Monday Memories--credit for the payroll

In 1960 I was a secretary at a small tool and die company in Indianapolis. I ran the office, answered the phone, prepared invoices, filed, wrote the checks for payroll, ordered supplies--the usual, plus made the coffee and cleaned the restrooms. After a few days of my coffee, the boss relieved me of that job. My boss was good looking for an old guy--he was about 33 and had a glass eye (I was 20 so he seemed ancient.)

After a month or so, and I learned to drive the truck, I was sent downtown to the bank to get a loan either for payroll or for the next job. I just did what I was told, but even I knew the boss was borrowing against a job that most likely we didn't have yet, or was a long way from the design table. But it all seemed to work.

I hadn't thought about that little building with the gravel drive-way and the trips to the bank to borrow money for the boss who hadn't finished elementary school until thinking about all the companies this week wondering about their line of credit for payroll, remodeling or new products. One or two missteps and I think that Indy bank would've owned the company and my boss's house. Now we have to wait and see what the brilliant minds with years of experience and advanced Ivy League degrees who got us into this mess will do to save our homes and businesses.