“The check is completely valid,” the teller said.

“The funds are fully cleared and being held in escrow at our main branch.

Would you like to deposit this straight into your primary checking account?”

“Yes, please,” I said.

She stamped the back of the check with a heavy mechanical thump.

She printed a white receipt and passed it back to me with my ID card.

“Your available balance is five thousand dollars higher now,” she said.

I stepped back out into the sweltering bank parking lot.