Sometime Now

There is a song featured in the musical “Cabaret”

Money makes the world go around
the world go around
the world go around
Money makes the world go around
It makes the world go 'round.

But does it and what is Money?
 

My point can be best illustrated by a story that was once told to me by a very wise person.

A customer let us call him Mr James, books into a family owned hotel in a small northern town. Mr James is a well known international stage magician and naturally the hotel staff are thrilled that he has chosen to stay with them.

Mr James enquires about safety deposit boxes as he has a sum of cash which he wants to keep safe for a few days.

The hotel owner gladly obliges and takes from him £300 in the form of six crisp new £50 notes. These he puts into the hotel safe for safe keeping (no pun intended).

Mr James is called away for a few days but forgets to take the money with him when he leaves. During a telephone conversation he agrees that he will collect it in 7 days time when he is next in the area.

On Day 1 the hotel owner has to buy his weekly supplies from the local farm and is unable to get to the bank. So knowing that he has time to replace it, he pays his bill of £300 with the money left in his safe by Mr James.

Day 2 sees the Farmer having some repairs done to his car at the local garage; the bill is £300 so he uses the money given to him by the hotel owner on the previous day.

On Day 3 the garage owner needs to replenish his stock of brake pads from a local motor factor. The cost, yes you guessed it, £300 and he just happens to have the £300 that the Farmer gave him yesterday.

Day 4 comes round and the motor factor receives an overdue bill of £300 for flower arrangements that he has delivered daily to his waiting room/reception. He immediately pays the florist £300 cash with the six £50 notes that the Garage owner gave to him on day 3

Day 5 sees the florist having to pay a local limo company for a stretch limo for his daughter’s graduation ball transport. As the bill comes to exactly £300 he uses the same notes that were given to him by the Motor Factor.

Day 6 the Limo owner visits the hotel and leaves a £300 deposit towards his son’s wedding reception. He naturally uses the same £300 that was given to him by the florist. The hotel owner is very grateful and puts the money in his safe in anticipation that Mr James is due to return and collect it.

When Mr James returns and collect his six £50 pound notes from the hotel safe, he confesses that the money is actually stage prop money that he uses in one of his Magic tricks.

As a treat for the staff, and of course to boost his own ego, Mr James demonstrates and during the trick, the six notes disappear in a puff of smoke never to be seen again.

I leave you with these things to ponder;

If before the money disappeared in a puff of smoke;

•    The hotelier got farm produce
•    The farmer had his car repaired
•    The garage owner was able to replenish his stocks from the motor factor
•    The motor factor paid his flower bill
•    The florist arranged for a limo for his daughter’s graduation
•    The limo owner paid a deposit to the hotelier

Who was out of pocket with this series of events?

Secondly, if there had not been the £300 left by Mr James, would each of the bills have been paid?

Thirdly, if money did not exist in any normally accepted form, would the world stop?

Bryn Jones www.sometimenow.co.uk   info@sometimenow.co.uk