The Applicant

A trip to the bank offers wry hope

After fifteen years of development, it was finally ready for production. $300,000, give or take, to set up production. But the customer contract was for $500,000. He was going to make a killing, but first he had to take a beating. The knob turned behind him, and a tiny woman with an enormous glass pin on her lapel entered.

"You are Mr. Lukas?" she asked with a Polish accent.

"Yes, ma'am. Paul Lukas; how do you do?" He stood and held out his hand.

She ignored his hand and sat down imperiously behind the desk. "I am Mrs. Jenkowski. This is a lot of money you wish to borrow," she began without preamble. After a few nervous moments, he had provided her with the information to secure the $300,000.

"So you wish to replace the ATM?" She glared over her glasses at him.

"No, ma'am; actually, this is an adjunct to that technology, to alleviate some functions— "

"Of the personal finance officers, yes, I see this."

For the next 20 minutes, Paul sweated while Mrs. Jenkowski read every word in his proposal, patent, every paper he'd brought. Then she scowled at him for another five minutes, or so it seemed. Finally, she took a bundle of papers out of her drawer.

"The bank has seen fit to provide your loan, Mr. Lukas."

They had already agreed on it? This had been just a nasty way of one loan officer saying she didn't really like this product? Paul sighed, biting his tongue as he signed the papers. When they were finished, they both stood; Paul did not offer his hand this time.

He smiled as he walked down the stairs on his way back to the street. Maybe Mrs. Jenkowski's job would be the first one his invention would replace.

NOTES: ▶︎

Word Count: 300
Submitted for "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge" 
Prompt: Use the words stairs, glass, knob