David’s patience snapped.
“Look, Mr. Arthur, accounts with no meaningful balance sometimes become dormant.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“No meaningful balance?”
“Yes.”
“And you have determined mine has no meaningful balance from my jacket?”
David stared.
Several nearby employees became very still.
Michael looked up from his desk.
David lowered his voice.
“Please don’t make this difficult.”
“I’m asking you to perform a normal account lookup.”
“I have clients waiting.”
“I am a client.”
David actually laughed.
Not loudly.
But enough.
“Sir, I have clients in this branch today managing corporate portfolios worth millions of dollars.”
Arthur looked at him.
“And?”
“And I cannot spend half my afternoon resolving every dormant personal account.”
Arthur’s face became completely still.
David should have stopped.
Instead, irritation made him reckless.
“Frankly, people who maintain significant relationships with this bank generally do not walk in without appointments carrying old papers in a folder.”
Silence.
Michael stopped typing.
Sarah looked down.
Arthur asked:
“What do significant clients look like?”
David realized too late where the conversation had gone.
But pride would not let him retreat.
“That is not what I meant.”
“Then tell me what you meant.”
David looked toward several customers watching.
His embarrassment transformed into anger.
“Sir, you are disrupting the lobby.”
“I am standing quietly.”
“People are staring.”
“That is not something I asked them to do.”
David stepped closer.
“If you continue refusing to cooperate, I will ask security to escort you out.”
Arthur looked at the manager for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
“All right.”
He took the manila folder.
Opened it.
Removed the account-information sheet.
Placed it directly on David’s desk inside the office.
“Young man, I’m going to leave.”
“Thank you.”
“But when you have time, read what is in that folder.”
David looked away.
Arthur turned.
He walked slowly through the lobby.
Michael stood.
“Sir?”
Arthur paused.
Michael approached.
“I’m sorry.”
David heard him.
“Michael.”
Michael ignored the warning.
Arthur looked at the young employee.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
“This isn’t how you should have been treated.”
Arthur studied him.
“What is your full name?”
“Michael Reyes.”
Arthur nodded.
“Thank you, Mr. Reyes.”
Then he continued toward the doors.
Before leaving, Arthur turned.
His eyes found David through the glass.
“I suggest you read the account before tomorrow.”
David frowned.
Arthur added:
“Otherwise, the consequences of today may surprise you.”
Then he walked outside.
The revolving door turned.
He disappeared into the afternoon crowd.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
David returned to his office.
Mr. Davenport was waiting.
“What was that about?”
David forced a smile.
“Nothing important.”
Michael heard him.