Fantasy Debt of Sneha (short story)

[phantom_assassin]

DEBT OF SNEHA

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Now I don't mind lending money to a friend if he's in trouble but I do expect him to pay it back once he's out of that trouble. I've even been known to 'lend' money knowing that there was no way on God's earth that he'd be able to repay. The guy was in a real situation and I was happy to help. I also know that if he ever got things together he'd either pay me back as a matter of course or pass on the loan to someone else in need.



My attitude towards Prasanna right now was something else. He'd been in a situation. His firm was financially strapped, the bank wouldn't lend him any more money, and he had a payroll to meet. Now I knew that his firm was just having a cash flow problem and that if he could stay open just a little longer some overdue payments would come in and he'd be right. His long term prospects were good.



Why, you ask, won't the bank lend him any more cash if his long term prospects were so good? The reason was those long term prospects. If they could foreclose on him they had an eager buyer waiting to take over the company. I suspected that a back-hander might have taken place but it's not something easily proved. So I lent Prasanna enough to see him through.



He got his overdue payments and he also landed a couple of fat contracts that he'd had in the wings. The firm's temporary crisis was past and he was looking good. I had quietly made myself aware of his current financial status and he was well able to pay back the loan without adversely impacting the firm. Trouble is, he didn't. He gave me promises and excuses but not my cash.



I bided my time and one evening I dropped in to see him. He was all smiles and how are you, right up until I broached the loan repayment.



"No problems, Raj," he assured me. "As soon as Aditya’s settle I'll be around with the cash. I can't tell you what a lifesaver that loan was."



"Glad to have been of help," I told him. "I'm glad you mentioned Aditya. He settled with you this morning. Paid in full I believe."



"Oh. Ah, that's right, now that you mention it. I'll be around to draw the money just as soon as their cheque clears. I'll deliver it to you personally."



"No need to wait for the cheque to clear. My understanding is that Aditya included ten lacks in cash which you did not deposit in the bank. It's either in your safe at work or in your house safe. That's more than enough to cover what you owe me."



Prasanna wasn't nearly so happy now. He was giving me a shifty look.


"Ah, well that money is out at the factory. How about I get it Monday morning and deliver it to you. It's not as though I was going to cheat you."