What? Let’s try that again. Let’s say Uncle Phil, who banks with the Bank of Bel Aire, writes his nephew, Will, a check for $100. Will then deposits the check into Philadelphia State Bank. Now, Philadelphia State Bank needs to collect the cash Uncle Phil’s check promises to pay from the Bank of Bel Aire, so it hires someone to present Uncle Phil’s check to the Bank of Bel Aire.
It so happens that Philadelphia State Bank has hired DJ Jazzy Jeff as its walking clerk. Jeff now has to walk from Philadelphia, Penn. to Bel Aire, Ca. (In 2013, a cab ride would have cost Jeff approximately $8,000.) After his 2,752 mile walk, which Google estimates takes 891 hours, or 37 days, Jeff arrives at the Bank of Bel Aire, where he presents Uncle Phil’s check. The Bank of Bel Aire gives Jeff $100, and now Jeff must turn around and walk all the way back to Philadelphia so he can deposit the $100 into the Philadelphia State Bank.
