Heidi is the proprietor of a bar in Berlin. In order to increase sales, she 
decides to allow her loyal customers - most of whom are unemployed 
alcoholics - to drink now but pay later. She keeps track of the drinks 
consumed on a ledger (thereby granting the customers loans).

Word gets around, and as a result, increasing numbers of customers flood 
into Heidi's bar.

Taking advantage of her customers' freedom from immediate payment 
constraints, Heidi increases her prices for wine and beer, the most-consumed 
beverages. Her sales volume increases massively.

A young and dynamic customer service consultant at the local bank recognizes 
these customer debts as valuable future assets and increases Heidi's 
borrowing limit ...

He sees no reason for undue concern because he has the promissory notes of 
Heidi's customers as collateral.

At the bank's corporate headquarters, expert bankers transform these 
customer assets into DRINKBONDS, ALKBONDS and PUKEBONDS. These securities 
are then sold and traded on markets worldwide. No one really understands 
what these abbreviations mean and how the securities are guaranteed. 
Nevertheless, as their prices continuously climb, the securities become 
top-selling items.

One day, although the prices are still climbing, a risk manager of the bank, 
(subsequently fired due his negativity), decides that the time has come to 
start demanding payment from Heidi for the debts incurred by the drinkers at 
Heidi's bar.

Unfortunately Heidi's customers cannot pay back any of their debts to Heidi.

Heidi cannot fulfill her loan obligations to the bank and claims bankruptcy.

DRINKBOND and ALKBOND drop in price by 95%. PUKEBOND performs better, 
stabilizing in price after dropping by only 80%.

The suppliers of Heidi's bar, having granted her generous payment terms and 
also having invested in the securities are faced with a new and desperate 
situation. Her wine supplier claims bankruptcy and her beer supplier is 
taken over by a competitor.

The bank is saved by the Government following dramatic round-the-clock 
consultations by leaders from the governing political parties. They came up 
with a miraculous rescue plan that saved the bank.

The funds required for this massive rescue are obtained by levying a new tax 
on all the non-drinkers.