“Garcia recommended you, Mr Thomas,” said Jim, settling into the chair in front of the bank manager’s desk. “He said he was 99% sure that you could help.”
Thomas looked at a tablet on his desk.
“You requested a loan to build a home.”
“That’s right,” said Jim, full of expectation.
Thomas frowned.
“That won’t be possible.”
It took Jim aback. It was not the response he had been expecting.
“But... I don’t understand.”
“We are not in a position to grant your request at this moment,” said Thomas, without looking up.
“But I already paid you.”
“That is a non-refundable application fee.”
“I’m sorry?”
“Mr Smith, in the current climate we receive many applications, most of which we cannot grant, so the application fee helps sort the wheat from the chaff, if you like.”
“But I paid my appl
