A young Jamaican man walks into a bank in New York
City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan officer that he is going
to Jamaica on a vacation for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000. The bank
officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan,
so the Jamaican man hands over the keys to a new BMW 740i. The car is parked
on the street in front of the bank. The Jamaican produces the title and
everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral
for the loan. The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at
the Jamaican for using a $80,000 BMW as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An
employee of the bank then drives the BMW into the bank's underground garage
and parks it there.
Two weeks later, the Jamaican man returns, repays
the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41. The loan officer says,
"Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction
has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away,
we checked you out and found that you are a successful business man. What
puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?" The Jamaican
replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for
only $15.41 and expect it to be there when I return?"