As Far as I Could Throw You

Okay, I said I'd be off the internet for a bit because I'm staying with friends for a week, but Tim's gone out for an hour or so and Sarah's busy, which leaves me with the opportunity to borrow their computer and do a blog without feeling all antisocial.  Muahaha!

Question 13: "Please can I have your bank details?"


No, I'm afraid you can't.

That's the reductionist answer, but actually this is an interesting question - is it a straightforward request for financial assistance?  Or is it a test of how much I'd trust you?  Allow me to elaborate.

What if this is about trust issues?  We live in a paranoid world full of hackers and scammers, and those in the know tell us it's a bad idea to let anyone know anything about where your money is and how to get at it.  Don't trust anyone as far as you can throw them, they say.  I'm willing to believe them on that, although if circumstances conspired to make it necessary then I might conceivably share the critical numbers with a close friend.  Not that I can imagine what those circumstances might be.

On t'other hand, it's not that I'm stingy and all.  If the question is about you being broke and wondering if I could spare a fiver for a friend in need, then you could just ask for a fiver, and chances are I'd let you have one and I wouldn't expect it back.

However, I've just thought of a third possibility: what if someone wanted my bank details so they could put money in?  Again, it depends who they are.  Most people probably have no rational reason for putting money into my bank account, so I'd still be reluctant to tell them anything.  But if you're all that desperate to part with your cash, I do accept cheques made to 'Matthew Colclough'.

Why d'you ask?


The good news is, I do trust you enough to show you my statistics:

• Twenty Questions status: 10 down, 10 to go (half-way there, and still winning (just about))
• Days until Root Hill: 8
• Latest book read: don't remember anything since Dianetics
• Latest film/TV watched: The 39 Steps (the 1978 version with Robert Powell)
• Latest music listened to: the nearly-complete Cylinder and Miserable Official Webcomic Soundtrack: Series 1 Suite
• Latest edible item eaten: bread and marmalade
• Predominant colour of clothes: approximately grey
• Programs and web pages currently running: it's someone else's computer, so this'll be a bit different to usual: Incredimail, Sony Vegas, Firefox (tabs: Blogspot Dashboard; A White Horizon; Blogspot Create Post)
• Webcomics posted today: Cylinder and Miserable #1334; Fort Paradox #70

- The Colclough