The credit card
It had been some five minutes since the boss was gone and as we knew he would not come back until two hours later we were kidding hinting who was amongst us the most sycophants with the boss, and we alluded between laughs to habits, tendencies, hues, even hinted the excesses of somebody made jealous to another. In this we were when a good-looking girl came in the office unexpectedly, dressed casually but elegant in her way, very resolute. She asked us as she went to the centre of the office, at a distance similar from each of us, if we could dedicate to her a moment for her explaining to us in which consisted the Galerías Preciados card she was going to offer to us. She started by saying that she recommended to us Galerías Preciados as a place in which we should go shopping and that she was attending in a special campaign to sort out the company’s credit cards for people who wanted to buy in Galerías Preciados and pay only ten per cent a month of the total expenses they would have accumulated. We all laughed. As the girl was good-looking they began to pull up her leg, they said to her things like the card was a con, bait. Do not laugh, guys, I speak in earnest. We laughed. Let’s see, she said, for instance you want or you need some facilities equipment, you can pay it in placements. If the cost is 100.000 pesetas, you shall have to pay 10.000 a month only. We laughed. Nothing more, really, it is interesting. We burst out laughing strenuously when someone said he would never buy anything in Galerías Preciados. After the gross laughter and laughing yet myself I told her I may be interested in the card because I might need to do some buying and pay the amount in placements. Well, one said, she has cheated Leopoldo, who is already married. We went on laughing. The girl was very kind to me. She sat down beside me and handled me the card after signing both a contract. She, not realising it, was gone with the copy of the contract and I never claimed it.
For a good while I forgot about the card, but when I saw myself typing down in a typewriter machine the CMR so that our trucks may go on route throughout Europe, I thought I might do for instance what the girl had said: spend some 100.000 pesetas in buying things I needed or suited me and pay 10.000 a month only. I didn’t dislike working, or the work by itself, I did a lot of things and nearly all them were even enjoyable, but when I had to type down CMRs, which had to be done in a typewriter machine, I realised I was capable of doing a lot of things and do them well, but there was a big difference between accompanying the boss to his business trips and work as interpreter in Holland or Germany and do important jobs for the company and being sitting for half an hour facing the typewriter machine the days of an usual trucks traffic, and that day I had to do them again and I felt kind of angry when I began to do them, but I was already buying things I needed and would be useful to me and paying 10.000 pesetas a month only.
Verónica told me the card might be useful to me to buy things I needed, but not to spend more than 100.000 pesetas and so I would only have to pay 10.000 a month, because I would have to pay 50.000 pesetas a month if I spent 500.000 pesetas. The truth is she hit full because 500.000 pesetas is what I had thought of spending, but it was then that I realised it would be 50.000 pesetas what I would have to pay monthly, and this made things seriously more complicated, being my salary a bit more than double that amount.
Some days later I had to go near to Galerías Preciados at Serrano Street. I bought a camera and some things with the card thinking that after all I had to pay only 10 % of the total and although it would be a good bite, it was not too much either, and I spent so much I told myself it would not matter a bit more, so I went with what I had bought to Verónica’s and told her to buy something for her with the card. We left what I had bought in her house and we went to Galerías Preciados to buy things for her and we spent another big amount. Well then, the heinous case was I received a letter from Galerías Preciados saying they would charge 300.000 pesetas in my account. This amount was what I had spent in total. I became afraid and didn’t know if running away wherever or phoning Galerías Preciados to be sure they were not mistaken. Trusting it was this last thing I phoned Galerías Preciados and it turned out they were not, they hadn’t made a mistake, I had to pay everything I had spent. When I told them I was in possession of a credit card with which I may buy anything and pay only 10 % of the total, they told me I was not, that mine obliged me to pay the total after a month. I didn’t say to them to not trying to gather that amount, with the intention of asking them at the bank office to pay that amount taking into account they were the company’s bankers too, but I forgot to tell things plainly to any of the bank office’s employees.
The phone calls began to intensify from an employee of Sales on Credit department of Galerías Preciados. The truth is that the first times she called me, always the same miss, I was busy or I became panicked, even laziness I felt. After three days on which she phoned me up four times the same day, at last I decided to pick up the phone and after apologising for having not replied before, I explained to her which were the conditions by which I accepted to be in possession of the card and she explained to me that the misses who go visiting companies to place credit cards to employees do not have attributions to offer credit cards of payment on placements, only cards by which the expenses should be paid after a month, that I had signed a contract which obliged me to settle the total amount of what I had spent with the card. Possible, yes, I said and went on saying: But that doesn’t mean I should know how the business was really, although I had to have been well informed, of course, and I at last confessed to her I could not pay so much because I was an employee with a normal salary. She told me she would ring me up again after talking about my case with someone of higher rank. Next day they told me in the office she had phoned me up when I was out having coffee and I phoned her back at once, for I couldn’t wait any longer before the haste that always conveys a scabrous affair and asked for the same miss. She took the phone and told me there were two solutions: I had to pay the total amount, 300.000 pesetas, or I had to sign six letters of credit that compromised me to pay 50.000 pesetas a month during six months, plus rates and expenses. I told her I would go to Galerías Preciados Sales on Credit department’s office to pay one way or another.
