by Elgin Bock from Kingston, Ontario
Some years ago, I was employed with a long established and frugal Canadian bank. One of my earliest postings was at a two person branch situated in Northern Ontario where a new mine and a town site were under construction. Banking facilities were in one end of a large specially outfitted trailer while cramped living quarters occupied the other end.
One day, while alone in the office, a rather scruffy individual, whom I had never seen before, brought in a government cheque and requested cash in exchange.
When I asked for identification, the man started searching his numerous pockets. He came up empty handed. I explained that I could not provide the cash with out proper I.D.
He was about leave, when he turned around, reached into his mouth and brought forth a dripping upper plate of false teeth. There, engraved on the inside of the dentures, was the same name that appeared on the cheque. Quite confident that the man would not be wearing teeth other than his own I cashed the cheque and sent him on his way.