Writing for Fun
July 2019
Cashflow - Diane Silverston
James sat dejected, with his head in his hands. Contemplating his life. His future seemed doomed. Why had he thought it would be a good idea? Why had he risked it all on one speculation? It wasn’t as if he had much money, certainly not a lot to spare. What madness had come over him?
He thought back to that day when he bumped into Frankie. They hadn’t seen each other since schooldays, they weren’t really friends even then. Frankie had always been boastful, everything he had was of the best. He had always looked down on the others, especially James. Why had James let Frankie niggle him at this meeting? Why had James pretended to have a better job and more money than he really had? What was he trying to prove?
Instead of ignoring Frankie’s comments, James had let him get the upper hand. James had let Frankie push and persuade him into the situation where he had been foolish enough to spend money he hadn’t got.
‘It can’t fail,’ had been Frankie’s words, ‘You’ll make a mint. Everyone does it.’
Well James had been persuaded to do it, put money into that incredible scheme. Money he didn’t have, but as Frankie said he would make it back and more within a few days. No one would know he had borrowed it. No one would be any the wiser. He could replace it before anyone noticed it was missing.
Now 4 weeks later James was sitting with his head in his hands. What was he going to do? The scheme had failed. He hadn’t made a mint, he hadn’t made anything, he had lost it all.
When they looked at the accounts books on Friday, the end of the month, they would notice the discrepancy. Money gone, with no explanation. He would be questioned and James knew he had no answers to give. He would be found out, only he could have done it.
He couldn’t repay the money, he couldn’t explain its disappearance. What could he do? He would be dismissed. Even his monthly salary, due on Friday, would go nowhere towards repayment.
James sat dejected, with his head in his hands. His future was doomed.