Chapter 4-1

You know the minute someone says, No offence” you know they are going to offend you; the same applies with “We don’t want this to be a problem.” You just know it’s going to be an enormous problem; I had an enormous problem…

I stood outside the casino, reading through the account statement they had sent me, how could this be possible? How, in two weeks, did I suddenly owe them £120,000.00? I walked in through the double doors, still head down reading the letter that came with it, it wasn’t threatening but at the same time it was, it was very cleverly written and in the last paragraph, those words, underlined, ‘we don’t want this to be a problem.’ Not looking where I was going I bumped shoulders with a man in the lobby, he was carrying a crash helmet and seemed in a hurry, he caught my eye as I looked up, “Sorry mate” I said hastily, he nodded and rushed out of the door. I continued to the managers office and stood at the door like a naughty school boy, all the emotions and feelings of being back at that first school came rushing through me like a shiver, I had it all planned out, I would go in and explain that they had already had everything I had in the bank and I would pay the rest off as soon as I got work, I took a deep breath and knocked on the door. One of the huge bouncers opened the door and gestured me in, I stood uncomfortably while the manager finished his phone call, while he was still talking he waved his finger at the chair in front of him, I sat down and the bouncer closed the door behind me. I was sweating and my heart was pounding as the bouncer walked up and stood behind me, I could hear his shoes creak as he settled into position; the manager finished his call and got up. He walked over to the filling cabinet and lifted out a file with my name on it; he sat down and started to read through the file, not saying a word, just mumbling every now and then. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, oh God I was scared, and then suddenly he shot up onto his feet, making me jump in my chair. “A Drink!” he said loudly, walking over to the drinks cabinet he poured himself a brandy, “Large whisky. Isn’t it?” he said shaking an empty glass, all I could do was nod. 

He handed my drink to me and sat back down, “Now.” He said quizzically “What to do?” I cleared my throat and started to talk, “Well.” I said shaking in my seat, then I felt the huge ape like hand of the bouncer on my shoulder and I looked back at him, he placed his finger over his lips, “Shh, just listen” he whispered. That was it, everything I had planned slipped from my memory, I thought I was scared before, now it reached a new level, my palms were dripping with sweat and my heart was charging like I had just finished a race, I twisted and turned in my chair as he continued talking. “Now, we are not unreasonable.” He said smiling conceitedly, “We are not expecting you to pay this today, let’s say you have 24 hours, and then you can pay it in full.” I obviously looked panicked as he started to laugh, the bouncer joined in, he smiled and sat up in his chair, “Joke! Joke” he said still laughing, “We know you need more time, so you have 5 days.” “5 days!” I spluttered. “Yes.” He replied, “Then it gets sent to our collections department.” I felt the big apes hand come crashing down on my shoulder; I could feel his breath as he whispered in my ear, “I’m the collections department.” He said with a low threatening, but somehow gleeful tone. He slipped he hand under my arm and hard into my armpit, lifting me to my feet he dragged me to the door. Still smiling he opened the door and pushed me out, “See you in 5 days!” he said and slammed the door shut, I could hear them talking and laughing as I walked away rubbing my bruised shoulder. 

Outside I stood by my motorbike and looked through my wallet, I had enough money to get to London, there I could sell my bike, that was worth at least £15,000 I would get a job and pay them what I could, some money would be better than nothing, I thought as I mounted up and headed to the petrol station. As the miles got eaten up down the motorway all I could think was, I need money and I need it fast…