Ron the Yarn Spinner

 

Banking in the Afterlife

The Legend of Linda from Leland Bank

 

 

Leland  Bank was a living Normal Rockwell painting -  small,  rural   bearing a unique charm and character that reflected the town’s close-knit community. The building was a modest structure,  made of  weathered clapboard with a simple entrance under a covered porch. The  paned windows  were large so people outside could see what was going on inside. The large cannonball safe* was strikingly visible.

The interior was welcoming, although the floors creaked. The walls were lined with dated local photographs, 4 H posters, yellowed newspaper clippings, and a FarmWise calendar hung opposite a school clock.  A broad wooden counter spanned the front, where  tellers welcomed customers by name.

Wooden desks were scuffed and scratched, showcasing a rich patina, while upholstery was faded and frayed. Still, the bank’s interior exuded a sense of warmth and nostalgia, reflecting years of memories and everyday life. A few small tables and chairs in the corner invited conversations, where locals  gathered to talk about corn prices, the day's happenings with whispered conversations involving local gossip. Sometimes these were taken outside to chairs under the porch roof.

Old-fashioned banking tools— a “shot gun” coin roller, old Victor adding machines, check certifiers, and canvas coin bags stamped with various  big bank names piled atop old wooden desks could be found in the back room  together with ledgers – some as thick as a Sears Roebuck Catalogue - filled with neat handwriting - all reminders of earlier times.

The air was infused with the scent of aged wood, a common old bank denominator , and the  aroma from a Stanley electric peculator brewing Arabica coffee in the corner of the lobby embodying a sense of warmth and connection. Coffee drinkers would often shun  paper cups in favor of their own ceramic mugs or cups typically  labeled with their names. Some were neatly stacked, others hung on hooks. This practice helped create a sense of familiarity and belonging within the community. By having their own designated mugs, customers enjoyed their coffee in a personal way while also fostering social interactions with other depositors. It was a Leland Bank tradition that highlighted the close-knit nature of rural life  where small gestures like this contributed to a welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

On one  particular crisp autumn afternoon, it was a Thursday, Greg Taylor and Charlie White both met at the bank, and each pulled down a mug from a wall hook and drew a mug of  Maxwell House. Warm coffee in hand, the sweet aroma mixing with the earthy scent of fallen leaves,  the two men, old friends, sat on the porch and leaned back in their chairs. The  sun dipped low, casting a golden glow around them. With an awkward chuckle, Charlie glanced over at Greg, Charlie’s  brow now furrowed with concern. “You know, Greg,” he began, thoughtfully pondering his pest problem by looking his mug as  if it was a crystal ball, “Mice have turned my barn into their personal playground.”  Greg chuckled, but he knew the damage mice could do especially when they find seed bags. This was serious business.  Charlie was hinting for a recommendation. He got one. “Get Ditrac,” Greg told him before drawing a sip from his mug.  “That will take care of the problem.”

Charlie nodded while thoughtfully swirling his coffee. The tired old farmer’s face was lined with years of hard work under the sun. His hands calloused and rough, a testament to decades spent plowing fields and tending livestock. The weight of years hung heavy on his shoulders, yet there was a quiet strength and determination in his demeanor. “ I’ll do it, thanks Greg.”  

Two years passed like the changing seasons, with the fields growing tall in summer and the leaves turning crisp in autumn.

On a foggy Monday morning,  Leland prepared to open its doors to an  ordinary work week. As the sun struggled to break through the mist, Linda Hall grabbed a mug of  just-perked coffee and stepped outside  onto the porch for a breath of fresh morning air. Linda was  the manager. The old wooden porch creaked beneath her feet, its weathered boards bearing the marks of many seasons. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the planks, casting playful shadows on the ground below. The boards, gray and splintered, had begun to separate, creating narrow fissures. In some places, tufts of grass and tiny wildflowers peeked through the cracks; it was the elegant white petals of wild daises that caught Linda’s eye. Something was  wedged between them. It was a wallet – a check wallet but who was the owner?

While several checks had been removed, only two stubs contained some information and there was no account number. (In the 30's banks did not use them.)  One stub was undated and made payable to someone who’s name was unrecognizable and the other was marked “Ditrac” and dated July 7, 1930 – two years earlier. It was now 1932.

Despite the fact the checkbook was valueless, Linda was determined to find its owner and one day she happened to meet Greg Taylor in the bank lobby and just by chance  asked him if he knew what Ditrac might mean. Linda showed him the checkbook. “That’s probably Charlie’s,”  Greg said recalling  the conversation the two men about the army of mice in Charlie’s barn. “When did you find the check wallet?” Greg asked. “It was last Monday, August 8, 1932, came Linda’s reply.  “The 8th ?” That’s the day Charlie died.”  Charlie had died August 8, 1931, one year earlier to the date. Creepy.

Finding something unexpectedly can sometimes, it is claimed by some,  bring bad luck to the finder due to superstitions or the context surrounding the discovery. For example, if someone finds a broken mirror, they might believe it brings seven years of bad luck. Similarly, finding a lost object that belonged to someone who experienced misfortune could evoke feelings of unease or dread. When Ötzi the Iceman was discovered in the Alps in 1991, three of the explorers soon died  - all under mysterious circumstances leading to speculation of an Indiana Jones type curse on the ancient, mummified remains.

Linda died suddenly later that year.

 Leland tellers and other bank personnel would later claim that after Linda died they occasionally heard footsteps in the storage area where Linda’s old desk is buried under banking debris  and other remnants of Leland’s legacy including   a box of old coffee mugs, some with names. Tellers even now said, “We still hear these footsteps but whenever we checked…..(Two of them  always went together)  no one was there. It’s Linda’s Ghost.” They also called the storage room the Graveyard.

Such was the substance of the story told to me – a myth perpetuated for over eighty years  but one that would soon be obscured.

Leland was to be closed, the building demolished and the Legend of Linda of Leland Bank put to rest  in the afterlife of the Yarnspinner’s blog where legends don’t go to die. They reside instead, in a sanctuary, in an Arthurian Avalon where they are revived at times illustrating the myriad beliefs about life, death, and what lies beyond. They reflect humanity's enduring fascination with the unknown and the search for meaning in day to day living. They are all part of the “Wallet of Life, pocket must-haves of memories, aspirations, goals, and values – even intangible qualities like dreams and experiences - that encourage us to reflect on the choices we make and what they signify in our lives. In a world that often feels predictable, you sometimes discover the hidden layers of the unexplained.

What’s in your wallet?

I found Charlie’s in Linda’s old desk.

 Meme:

Living up to the name, a cannonball safe resembled a large cannonball. These safes were often used in the 19th century and were made of heavy metal. If burglars tried to “blow the safe,” it would separate from the base and just roll around on the floor making it difficult to move.

 Leland Bank was Farmers and Merchants Bank of Leland Illinois. There are probably a 1000 or more Framers and Merchant banks throughout the U.S. Leland was a small community and the residents typically referred to it as “the bank” or just Leland Bank.