Friday, September 28, 2007

So I stroll into the bank this morning with hopes of getting a cashier's check. I have my driver's license out, and I filled out my account number, the date and the amount of money I want to take out. Once I get up to the teller, she looks at my ID, looks at me, and everything is going just fine, until she looks at my signature, and asks me to re-sign the withdrawal slip, so I do it again. She looks at it again, and then proceeds to ask me a bunch of question like my social security number, last withdrawal, last deposit and all that, and I answer all the questions correctly. Then she asks me to sign one more time, and I guess it still didn't match, but she let me slide. Now I'm all for preventing identity theft and all that, but come on man. I gave her all the proper documentation, I knew my last deposits and withdrawals, just give me my damn money. The signature they have on file was signed back in 1997. I was 22 years old, who knows what was on my mind back then. Its 2007, I'm 32 now so I'm sure my handwriting is slowly deteriorating, I'm left handed, so that means I already handicapped and severely disadvantaged, and I drank a little last night, so that could alter my signing technique too. Why must I be punished for a measly signature snafu? Of course you can't get angry in the bank, because if you do, the 3 security guards they have in that tiny space will do beat you silly.

I was on the street walking behind this woman last night around 6pm. It was light outside, and they were people all over the place, but once she got a glimpse of me following her, she got a little jittery. She kept glancing back, she picked up her pace a little bit, and she made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I was only behind her about 100 ft or so, and then I turned to walk down my street. Now before I start bitching and moaning about this, I'd like to know if all women are like this, or was she paranoid because I was a black bearded man in a mostly white neighborhood. I know crime in DC is bad and all that, but I just wonder if she was a little premature with her paranoia, or am I naive to the plight of women walking in front of normal looking men in broad daylight.

In the Mood - Talib Kweli

5 comments:

BewRadley said...

*sings* these are the people in your neighborhood..in your neighborhood..in your neighborhoooooddddd.

£ said...

a fellow lefty! I have a mental log of all the southpaws I meet..its a kinship that I feel towards them.(jerry and george are as well)

also, I had a similar exp at my bank, only mine came at the end of a long day -the teller was being an obstinate idiot, and I wound up shedding my mild mannered exterior, letting my natural sarcasm shine through.

I'm not proud of the moment, but how is she going to tell me my signatures don't match?especially since I provided other credentials

as far as people walking behind me, ill usually move to the side and let them pass -that way I'm behind them

Janelle said...

No it had nothing to do with you being a black man. It had everything to do with you being a man. Even though these days I'm a lil suspicious of chicks walking up on me like that too. hahahahahaha

Maybe the teller got written up for not checking folks and she just wants to be extra careful with money that's not hers. Hey, I'm trying to give her the benefit of the doubt. hahahahaaaa

GemEnigma said...

*giggle*

You said "snafu"....

Unknown said...

I get jittery when men are close behind but maybe not at 6pm.