YOU CAN BANK ON THAT BOOK 1 takes you on a tour of the Consumer Credit Industry from Collection Agencies to Finance companies to the Loan Departments of Chartered Banks. You will be a "fly on the wall" and eavesdrop on conversations when these workplaces are open and also when the doors are closed. Aside from these insights you will track the personal life of the central character Leslie Swartman as he works his way up the ladder of a Credit Granting career. You may chuckle at some of the situations that develop, but there are also some tugs at your heart on the home front. Anyone that ever worked in Credit will relate to many of the scenarios in this story.

Adpoted at Age four tracks the life of a four year old that had been shunted around foster homes for the first four years of his life. In and out of the orphanage everytime returning in poorer health. He is finally adopted by a childless couple, although poor by most standards who became loving parents with great values and standards that set his life in the right direction. From there it traces his acceptance and rejection by certain members of his newly acquired extended family and his development through elementary school, high school and ultimately into the job market with all the twists and turns along the way. Searching for his original identity at birth culminates in a brick wall ending... to be resolved much later in life. He eventually is recruited into the Banking Industry as a Management Trainee and has many interesting experiences in the Consumer Loans Department of many local Branches. Because of his past experience as a Collector he at one time becomes the Bank's roving collection /repo person and some of the situations he relives are both entertaining and worth a chuckle.

Disappointing former clients But I was quickly learning that maybe I should rethink about how I want to spend my time. North Bay was besieged with Life Insurance Agents, Investment Agents and the competition was fierce. I had a former Commercial client that I'd set up in business years previous. I'd seen him through some rough periods as he established himself against the North Bay competition in his field. Now that I was no longer the Manager of the Bank (Caisse) he begrudgingly agreed to let me do a proposal to him and his Common Law spouse over which I laboured for many hours. One night I made the presentation to them. At one point he appeared to be wanting to look macho and protecting his gal pal from the big bad Investment Companies. I was told: "We'll get back to you." WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY A few days later my former and unappreciative Bank client called me and told me that he had Robert Dick, another Investment Counsellor who worked for Investors Syndicate had reviewed my in-depth presentation and tore it to pieces, and came up with a better plan. "Of course he did," I said. "Whaddya mean, Leslie?" he asked. I said: "It doesn't take much talent to take some one else's work and do a major critique of it especially if the end result is you will receive a commission cheque. He will put you and your girlfriend into the flavour of the month that earns him the biggest bucks. My plan was taking into account your spouse's obvious risk aversion. Anyway you go with Mr.Dick and let me know in a year or to if you are ahead or behind. Anyway, thanks for letting me offer you my company's service and our personalized plan and I wish you the best. No hard feelings." He seemed quite embarrassed momentarily, but I grabbed his hand shacked it and walked away feeling good about the encounter.

YOU CAN BANK ON THAT BOOK 1 takes you on a tour of the Consumer Credit Industry from Collection Agencies to Finance companies to the Loan Departments of Chartered Banks. You will be a "fly on the wall" and eavesdrop on conversations when these workplaces are open and also when the doors are closed. Aside from these insights you will track the personal life of the central character Leslie Swartman as he works his way up the ladder of a Credit Granting career. You may chuckle at some of the situations that develop, but there are also some tugs at your heart on the home front. Anyone that ever worked in Credit will relate to many of the scenarios in this story.

Adpoted at Age four tracks the life of a four year old that had been shunted around foster homes for the first four years of his life. In and out of the orphanage everytime returning in poorer health. He is finally adopted by a childless couple, although poor by most standards who became loving parents with great values and standards that set his life in the right direction. From there it traces his acceptance and rejection by certain members of his newly acquired extended family and his development through elementary school, high school and ultimately into the job market with all the twists and turns along the way. Searching for his original identity at birth culminates in a brick wall ending... to be resolved much later in life. He eventually is recruited into the Banking Industry as a Management Trainee and has many interesting experiences in the Consumer Loans Department of many local Branches. Because of his past experience as a Collector he at one time becomes the Bank's roving collection /repo person and some of the situations he relives are both entertaining and worth a chuckle.