Well, I was not nervous-nervous but I was worried. To the company’s boss I told confidentially during a trip what had happened to me. Verónica felt guilty also for having made use of the card. We had the consolation of making use of clothes, shoes and accessories and other things we had gotten without having to disburse for the moment not a single coin. Sure it is, having to pay 300.000 pesetas cash or in six month’s placements. While on another trip with the boss, he remembered my tight, more knowing the office had been outraged, and I told him again and he even understood. Well, the case is he was generous with me, because the day I was going to take advantage of the lunch time sally to go to Galerías Preciados to arrange the business once for all, he said to me I was lucky I could count with the 300.000 pesetas to settle the debt at last. I told him I was not lucky, I could not count with the 300.000 pesetas. That I was going to negotiate the payment in placements signing letters of credit.
As I have said, he was very generous with me, he took me to his bureau and told me to close the door behind me, and once in he said to me he would make me a loan to settle my debt with Galerías Preciados, but not to tell anybody, that he would deduce 25.000 pesetas a month from my payroll during a year, that perhaps it would please me a payment in advance. I believe that in fact the boss wanted to assure one year more of my handwork, which is in the other hand a flattery if we think about it. The card affair had been a subject already some time among the mates and almost all of them remembered the payment conditions the Galerías Preciados agent had had offered to us and they were with me, although they laughed too the little imps on seeing I was in a tight by the affair, and besides always I had spoken by phone with the Sales on Credit employee before them all in the office and they knew what I had spent in just one day.
The case is I took the 300.000 pesetas from the boss neglected and ran away towards Galerías Preciados to sign letters of credit. Of course, I compromised to give back the 300.000 pesetas to the boss, what practically obliged me to work for the company while I could not give it back and if I wanted to get some money in the settlement in the event of my leaving the company.
As the only money I had in my pocket when I came out of the office to go to lunch and then to Galerías Preciados, I went to lunch first, and after lunch, while paying in the restaurant I felt ashamed to say to the waiter I would leave him my bill pending, that he had consented to me this some times before, and paid him clucking my tongue with one of the 60 notes of 5.000 pesetas I had with me. When I came out of the restaurant I thought the boss would probably be surprised if I was back a little later than usual, since he knew I had to go to Galerías Preciados, so I sat down in a terrace and asked for a coffee with ice to take advantage of the time and the good weather. The truth is that had I not had coffee I think I had had fallen even asleep. I didn’t already want to go to Galerías Preciados while having coffee in this place, I felt lazy and all until I realised that if I didn’t go, my friend from the Sales on Credit department would phone me, for sure that same evening and I wouldn’t know what to say to her, besides, besides I wouldn’t at all and she would be phoning me every two minutes and the boss would realise I had not relished of dough.
I went to Serrano street in a taxi and along towards Sales on Credit Department. There were not many people waiting, but debtors were being attended with much calm. When it was my turn I asked for the employee who use to phone me and it turned out she wasn’t in, what obliged me to explain the situation again to one of the employees while I was being heard by other people from other flanks. Very well, said the employee to me, let me see your identity card, please. I gave it to her; she went towards a computer and made impress two sheets, came back to the counter and started by reciting to everybody one by one a camera and all the clothes pieces I had bought in just one day. Well, well, I said interrupting her, it is not necessary for you to entertain us with such trifles. They are not trifles, the employee said staring at me seriously, and kept on giving details about the clothes pieces list I had to pay for. It’s all right. It’s all right, I said. More than an employee you seem a judge and I someone accused. I felt overlooked by a multitude not surprised by my case, treating it of me none the less, and having she conceded an hesitation second I said I was willing to sign up the letters of credit to settle the payment in six months. She made me the painful bill and it turned out I ought to pay 354.000 pesetas; that is to say, 59.000 a month during six months.
