The Wrong Kind of Money Read Free Page A

financial worth of at least $10,000,000, which he assumed would be quite sufficient. “If necessary, I can produce evidence of additional assets,” he said.
    â€œThe building is not required to tell you why you were rejected,” Mr. Van Degan said again.
    â€œMr. Solomon Brinckmann, the investment banker, owns an apartment in your building. He is a Jew. So I assume that the reason is not because I am Jewish,” Jules said.
    â€œI’m sorry, but I can tell you nothing more,” Mr. Van Degan said.
    â€œIn fact, Mr. Brinckmann is on your board, is he not?”
    â€œThat is correct, Mr. Liebling.”
    â€œMay I ask how Mr. Brinckmann voted?”
    â€œI am not required to tell you how any board member voted,” Mr. Van Degan said. “But I can tell you that Mr. Brinckmann voted with the majority.”
    â€œI see,” said Jules.
    â€œI believe there was a general feeling that one family of your sort in the building was enough,” Mr. Van Degan said. “That another family might start a trend. Of the wrong sort, as Mr. Brinckmann put it.”
    â€œI see,” Jules said again.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mr. Liebling.”
    â€œLet me ask you one question,” Jules said. “I understand the building badly needs a new roof. Your board wants to assess the tenants twenty-five dollars per square foot of floor space to pay for this. The tenants on the lower floors, who are not affected by the leaks, feel this is unfair. They feel the costs should be borne by the upper-floor tenants only. There have been many angry tenants’ meetings about this. Am I correct?”
    â€œThat is correct, Mr. Liebling.”
    â€œAnd of course the longer the tenants fight about this, the worse the roof will get, and the more expensive it’s going to be to repair it. Correct?”
    â€œSadly, sir. Yes.”
    â€œSuppose you were to tell your board that if they will reconsider my application, I will be personally willing to pay for the new roof?”
    There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then Mr. Van Degan said, “I’m sorry, but you cannot bribe your way into a building like ours. It’s been tried before, Mr. Liebling.”
    â€œBribe? An act of generosity is a bribe? Let me ask you one more question. Mr. Stuyvesant Miller, of Miller Publications, is president of your board. Correct?”
    â€œYes. Correct.”
    â€œThat magazine he just bought— City Lights, I believe it’s called. It’s not doing as well as Mr. Miller hoped. That new editor he brought in from England. She hasn’t been able to turn the magazine around the way he hoped she would. Advertising revenues are down. The bottom line looks very bad. You might mention to Mr. Miller that I may be forced to cancel my advertising because of this situation.”
    â€œWhat situation, Mr. Liebling?”
    â€œThe situation I have just outlined to you.”
    â€œYou would cancel your advertising in City Lights?”
    â€œNo. I would cancel in all Miller publications. There are seven of these, actually, in which my company advertises.”
    â€œI see,” Mr. Van Degan said carefully.
    â€œMention that to Mr. Miller, won’t you?”
    There was another, longer pause. Then he said, “Very well.”
    â€œYou do that,” Jules said.
    A few days later, there was another call from Truxton Van Degan. “The board has accepted your application,” he said in a pained voice.
    â€œI see,” Jules said.
    â€œAnd your generous offer to pay for the new roof.”
    â€œSorry, but that offer has been withdrawn,” Jules said. “But I will be happy to purchase the McCurdy apartment for a hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
    â€œSir! The price of the McCurdy unit is two hundred thousand!”
    â€œIt just went down,” Jules said. “I happen to know that Richard McCurdy is seven months delinquent in his maintenance