42 Texts

ALEX'S MISSION

Alex Vandervoort, who had talked several times by telephone with Edwina, left for Tylersville himself in mid-afternoon. He was now even more alarmed than this morning when he had hoped the run can be terminated quickly. Its continuance meant that, over the weekend, panic among depositors would spread, with other FMA branches certain to be inundated Monday.

So far today, while withdrawals at some other branches had been heavy, nothing comparable to the Tylersville situation had occurred elsewhere. But clearly that same luck could not hold for long.

From several blocks away, they could see a lineup of people outside the branch. New arrivals were joining it. Inside the bank, Alex talked briefly with Edwina and Fergus W. Gatwick, learning from both that there was little if anything more that anyone could do. Alex supposed it had been a wasted journey but had felt the need to come. He decided it would do no harm, and might even help, if he chatted with some of those waiting.

The impression Alex got from everyone he talked to was the same: Maybe First Mercantile American Bank was sound; maybe it wasn't. But no one wanted to take a chance and leave their money in an institution which might collapse.

By late afternoon Alex had become resigned. What would happen would happen; for individuals and institutions, he supposed, there came a point where the inevitable must be accepted. It was about that time - near 5:30, with dusk of the October evening closing in - that Nolan Wainwright came to him reporting a new anxiety in the waiting crowd.

"They're worried," Wainwright said, "because our closing time is six o'clock. They figure in the half hour that's left we can't deal with everybody." Alex wavered. It would be simple to close Tylesville branch bank on schedule; it would also be legal, and no one could seriously object. But he hesitated, swayed by his own nature. "I'll make an announcement," he told Wainwright.

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Alex spoke from where he could be heard by those inside and others still waiting on the street. He was conscious of TV cameras directed on him.

"Ladies and gentlemen" - Alex's voice was strong and clear; it carried easily. "I'm informed that some of you are concerned about the time of our closing tonight. You need not be. On behalf of the management of this bank I give you my word that we will remain open here in Tylersville until we have attended to you all." There was a murmur of satisfaction and some spontaneous clapping.

"However, there is one thing I urge on all of you. I strongly advise that over the weekend you do not keep large sums of money on your person or in your homes. It would be unsafe in many ways. Therefore I urge you to select another bank and deposit there whatever you withdraw from this one. To help you in this, my colleague Mrs. D'Orsey is at present telephoning other banks in this area, asking them to remain open later than usual in order to accommodate you. Two banks have already agreed to our request." Again there was an appreciative hum.

From among those waiting in the street a male voice called, "Can you recommend a good bank?"

"Yes," Alex said. "My own choice would be First Mercantile American. It's the one I know best, the one I'm surest of, and its record has been long and honorable. I only wish that all of you felt that way too." For the first time there was a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Used to feel that way myself," a voice behind Alex volunteered. He turned. The speaker was an elderly man, probably nearer eighty than seventy, wizened, white-haired^ stooped, and leaning on a cane. But the old man's eyes were clear and sharp, his voice firm. Beside him was a woman of about the same age. Both were tidily dressed, though their clothing was old-fashioned and well worn. The woman held a shopping bag which, it could be seen, contained packages of currency. They had just come from the bank counter.

"The wife and me, we've had an account at FMA for more'n thirty years," the old man said. "Feel kinda bad taking it away now."

"Then why do it?"

"Can't ignore all them rumors. Too much smoke for there not to be some truth somewhere."

"There is some truth and we've admitted it," Alex said. "Because of a loan to Supranational Corporation, our bank is likely to suffer a loss. But the bank can withstand it, and it will."

The old man shook his head. "If I was younger and working, maybe I'd take a chance on what you say. But I ain't. What's in there" - he pointed to the shopping bag - "is pretty well all we got left until we die. Even that ain't much. Them dollars don't go half as far as when we worked and earned 'em."

"That's for sure," Alex said. "Inflation hits good people like you hardest. But, unfortunately, changing banks won't help you there."

"Let me ask you a question, young fellow. If you was me and this here was your money, wouldn't you be doing the same as I am now?"

Alex was aware of others closing in and listening. He saw Margot a head or two away. Just behind her, TV camera lights were on. Someone was leaning forward with a microphone.

"Yes," he admitted. "I suppose I would."

The old man seemed surprised. "You're honest, anyways. Just now I heard that advice you gave about getting to another bank and I appreciate it. I guess we'll go to one and put our money in."

"Wait," Alex said. "Do you have a car?"

"Nope. Live just a piece from here. We'll walk."

"Not with that money. You might be robbed. I'll have someone drive you to another bank." Alex beckoned Nolan Wainwright and explained the problem. "This is our chief of security," he told the elderly couple.

"No sweat," Wainwright said. "Be glad to drive you myself." The old man didn't move. He stood looking from one face to the other. "You'd do that for us? When we've just moved our money out of your bank? When we've good as told you we don't trust you any more?"

Let's say it's on our service. Besides," Alex said, "if you've been with us thirty years, we ought to part as friends."

Still the old man paused uncertainly. "Maybe we don't have to. Let me ask you one more question, man to man." The clear, sharp, honest eyes regarded Alex steadily.

"Go ahead."

"You told me the truth once already, young fellow. Now tell me it again, remembering what I said about being old and knowing what them savings mean. Is our money safe in your bank? Absolutely safe? "

For measurable seconds, Alex weighed the question and all its implications. He knew that not only the old couple was watching him intently, but many others, too. The omnipresent TV cameras were still turning. He thought of people here, and of others elsewhere affected by the moment; of those relying on him; of what might happen if FMA failed, of the wide and damaging effect, not just at Tylersville but far beyond. Despite all this, doubt rose. He thrust it down, then answered crisply and confidently, "I give you my word. This bank is absolutely safe."

"Aw shucks, Freda!" the old man told his wife. "Looks like we been barking up a tree about nothing. Let's go put the damn money back."

In all the post-mortem studies and discussions over the following weeks, one fact seemed undisputed: The bank run at Tylersville effectively ended when the old man and his wife turned back into the FMA branch and redeposited the money from their shopping bag. Exercise 1. Answer the following questions based on the content of the text:

1. What was the aim of Alex Vandervoort's visit to the Tylersville branch?

2. What was an additional source of anxiety among those waiting?

3. What do you think, why did Alex decide not to close the Tylersville branchon schedule?

4. What was the main content of Alex's announcement?

5. What was the reason the old man gave for withdrawing his money fromFMA?

6. What did Alex suggest to the elderly couple when he had learnt they weregoing to walk to another bank? In your opinion, was this suggestion a PRmove or genuine worry about the couple's safety?

7. Was Alex sincere when he announced FMA safe?

Exercise 2. Find Russian (Ukrainian) contextual equivalents in the text to the following verbs:

to accommodate to inundate

to attend to resign/be resigned

to sway to waver

Exercise 3. There are two expressions in the old man's speech that represent a linguistic phenomenon called "broken idioms": "Too much smoke for there not to be some truth somewhere" and "We (have) been barking a tree about nothing". Two well-known proverbs lie in the basis of these expressions. Reconstruct the original proverbs and give the Russian (Ukrainian) equivalents of them. Translate the sentences with the "broken" proverbs into your native language.

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