I had a very frustrating time at the bank today. It's not the bank where my main accounts are located, but another where we had my wife's car financed. Someone else mentioned that they came close to a meltdown, today. Mine would have been more like an angry outburst and a stalk-off, with witnesses.
I called the bank on the phone (horrid task!) to find out the pay off total on the last three payments. (It seemed smart at the time) Obviously there will be a small bit of the interest not owed them so they take it off the total when I pay the note off ahead of time. I got it all figured out on the phone, to the cent! I had it all written down! It took almost twenty minutes of phone time, but worth it, if it saves me time in the bank.
When I got to the bank, there was a line (hhumph), so I made out the final check. When I had them settle it up, the figures came out different. (grr! FINE, don't care.) It was in my favor.
No problem, just give me the change. They can't do that. The check has to match. (We're paying off the car. This is a good thing)
OK so I'll write out another check. I can't do that, because they had already endorsed the check. (What ever. It's ALL good! Nothing can spoil this!)
So then cash the check and I'll give it all back to you less the amount the check is over. They can't do that, because the check is in the machine. (what difference does that make? *deep breath*)
Besides, sir, we can't cash your check since you don't have an account here. (excuse me, but they have been cashing my checks for five years on MY FUCKING ACCOUNT, which I'm here to close out. Why is this one different?)
OK! Let's start over. Cancel this transaction and we just start all over again from the top. (Trying to smile!)
They can't do that, because she doesn't know how. (This is taking WAY too fucking long!)
So ask the manager to help you. She IS the manager. (I'm getting a burning sensation in my ears, now.)
We end up with three people working on "my case" While the other two lines come to a halt and the bank continues to fill up with patrons far more annoyed about a delay than I am, but they think it's MY fauult! (Begin to glare around the room, trying to indicate that I am the MOST annoyed person here and no one should say another fucking word!)
(I also realize that if the bank suddenly burst into flames,, which you know, it always CAN, there are a hell of a lot of people I will have to trample on my way out.)
(I didn't really notice how small this building was when I came in!)
(Why do they have the damn heater up so high.)
(My shirt's too tight around the neck!)
(If anyone coughs up anything else, I just might ...)
About that time, a teenage looking guy comes around the corner and said he knew what to do. Disappeared for a second under the counter and unplugged the machine, sending all three women into a state of sheer panic. (my eyebrow pops up going half erect as I begin to understand what he did) These women are writing down the time "When It Happened" and telling him HE will be the one to answer for THIS!
(first one person left, then quickly two more patrons took their exit.) They said that was a big mistake for him to do that because they will now have lost information. His idea was that they NEEDED to lose THIS information. It worked! As the work-station re-booted the check cycled out, the transaction did not exist any longer and we are ready to start over.
The youngest n00b was my hero, even as one old biddy was calling on the telephone for back-up help to another branch. This young kid knew more about how that shit worked that all three of the women who had been working there long enough to wear shiny spots on the counter where the rest their boobs.
I grabbed my check off the counter and said that we need another check to be written, "RIGHT?"
I believe I made it out of there just before I had suffer the indignity of some kind of personal consequence. Thanks go mainly to the kid, who is obviously a green-as-gooseshit geek, fresh out of college, and a little thanks to the entertainment value of watching the flock of three plucked hens who each had their own versions of meltdowns today in front of about twenty strangers.