She asked me to give her the card as if she was a policewoman and I gave it to her trying it to look as though I was getting rid of a compromise and I said I didn’t agree with Galerías Preciados policy of tempting their clients with in placements payments cards and these turning out false later. Good use you have made of it while you could, she said showing to me the card so that I could see it well. I was totally suffocated by the way she was treating me and I felt like burning. She went towards a bureau and came back with the letters of credit. I took advantage of the opportunity to propose in audible voice for these already up on the story the payment in cash of the 54.000 pesetas that the interest rates and expenses I had to pay, so that the letters of credit would be of 50.000 pesetas. Ah, well, very well, said to me the employee and she remained looking at me like foreseeing it was not a bluff. I took out my wallet from my jacket’s inner pocket and hiding from the employee and the onlookers I began to take out 5.000 pesetas notes one by one till eleven with ceremonial parsimony. When I handed out the dough I could breathe kind of alleviated and put the palms of my hands over the department’s counter with the air of sufficiency more notable I could while the employee filled in the letters.
The letters expired on 15th days every month during six months successively. The employee had let me choose the expiry date, and I chose the 15th days having I the chance of asking for a payment in advance of my salary to be precise on the 15th days. I told myself that I couldn’t face the payment of the letters; I could ask for a payment in advance in the company and put in the money in the bank so that they could not give it back unpaid. I signed up the letters and went back to the office as though I had committed a crime about which I would have to respond rather soon; namely, I owed 300.0000 pesetas to Galerías Preciados and another 300.000 pesetas to my boss. Of course for the moment being I could free myself from any tight, because I had on me some 240.000 pesetas I had thought of using controllably.
The boss was not in and my mates asked me in jest if I had found a solution for the debt I had with Galerías Preciados. I told them I had just paid cash 300.0000 pesetas I owed to them. One of them had the occurrence to say for sure I had more money on me yet, so they would accept some glasses after work, that I had never invited them all. Another mate told me he had heard me saying to the boss I was going to sign up letters to settle the debt because I didn’t have the money and later it turned out I had and that the boss had made me a loan. We got on well among us and when the boss was not in we were always in jest and there was an amiable working atmosphere, the truth is we darted hints among us and we laughed a lot. I became nervous because I had 240.000 pesetas in my wallet; and this in my inner’s jacket pocket that I had hanged up on the back of my chair, and I could not put away from my head the possibility of them planning me a joke during an oversight and register the bulky wallet, because they would get to know I had money to invite them all even, and the boss would finally find out the truth, for the charges would inevitably would come to light and I would not know no room where to hide. Although I took things as if the affair should not have more complications, I became so obsessed I could not get rid of the idea of my seeing myself in a tight to face the payments of letters if for owing to the boss much already, this denied me an advancement the 15th days. What I could not consent under no circumstances was letting them to play a joke on me and at that moment I was pending about going to the toilet and I dared not to do this as it were, and I had in mind the idea of taking the jacket with me to the toilet although I may raise suspicions, anything before the boss gets to know everything or having to lie to him when in fact I had to rely on his good disposition. I didn’t know what to do, if go to the toilet with the jacket or what, when the boss came in and I turned quieter, because we didn’t play jokes when the boss was in, and I took advantage to go to the toilet once for all, and later the boss summoned me to his bureau and asked me if I had handed out the dough and I said that I had, of course, in what a mess I had had come to. When I came out from the bureau I took fright spectacularly, because none the less but I caught one of my mates prying near my chair, where my jacket was hanged. I had had realised already, the case is I was so worried I had not taking heed: Everybody in the office knew the boss had lend me the money and they even knew I had signed up the letters and surely I had the money in my jacket. Although I tried to take the affair as if nothing especially had really happened, I could not get rid of feeling overwhelmed and left the approach to my jacket hiding from the boss with aplomb praiseworthy so that it didn’t turn something to untangle.
The event, yes, a little stunned Verónica and me, but we laughed too when I repeated to her on purpose how they had confiscated the card to me and made tirelessly the gesture the employee had done and the one I had done. Well, the case is I couldn’t laugh so much on the 15th. Of the 240.000 pesetas I had I didn’t have anything. Besides I had not anything of my 100.000 pesetas’ salary I had got in cash at month’s end, and we were on 15th, days on which the employees may ask for an advancement, and the boss hadn’t come in the morning that day, and his brother, who was the only one who could give us advancements not standing the boss, didn’t come in the morning either. I knew they had already submitted the letter of 50.000 pesetas to be paid in cash that same day and it was very likely they would ring me up in the evening, the employees of the Sales on Credit Galerías Preciados’ Department to put me red in the face. I didn’t know already what to do, for I saw the affair would be founded out to my consternation.
I went to lunch at about two, and as I had already paid in advance my meals in the restaurant for all working days of the month, I felt kind of alleviated while eating, knowing I could fall into a tight to pay what I owed, but I wouldn’t go to prison because of the debt, I knew maximum they might seize the amount I owed to them from my salary.
