The broker

Edward

The alarm sounded at exactly 6:00am and Edward Stuben climbed out of bed. He completed a few stretching exercises before heading to the bathroom for a shower. Edward then got dressed and looked in his bedroom mirror to straighten his necktie. “Today is going to be a great day!” he said to the reflection staring back at him.

Edward walked out of his bedroom and was immediately accosted by the smell of bacon wafting through the air. He descended the staircase and entered the kitchen to find his mother at the stove, making breakfast. Edward walked over to Mrs. Stuben and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Good morning, mom,” he said. “Good morning Eddie.” She replied. Edward then walked over to the table and helped himself to a slice of bacon that was sitting on a plate. “I’ll see you tonight.” He said as he walked out the door.

He found his dad in the driveway, tinkering under the hood of his pickup truck. “Good morning, dad.” He spoke. Mr. Stuben looked at Edward and smiled with a “good morning.” “Having engine trouble?” Edward asked. “Just adding some oil.” His father responded. “I’m off to work. Have a great day.” Edward said as he walked down the driveway.

The morning air was calm and cool. Edward continued his stroll to the bus stop that was located a quarter of a mile from the entrance of his parents’ farm. Edward worked in the city and took the 40-minute bus ride to get there and back, five days a week. As he stood and waited on the 77 bus to arrive, Edward thought about his parents and their farm. The recent harvest had not been productive. His parents were struggling financially but they continued to persevere. Edward helped his father on the farm during the weekends. Even though his father encouraged Edward to work on the farm full-time, Edward had other plans.

Edward was aspiring to become a stockbroker and secured a job as a junior stockbroker the previous year. He had a bachelor’s degree in finance that was obtained from the local community college. Edward had proposed in his heart that he would not struggle financially, the way his parents did at times. He was going to shape his own future and his success would not be determined by fruits, vegetables, and cattle. Edward wanted a car of his own but the money he made went to help his parents and the family farm. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the approaching bus.

The Ride

Edward took his usual seat at the back of the bus. The 40-minute ride into the city gave him a chance to study for the stockbroker exam and to be alone with his thoughts. He would periodically peer out the bus window as they traveled down the highway. His favorite part of the ride always came just before they entered the city. He would always pause to admire a bull that majestically sat at the edge of the highway.

The Firm

Edward arrived at the Roshire Building at his usual time. He greeted the security guard in the lobby and took the elevator to the 54th floor. Most of the offices were empty at this early hour. Edward went to his workspace, powered-up his computer and went to the office kitchen. Edward turned on the coffee machine and waited for the water to become hot. “Hey, buddy!” a voice said. Edward turned to see Harvey Fahr entering the kitchen. Harvey was the senior broker to whom Edward was assigned. “Hi, Harvey, '' Edward replied. “See me in my office after you make your coffee.” Harvey requested. Before Edward could respond, Harvey had exited the kitchen.

With coffee in-hand, Edward made his way down the hall to a corner office. Harvey was behind his desk and typing on his computer’s keyboard. “Shut the door,” Harvey said with a brief glance at Edward. He closed the door and took a seat in one of the large leather chairs across the desk from Harvey. The two sat in silence as Harvey continued typing. When he was completed, he looked across at Edward and said, “It’s done.” Edward produced a huge smile on his face and Harvey did the same. “How much?” Edward asked. “4.6 million”, Harvey replied. Edward almost choked upon hearing the amount.

“Are you sure we won’t get caught?” Edward asked in a low voice. Harvey looked sternly at Edward and said, “I took every precaution. I told you when I recruited you that I would make you a rich man”. He continued, “Churning is nothing but excessive trading. Consider it our reward for working extra hard on our client’s behalf.” Edward gave a slight nod. Little did Edward know that when he met Harvey at a job fair 2 years prior, Harvey was looking for an accomplice to assist him in his unethical dealings. He saw Edward as the perfect victim. He was young, inexperienced, and looking to get rich quickly. At the job fair, Edward had told Harvey about his aspirations and the financial struggles of his parents.

Harvey removed a USB flash drive from his desk, handed it to Edward and said, “this contains the numbers of the offshore accounts. Remember, be discreet about your spending.” Edward placed the flash drive in his shirt pocket. He had already formulated a cover story to tell his parents. Edward would tell them that the extra cash came from a bonus and other savvy investments. He planned on settling the mortgage on the farm so that his parents would not have to worry about losing their property. He would also be able to get a car of his own. Edward stood and left Harvey’s office to return to his cubicle, now 2.3 million dollars richer.

Six Months Later

It had been six months since Edward received the flash drive. Everything appeared normal at work and his parents were ecstatic that the ranch was now debt-free. He was now a fully licensed stockbroker after passing the exam.

It was Saturday and Edward was awake early. He enjoyed breakfast with his parents, which was dominated by his dad’s concern about an approaching snowstorm. Mr. Stuben expected Edward to help with covering the plants, but Edward had an errand to run. He promised his dad that he would assist him as soon as he returned. Mr. Stuben offered to drive Edward, but he declined.

Edward excused himself from the table and left the house. He walked down the driveway and made his way to the bus stop. This walk was nostalgic for Edward because it was the final time that he would make this journey. As he stood and waited for the #77, Edward thought about how much his life had changed in a year.

The bus arrived and Edward climbed the stairs. He did not take his usual seat at the rear as usual but opted to sit in the front seat. As the bus traveled along the highway, Edward looked out the window at the countryside. The landscape seemed different to him. Just before the bus entered the city, Edward requested a stop. He stepped into the chilly morning air and looked up. There was a bull looking directly at him. Edward felt as if he was walking on clouds as he entered the Lamborghini dealership. He was there to take delivery of his brand new Huracan.

Edward had visited the dealership one month earlier to make a deposit and to provide the specifications that he wanted on the car. Edward signed the paperwork and was immediately taken to the delivery bay. He beamed with pride as he looked at his $250,000.00 toy. The salesperson showed Edward the features and gave him the keys.

As Edward drove home, he passed several busses on the highway. He was thrilled to know that he would no longer have to wake up at 6am to take the people movers into the city. His car would get him there in 20 minutes. As a broker, he would be entitled to a parking space in the garage at the Roshire Building. Edward sped along the road and was amazed at how low the car was. He would have to level the entrance of the driveway at the farm.

As Edward arrived home, he looked down at the car’s console to find the front-end lift. He did not want to damage the fender of his new car as he entered the driveway. After parking the car, Edward again activated the lift to lower the front end. Being preoccupied with this function, he did not notice when the Federal Agents drove up the driveway and parked behind him.

The end of the road

Edward was placed into the back seat of the black sedan. His parents watched from the front door of the house with sadness. Edward looked at his parents and saw the pain on their faces. He was unaware that the Securities and Exchange Commission had been investigating Harvey Fahr for months. Simultaneously, Harvey was being taken into Federal custody at his apartment in the city.

As the sedan drove away, Edward got one final glance at the new car in the driveway. The last thing he saw was the raging bull looking back at him.