NervousMan and the Trip to the Bank Part 1

"Forgiveness" thought NervousMan, for reasons he could not even fathom.

NervousMan sat in the darkness of his room and regarded the unseen walls around him. It was daytime, but he had the blinds drawn. He was distant and away from all the noises of the day. The garish noon-day sun did not bother his eyes and the sound of screams and laughter outside did not reach his ears.

NervousMan sighed.

Getting up from his bed, head bowed, he looked on the floor for his shirt. Maybe there was another day's wear from it. It seemed as if the activity of laundry was forever, thought NervousMan. Where was that shirt, he thought.

Turning on a light, NervousMan spied a piece of paper on the carpet, next to the light stand.

Pick it up and put it in the trash, he thought. But what was it?

NervousMan unfolded the piece of paper.

Oh, this was the check that he had gotten from The 59 Club contest that he had won. But it had been so long ago. Was it still good?

NervousMan squinted and looked at the fine print.

The date read: August 21st, 2007

and underneath this - This check is payable up to 20 months from date of issuance.

Let's see, thought NervousMan. April, May, June, July, August.... in 4 months it would have been 2 years! That's 24 months. So minus 4 months, cuz it's 4 months away... that's ... TODAY!

NervousMan looked around for his pants. He had to get to the bank before it closed. He had one hour to cash this check!

He looked again at the amount the money was for.

$59,000.00

NervousMan thought that must be a lot of money. It seemed like it was.

NervousMan felt nervous.

Quickly, he pulled on his shirt and pants, not even bothering to locate his underwear. I can bathe later, he thought. NervousMan hadn't bathed in two days.

Locking the door to his room, NervousMan walked as briskly as he could down the hall. His eyes squinted involuntarily at the lights in the hallway. His teeth felt on edge. NervousMan could feel the sock bunched up under his foot from his mismatched sock, but he did not stop to fix it. The bank was only 3 blocks away.

As NervousMan rode the elevator down, he was glad he was in it by himself. He probably didn't smell very good.

"I have my wallet?" NervousMan thought. He felt his back pocket again and pulled it out, making sure the check was still within.

Good, NervousMan thought, his thumb feeling the edge of the soft paper. Good.

The doors to the elevator opened with a sharp ding.

NervousMan saw a dour-faced lady standing by the door, waiting to use the car. Her right arm propping herself up with the use of a crutch, the kind that goes around the forearm.

"I'm sorry" NervousMan said at once. The woman scowled at him as he brushed past her and made his way outside.

The sun assaulted NervousMan's eyes, practically blinding him. He could feel a sneeze welling up inside.

Which way was the bank? From behind him, NervousMan heard laughter erupt and he felt momentarily a laughingstock. Which way was the bank?

NervousMan padded his way along the hard cement almost tripping over the curb. A car honked and NervousMan held up his hand as if to say 'thank you for stopping'. Still, NervousMan couldn't really see.

He walked on.