Hours dragged by and the taxi driver was yet to see Hoffers . Times on end, he had shot an expectant gaze at the exit of the bank, hoping that the next customer to alight from the elevator would be Hoffers.
With jaw clenched and brow clustered with balls of sweat, the young driver slammed the door on his cab and decided to go after Hoffers.
When he arrived at the banking hall, he met a bizarre scene of a few number of customers consoling Hoffers, who was sitting on the floor, all tears and writhing in pain.
“Hey, mister!” the taxi driver called the moment he got to the side of Hoffers, “I have been waiting for you almost all day. What’s up with you? I need my money!” he peered down to Hoffers whose teary face flashed at him.
Through sniffing, Hoffers muttered, “Please you may have to bear with me. There is a problem with the bank account. These bankers just informed me that I can’t withdraw my money until fifty years.”
He had barely said when the driver exclaimed, “Jupiter’s brain!” Between disappointments, the driver cursed, “That is absolutely crazy.” He caught sight of the original gold necklace on the burly neck of Hoffers, “Well you may have to wait for fifty years, but as for me I can’t even wait for two seconds,. I need my money. I mean you don’t expect me to tarry till fifty years with you…”
Hoffers sniffed, wiped his tears, “I know,” he swallowed hard as a wave of brightness crossed his face, “Please, I only suggest you give me a little bit time. I will get you your five hundred…”
“Uh-oh, no, no,” the driver shook his head in disapproval and his brief mocking smile died off as his eyes burnt red “You are bluffing. Do you realize I am a transporter and I have got no time to waste, huh? Hey you are going to pay me or you give me what is worth five hundred dollars now!”
Between gasping for air, Hoffers choked out the words, “you can’t be serious, please you just have to hold on, perhaps convey me back to the Saint Don Group where I can meet with Mike Don and get this resolved and pay you…”
The taxi driver lowered his gaze on the stylish gold necklace once more, and the precious piece became his target, “Okay, I am not just going to convey you back to the Saint Don Group but you must assure me of getting my money once we get there.” He let a brief smile before adding, “Perhaps I could avail myself the opportunity to meet with the popular Mike Don.”
Hastily Hoffers shook his head, brightened up and pointed at the desk officer, “Hey, I will be right back for my money.”
Upon zooming into the Saint Don premises, Hoffers was plunged to alight from the cab and make straight to the entrance of my office. But he couldn’t go any further.
A handful of my hostile-looking security restricted him.
Hoffers was yet to recoil from the bank saga and now a macho security was stopping him. His blue eyes swam with hurt, “Please I must meet with Mike Don right away. It is a matter of urgency.”
The thudding voice of the security came nagging, “I am sorry Hoffers, there is no need seeing the world richest man. You may have to return to wherever you came from …”
He interposed the security, “No, no. I am not going to subscribe to that this time around. I must see Mike Don immediately. It is a matter of life and death. Please let me go in and see the world richest man,” his voice almost corked down to weeping.
“Mr. Hoffers, I am sorry to disappoint you. The world richest man is on summer vacation in Beijing and will not be back until three months…” the security kept mute for another to cut in.
“Hoffers Greenfield, I suggest you phone him now and get a number tag so that upon his arrival you would be the first visitor to see him
Like a lad, Hoffers narrowed his gaze, masked his face with his arms and wailed, “No! No! It can’t be true! Why would Mike Don do this to me? Oh I am ruined…”
The security’s faces were decked with uncertainty just then. They gazed upon Hoffers , wondering why he would break down in tears without a course.
“What’s up with you, Hoffers? Have you gone naught?
Hoffers trembled like some small wounded bird in the cold, “Is it not better I go naught than face this cruelty from Mike Don? He paid me for selling my restaurant to him and now I can’t access the cash on this credit card. The bankers said it is on fixed deposit for fifty years.”
The security burst into a laugh and choked on it, making a fool of Hoffers, “Can you listen to yourself, Hoffers, huh?” Mike Don has paid you then, you may have to wait till fifty years before you can withdraw the money, perhaps in your grave…” they subsided back to laugh and left Hoffers regretting sharing his dilemma with them.
All the while the taxi driver who had been staring at them was growing out of patience of not putting hold on his gold necklace.
Hoffers lowered his gaze in shame and bit his lower lips in loss.
“Hey, mister, can I have my money now, huh? It is now one thousand dollars for the to and fro drop.” the taxi driver advanced to him and dared to stretch his arm at him.
“Please just hold on a bit!” Hoffers pled, and pulled away, “I will give you the one thousand dollars.”
The driver snarled at him and rolled impatient gloomy eyes, “I am not going to listen to your cock and bull stories anymore!” he drifted to him, snatched the gold necklace from his neck, “This will cover for the one thousand dollars. Good bye!” he dashed away.
“No! No!” Hoffers wailed, “You can’t do this. That necklace is worth half a million. No! Oh my God!” he made after him.
But then the driver had zoomed off….