Bane, James 2B

 Andre Bane had low tolerance for irritation and paced afront his office window. Already his day was off schedule!  It was bad enough to have been told he was owing on his taxes.  In twenty five years he had always broke even or at least had a small return.

Last year, his personal accountant had passed away.  He had gone a new direction.  Though he regretted ever doing so because he found that working with a firm, he was clearly less likely to enjoy the generous write offs that came from man to man business.  He made a note to himself for next year but was still very perturbed.  To lose money and wait for a signature?  He would not be recommending! 

But the withholding of a recommendation would not remedy the aggressions that had set his day into commotion.  For the relief of this he would need an outlet. An afternoon at the club perhaps?  A game of smash and a hard sweat was what he needed! To destroy someone on the court, savor a bit of epicaricacy and rest in the afterglow of a good steam room!  That would help to remedy the torrent within. 

After that, another kind of relief to satisfy another kind of torment.  

A knock at the door.  

Finally! 

He made note of the seven minute delay and opened the door so swiftly that the young mans hair, parted down the middle, wafted to one side and actually did him justice until he replaced it where it formerly had lay.

"James Watkins." It was the first thing the young man said as he thrust his hand out, his briefcase and coat in his other hand. 

Mr. Bane obliged the hand shake, but he was unusually firm. This was not the man Mr. Bane was expecting.  He had left his affairs in the hands of the branch manager. "Never come late when you bear bad news, hasn't anyone ever told you that?"

"I'm sorry?" James looked at the clock. "I'm sorry I'm late, but what do you mean bad news? I am only here for a signature." 

Mr. Bane gave James a hard look that told James all he ought to know.  He set a folder in on top of Mr. Banes desk and opened it, handing Mr. Bane a pen from his own lapel.  Mr. Bane took note of this prompt assertion and was the least relieved by James' intuition to get right to the signature and neverminded any nonsense talk. Mr. Bane took the pen and just as he started to sign, but Just as he did James added, "I took the liberty of amending your charitable contributions.  Up to two hundred is allowable without record and sure enough..."

Mr. Bane stiffened. "What have you done boy?  Goddamn it I don't like surprises!" and with that he pounded his fist as an exclamation on his desk. "It's bad enough your fool of a manager has muffed the whole thing up and now I owe!"

James didn't know any better and corrected, "It isn't the managers fault you own. You didn't track any of your write offs and contributions."

"James you said your name was?"  James nodded sensing the palpable coldness in the room.  "Men like me hire men like you, and your...boss to make note of all that nonsense.  Anyway my last man did and never asked me for anything.  He had the sense to do a fine job and was paid well for it, which is more than I can say for..."

"Well that's just what I am referring to sir.  I noticed Mr.....didn't include the allowable on line 7 so I took the liberty, and sure enough it changed the amount owed, in fact you'll be receiving fifty dollars!"

A smile spread across Mr. Banes face.  "This was the kind of sense I was hoping for from your manager!"

"Well, I can't speak for my manager, but write offs normally come at the request of the client not the urging of the accountant. It's one of our branch policies. I suppose for liability because if you were to be audited..." James continued

  "Do you ever play smash at The Rainer, my boy?" 

Caught completely off guard James tilted his head and stared at Mr. Bane who grinned and slapped James' arm hard  and burst out laughing. "What's a matter boy? Don't you recreate?  Or is your idea of fun pushing numbers on paper?"

Suddenly aware of how he must seem to Mr. Bane, James protested "I play cards!"

"Well how about that!"  Mr. Bane charged "You have done me well today.  Join me at the Rainier cards, drinks maybe a bit of nonsense."  

James grinned as he packed his papers but looking at his watch he replied, "I have something planned today.  Maybe another time."

 Mr. Bane smacked James on the shoulder again as he saw him out the door.  "Oh, poo!  Next time then...James."