Take the Money and Dun

Let other banks give toasters and electric blankets to their customers. Carl Cochran got something better. Two months ago, a local branch of the Bank of America credited the San Francisco freelance writer with more than $4,000 in an account that, he jokes, usually has a balance of "about $6.15." Cochran claims he informed a teller of the mistake, but the bank insisted the amount was correct. Exasperated, Cochran withdrew the funds and notified bank officials that he was holding their money hostage.

Then, in a spirit that would be cheered by millions of Americans who have dueled with a bank's computer and lost, he listed his demands. The cash would be returned if the bank:

> Straightened out his account.

> Paid him a $1,000 service charge for the trouble he had been through.

> Pledged that an apology for the foul-up would be delivered to his apartment "by the biggest bigwig the Bank of America can conveniently locate."

> Promised to have at least three tellers on duty in the branch he uses when lines are long.

Cochran added that "for each day my demands are not met, I will use portions of the money being held hostage to support my junk-food habit."

The bank, which has finally figured out what went wrong, is threatening to sue for the money's return. Cochran still holds the cash hostage. "I'm working," he says, "on some new demands."

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