The manufacturer leaves the office. The loan shark gets busy with the
statements, and stamps each of them:
"This account has been transferred to Killem's Mercantile Company. You
are notified to pay this account to no one else."
These statements are mailed to the customers. When the manufacturer
returns the loan shark greets him cordially and remarks:
"Unfortunately one of my clerks mailed out a lot of your statements
last night, but I guess that won't matter. He stamped on them that
they had been transferred to us and sent them out as he does everyone
else's. He didn't understand. I am sorry."
As expected, the manufacturer, when he sees his business and
confidence abused in this manner, flies into a rage. Then the suave
agent takes the bull by the horns and issues his ultimatum.
"Our bank"--always "our bank"--"thinks we are not getting all the
money coming to us from your account. They demand that in the future
you deposit all your checks with us. I am sorry, for I know everything
is straight, but your using us as a bank will last but a few days.
Everything will then run smoothly again."
And unless some friend comes to the aid of the manufacturer the
agency's prophecy comes true, and it does last but a little while.