The man watched the customer at the ATM.
As the customer came away folding a couple of twenties, the man approached. “Excuse me,” he said, with a pained expression, “I’m a bit desperate and I’m looking for someone to help me out.”
The customer looked him over and said, “You don’t look as though you need a handout.”
“No,” replied the man, “I’m not looking for one, a lack of money is certainly not my problem.”
The other shrugged. “OK then, how can I help?”
The man looked around. “Is there a coffee bar or something where we can sit and talk?”
“There’s one just around the corner,” he looked at his watch, “I don’t have a lot of time.”
The other smiled. ”This won’t take long.”
Sitting with cups of coffee the man had paid for, he produced a small plastic wallet and handed it over.
The other opened it and peered inside. “Nothing in here,” he said.
The man smiled, “Oh! but there is!”
“What?”
“Bitcoins. Two, in fact,” the man replied.
“Bitcoins,” the other echoed. “I’ve heard of them but don’t know what they are.”
“OK. It’s simple really,” the other went on, “It’s virtual money. Bitcoin is an encrypted digital currency that operates outside of the banking system. The truth is, my uncle, who owns the company I work for, is dead against them. He says it’s a scam and when the bubble bursts we’ll all lose our money. All nonsense, of course, but he’s threatened to fire me unless I divest myself of my share of them. So, here we are.”
“Wow! But why me?”
“I saw you out there at the machine and you seemed to be an upright sort of person. My deadline is running out. I need to sell them to a stranger. I don’t want anyone that I know to get wind if it. Apart from the embarrassment, each of them will be annoyed that I didn’t approach any of them with this offer.” He shook his head. “I think it’s a wonderful way of making money, but until he changes his mind, my uncle won’t keep me on if I don’t do this. He does pay me very well and I would stand to lose a great deal more if I don’t get rid of them.”
“There’s only a couple in there, but together they’re currently worth over ten thousand. You can check the updated price on the Internet. I want to get rid of them quickly. If you can come up with say, five hundred, they’re yours. My problem will be solved.”
“Thank you. You can count me in.”
“OK. Just one thing”. He took out a small piece of paper. “I’ve made up this simple form. A receipt if you like; it states that this transaction has been made. We both need to sign and date it. This way I can show my uncle proof that I no longer own them.”
They both signed.
The customer stood up “I’ll get the money,” he said.
The other leant across and took the wallet back. “I hope you don’t mind if I hang on to it for now, we are strangers after all.”
“Of, course not. I’ll be right back.”
On his return he was given the wallet again. He opened it up and looked inside. Seemingly satisfied, he handed over the cash.
The man picked up the signed form and put it in his pocket, careful to place it in a pocket separate from the wad of blank forms.
They both stood, and after a handshake, they went their separate ways.
Without doubt, they were destined to never meet again.