A Human Mistake

While traveling abroad, Mr. Jackson Frank ran short of money. So he wrote to his brother, asking for $500.

"Send the money by telegram," he wrote, "to the Fisher Bank in P ... "

After a week he began calling at the Fisher Bank. He showed his passport.

"Nothing has come for you," he was told.

This went on for two weeks and Mr. Frank got very worried. He sent a telegram to his brother, asking where the money was. There was no reply, and no money arrived for him.

In the fourth week Mr. Frank was arrested for failing to pay his hotel bill. His passport was taken from him. He tried to explain the problem, but no one believed him. He was sent to prison for sixty days.

When he came out, he went immediately to the Fisher Bank. The clerk he spoke to was a new man. "Have you received $500 for me?" he asked, "My name is Jackson Frank."

The clerk checked his books. "Yes, Mr. Frank, it's here. It came by telegram—let me see—oh, more than two months ago. We wondered where you were."

He showed Mr. Frank the order. The order read: "Pay Mr. Frank Jackson the sum of $500 ... "

"But my name is Jackson Frank, not Frank Jackson."

"Oh, that's all right, sir. It was in our books under the letter 'J', but it's your money." The clerk laughed, "A human mistake, sir! We're all human beings, aren't we? And so we all make mistakes. A family name like Frank sounds strange to me."

Mr. Frank was silent. He really wanted to hit somebody. At last he said, "A human mistake—is that what you call it? I think some humans need kicking."