When I came back at the office at three a smiling mate told me I had had a phone call from an employee of the Galerías Preciados Sales on Credit Department. It was a good thing the boss wasn’t in to put in questions. I flew over to Galerías Preciados not giving explanations and leaving pending tasks. I came into the Commercial Centre and went to the Sales on Credit Department hurriedly. When I arrived there were only two people waiting and two employees dispatching.. I waited my turn. From a side door came out another employee who first didn’t pay no attention to me, and on asking I if she could attend, that I was kind of in a hurry, she guessed who I was. I knew at once too she was the employee who had rung me up always. The affair was at such a point it was not time to discuss the situation again knowing already all the involved how were things, although being not able to restrain I lashed out in a measured tone of voice against the commercial centres’ policy which infected which infected gaily the markets with credit cards and the employee not hearing me told me I had to pay the amount of the unpaid letter of credit, plus the expenses or they would demand me and I would have to face a trial. I said I signed up the letters thinking I was going to be able to pay them, that if not I wouldn’t have done it and I invented that disgracefully I had lost my job and I wouldn’t be able to pay. We have no other than demand you, said the employee. As you want, I said, I cannot pay, for the moment being at least. I nearly went on speaking and saying: Well, demand me, but please don’t call me by phone again, when I realised in time that it was very likely it wasn’t necessary already and besides It didn’t match at all with what I had said about the loss of my job.
I had been on a journey with the boss, round way from Madrid and Valencia in his car and we had spoken almost all the time during the two ways. He had proposed to me to work in Valencia and be the responsible at the company’s branch in this city. I said to him I would have to think about it. I asked him where he had thought of opening the branch and how many we would be. He responded that it would be only I for the moment, but he would pay me well. I was already seeing myself as typewriter and even unloading trucks, I felt panicked about this. Then I told him I needed a secretary at least, that somebody alone cannot take charge in many businesses because sometimes it would never finish, so he should discard me as branch’s responsible. We spoke about antiques too when he asked me about Pilar, to whom the company had already transported furniture, and he became interested in knowing more about the antiques businesses when I mentioned that Pilar had started selling antiques in a partnership with Alberto and I at the Rastro. José Luis whistled when I told him about the considerable margins the antiquarians apply in their sales. Before arriving in Madrid he commented to me some changes there were going to be in the company, that he relied on me for his plan, he knew me already and had a good opinion of me, that we would speak about Valencia. It was then I remembered I owed him 300.000 pesetas and I told him yes, we would speak about it, and kept silence until we arrived in Madrid.
We were in the office next day after arriving from Valencia and the boss dedicated more time to me than to others, since I could give him details about companies we have visited. One of my mates said aloud I was the boss’s right hand. The boss heard this and coming out from his bureau he said he wouldn’t mind investing some money in an antiques shop, and perhaps I could help him. I told him to talk to Pilar an instant after the same mate mentioned the word partners. Just at this moment the phone call was for me. Yes indeed: Galerías Preciados lawyers, who wanted to negotiate the payment of the 300.000 pesetas. My first reaction while listening to the female lawyer was supposing and knowing that what was to happen was this one lawyer was going to chase me if I didn’t settle business skilfully and I blushed believing myself awkward before the boss. In the very moment I saw myself obliged to speak, I said on the phone: I cannot. And after I said: I’m sorry but I cannot. And after: Because I cannot. Yes, yes, I suppose already, so long, I finished by saying before hanging down. Are Galerías Preciados lawyers chasing you already? asked me my mate. Was it the lawyers of Galerías Preciados? asked me the boss. No, I said, and there was contagious laughter.
I told Verónica twenty times at least about the bad shot I had gone through until I laughed at last when I told her that José Luis face when he asked me for explanations in his bureau was kind of not getting scared easily having the company eighty employees. During the month I had with me Galerías Preciados card Galerías Preciados used to send me publicity every day. This situation changed suddenly and I began to receive Galerías Preciados lawyers’ letters. Well, the case is that later began to come Court’s certified letters. So, I was present in a trial. The lawyer, she, said I owed Galerías Preciados 70.000 pesetas. I protested and said I owed 300.000 pesetas. The judge told me to wait my turn. When she, the lawyer finished, half confused and a little taken aback, the judge said to me to come nearer to him, so I did, and he mentioned the fact by which the applicants couldn’t claim more than 70.000 pesetas. When I returned to my place I said to the lawyer my intention was spending 500.000 pesetas. I signed up before an officer the payment in placements of my debt to Galerías Preciados lawyers. These lawyers caught me at home many times and they were too heavy, I may understand it, because after all they had made a mistake and wanted to catch.
A little after this, another certified letter reached me for a new trial. I went. I don't know how much they claimed from me. I declared myself insolvent. The truth was I had a job and one way or another I could have paid once for all, so that they stopped to chase me, but I didn't want consciously already and I was lucky because some days later Galerías Preciados filed for bankruptcy and I haven't had no news again.
