Free Parking

Before going to Europe on business, a man drove his Rolls-Royce to a downtown New York City bank and went in to ask for an immediate loan of $5,000.

The loan officer, taken aback, requested collateral. “Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce,” the man said. The loan officer promptly had the car driven into the bank’s underground parking garage for safe keeping, and gave him $5,000. Two weeks later, the man walked through the bank’s doors, asked to settle up his loan and get his car back.

“That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest,” the loan officer said. The man wrote out a check and started to walk away.

“Wait sir,” the loan officer said, “while you were gone, I found out you are a multi-millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?”

The man smiled. “Where else could I park my Rolls-Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?”