Lesson60 The Dishonest Desk Clerk
About a year ago, I registered at a Detroit hotel. I had just cashed acheck. I didn't want to carry too much money with me, so I asked the deskclerk to put a hundred-dollar bill in the safe for me.
The next morning the clerk denied any knowledge of my money. I had neither areceipt nor any other proof that I had given the man my money. It was hisword against mine. There was nothing I could do but go to the nearestlawyer.
The lawyer advised me to return to the hotel with him and give anotherhundred-dollar bill to the clerk. This we did. An hour later I went back tothe desk and claimed my money. Since I had the lawyer as an eyewitness tothe second hundred-dollar bill, the clerk could not look innocent and say heknew nothing about it.
Another hour later, I put the second part of the lawyer"s plan into action.
This time both the lawyer and I went to the hotel. I asked for the hundred-dollar bill, and then the clerk insisted he had already given it to me, Idenied it. The lawyer said, "I saw this man give you a hundred dollars. Ifyou don't hand it over immediately, I'll be forced to call the police." Theclerk realized he had been tricked, but he knew he had to face the music. Hegave me back the first hundred-dollar bill.
"I don't know how to thank you for getting my money back," I said to thelawyer. And what do you suppose he answered?
The lawyer said, "Oh, don"t thank me. That will be a hundred dollarsplease."
不诚实的前台接待员
大约一年前，我住进了底特律的一家旅馆。我刚刚兑现了一张支票，但我不想带太多的现金在身边，所以我让前台接待员帮我把一百美元放在保险箱里。
第二天早上，前台服务员说没帮我保管钱。我既没有收据也没有其他任何凭据可以证明我给了那人钱。我们俩人各说各说的。我没有办法只能去了最近的律师所。
律师建议我和他一起回旅馆，再给接待人员一张一百美元。我们就这样做了。一小时以后，我回到前台，索要我的钱。因为这次我有律师做目击证人，证明我给过那位前台服务员这第二张一百美元，他不能装无辜说不知道这件事。
又过了一个小时，我实行律师的第二步计划。这次律师和我都去了旅馆。我向那个接待员要一百美元的钞票，他坚持说已经还给我了，但是我不承认。律师说，“我看到这个人给了你一百美元。如果你不立刻把钱还给他，我只好报警了。”接待人员意识到自己中了圈套，但他知道他必须面对现实。他把第一张一百美元还给了我。
“我不知道该如何感谢你帮我讨回了钱，”我对律师说。你猜他是怎么回答我的？
律师说，“哦，不用谢我。你需要支付给我的费用是一百美元。” |