A few days beforethe endof the Biden Administration a particular event got me thinking. It was 11:40 am on a Friday when I arrived at my bank.
I will deposit a check, which I received as a result of a real estate sale. I also want to withdraw money, less than $2000, which I deposited long ago, from the same account, because I have some purchases in mind that I would prefer to make in cash – nothing illicit, illegal, or out of the ordinary.
When the bank line dwindles to one, me, I’m in front of a teller who cheerfully accepts my requests. Great, I’ve avoided the noon rush hour, as planned. I’ll take care of business and be on my way. The teller dutifullydepositsthe real estate check.
Next comes the cashwithdrawalwhich I want to make based on money that I already deposited long ago. So it’s not as if she has to wait for my huge check to clear.
The minutes start passing. She checks this. She checks that. A short line begins to form behind me. She asks me to sign a couple things. Okay, fine. Now I’m thinking, all right, in a minute or two, I’ll be out of here. Instead, she picks up the phone and dials someone in the bank.
She turns back to me and says that her supervisorwants to knowwhat the money is for. I am flabbergasted. This is the United States of America, right? It’s not the old Soviet Union or East Germany, or even modern-dayRussia, China, Korea, Iran, Cuba, or any other extreme regime.
It is my account. I have had more than sufficient funds in the account for long enough to be able to withdraw the amount I have requested. When she tells me that her supervisor needs to know what the money is for, matter-of-factly and without hesitation, I say to her that it’snoneof his business. I do not raise my voice. I am not even perturbed.
For many reasons, I kind of expected the question.Pryinghas become a national sport. It is none of the banker manager’sbusiness. If I were a new customer or withdrawing a vast sum, it could raisehackles. I might understand, but none of this is occurring. I am a 31-year customer of this bank. Let that sink in.
She continues with a variety of administrative tasks for several more minutes. By now, a long line has formed behind me. The noon rush hour has arrived, and there will be no departing the bank gracefully with the stash of cash that I’ve requested.
Incredibly, she asks what my profession is. In my many decades of consumer banking, I havenever been askedthis. I say to her, what has that got to do with anything? She responds, “I need to put it on this form.” So I tell her, author, which I am. I have68 published booksand more than5,000 published articles. What does my profession have to do with withdrawing money that I’ve had at this bank for years?
Source: Clash Daily
