Stories of Paraná - The Bookmaker

Stories of Paraná - The Bookmaker

The Bookmaker
Luiz Cláudio Mehl

The citizen who charge interest for cash loans is certainly a specimen endangered in our country.
In Brazil of our times he would not stand competition in official rates, as well as being unable to meet the greed of governments, major borrowers.
This however was not the reality of the fifties.
At that time the moneylenders were divided between those who extorted, and that leveraged companies and people with temporary difficulties.
The following story happened in Imbil.
Small town in the interior of Parana, now flourishing producer of knitwear, then hosts major beneficiary industries wood.
The moneylender who attended Imbituva came every week of Ponta Grossa, visiting the "clients", who charged interest due and undue.
He was among those who extort people.
Rumors of protest reached the ears of "their" Eduardo Sponholz, what would be the trunk of distinguished figures of our state.
It was kind of a chieftain site and belonged to the old PSD.
Society Imbituvense was revolted by the moneylender. And this also annoyed the politician.
One afternoon, while waiting for the return bus to Ponta Grossa, the moneylender received a strange invitation to "chat" with "his" Eduardo.
Then he turned to the house located opposite the bus stop. The entrance door was always open and led to a long corridor which was placed a table with two chairs.
Dali "his" Eduardo watching everyone who came, and leave town.
The "prose" lasted more than an hour, during which time the old leader has not stopped refilling the gourd of maté tea with boiling water. The friendly tone of the conversation surprised the moneylender, who boarded the bus at the end return.
The next day, upon arrival of the first bus, "his" Eduardo ran forward toward the driver, asking:
- "Hello buddy, how was the journey yesterday?"
The angry driver replied:
- "Three times I had to stop the bus at the request of moneylender.
He ran into the woods, and returned pale.
The fourth time, he
landed at the tax office. "
Slyly, "his" Edward turned away without disguise the smirk when he reminded herb holy thorn, a powerful laxative mixed with yerba mate.
Since there is information that the interest charged on Imbituva not exceeded levels beyond tolerable.

Luiz Cláudio Mehl, civil engineer.


Source: Stories of Paraná, Brasil.