. This didn’t happen in the annals of the history of banks. They were reputed to be more practical than human. I knew that the manager of the bank, Mr. Harrison was