05/01/08
The problem?
There are 10 zeros on it — after a 36, that is. Yes, this happened in Fort Worth during the last week of April this year. Employees at the Chase Bank grew suspicious after a man tried to cash a check for $360 billion. That's billion with a "B."
Now, I may just be a humble writer, but even I would become slightly suspicious of a man wanting me to just hand over $360 billion. And the Chase Bank employees were no different. They promptly called the check's owner, who confirmed (much to the bank's surprise, I'm sure) that the man, her daughter's boyfriend, did not have permission to take the check or cash it.
I'm sure the man was crushed by Chase Bank's refusal, but matters turned even worse for him once police arrested him for suspicion of fraud. He not only didn't get his $360 billion, he was now under arrest. And the cops found some small amounts of marijuana and an unlicensed handgun in his pocket. Not so good.
So what was the man's excuse for needing the money? Well, he had dreams — big dreams. He wanted to start his own record label, he said, and he also claimed that his girlfriend's mother had given him the money to help him start it.
I'm not an artist, but I somehow doubt it takes $360 billion to start a record label — that's more money than most companies are worth. I also doubt most mothers of daughters will just hand over that much cash to their daughters' boyfriends — at least, I've never heard of any potential mother-in-law that generous.
The man is now singing the blues after he posted bail of $3,750 to get out of jail. One hopes that he didn't mess up his blue suede shoes and that he pleaded for the cops to not be cruel as they arrested him.
And Chase Bank, well, good golly, Miss Molly — good work for them!
