collateral damage

I was just at the gas station getting gas. Well, I wasn't getting it, exactly - Jersey has a peculiar law that you can't pump your own gas, so every station is full service. I've read it adds about a nickel to the gallon price, but we still enjoy some of the cheapest gas in the nation (today it was $1.99).

Anyway, while I was sitting in my car not pumping my gas, the guy who was filling up the tank was having a conversation with a customer about the spelling of "collateral." Eventually, my attendant was persuaded by the guy that it was spelled: collitoarl. (Isn't that a medical condition, by the way?). And he became so convinced that he yelled across the lot, "Jake, you forgot the 'i'!"

I sincerely hope Jake wasn't filling out a loan application and listing his collitoarl. That just might disqualify you with several lenders in this financial climate. Of course, if Jake was looking for a loan last year, he certeinleey would have got it. Maybe that's why we're in this mess. Thanks a lot, Jake!