Fairmont Toastmasters Club

[Kristen Laas]

Before going to Europe on business, a man drives his Rolls Royce to a downtown Toronto bank, and goes in to ask for an immediate loan of $5,000. The loan officer is taken slightly aback, and says "Certainly, sir, but we will require some collateral."

"Well then", says the businessman, "here are the keys to my brand new Rolls Royce. It's got all the latest technology, and is worth at least ten times the amount of the loan." The loan officer promptly takes the man's keys and has the car driven into the bank's underground parking lot for safekeeping, and then gives the businessman his loan.

Two weeks later, the businessman walks through the bank's doors, and asks to settle his loan and get his car back. As the loan officer has his Rolls Royce retrieved, the man writes a cheque for the $5,000 plus the interest, and starts to walk away

"Wait,sir", the loan officers says, "while you were gone, I learned that you are a multi-millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?'"

The businessman smiles. "Where else could I park my Rolls Royce in downtown Toronto for two weeks and pay only $15.40, the amount you charged me in interest?"