I've been learning a lot about how the world works since I've been staying at home with the baby lately. For example, I am going to the bank during the day now and interacting with the tellers. Our bank is locally owned and operated and apparently prides itself on knowing its customers personally.
The first time I went in to make a deposit after the baby was born, the teller scrutinized my checks carefully and then cried, "Oh! Are you Brett's wife?!" I answered in the affirmative and she seemed delighted to meet me. "We just love Brett," she gushed. "He comes in here a lot, usually with the dogs, but we haven't seen too much of you... that's why I didn't recognize you. But... but... YOU HAVE A BABY! Ohmygosh! Is she yours?" I answered in the affirmative again.
Suddenly, there was a swarm of bank tellers behind the bulletproof glass all angling for a glance at my newborn.
"Ohhh! She's so cute!"
"How tiny!"
"What a doll!"
"Awww..."
"Brett didn't mention that you were pregnant OR that you'd had a baby! Why didn't he tell us? Make sure you scold him for us!"
Uhhh... okay. I don't know why he would have told you, my bank teller friends, but sure, I'll yell at him for you.
"We watched you get out of the car, but none of us recognized you. We just figured you were just some new mother. We didn't know you were Brett's wife!"
You watched me get out of the car? And you tried to figure out who I was? Interesting. Okay, it was a slow day at the bank. Maybe you all had nothing else to do. Maybe you are required to try to greet everyone by name so it behooves you to get a jump start while people are still in the parking lot.
I wondered if they would remember me when I went in the next week without the baby.
"Oh, hello Mrs. Fox," the teller greeted me. "Is that your mom out there in the car with the baby?" she inquired. "I can tell. She looks a lot like you."
Okay. Now I just feel like I'm being spied on. It's one thing to watch the parking lot for customers. It's another thing to peer into your customers' parked cars and comment on the facial features of their passengers.
I pity the fool who tries to rob my bank. He won't realize there's 4 bored tellers and a bank manager watching his every move from the moment he steps out of his car until he hands over his hold up note.
They might even know his mother.
4 comments:
Ooo creepy! Sound like someone at the bank needs to spend more time organizing the money drawers.
I'm not sure I could handle that kind of intimacy with my bank tellers. I don't even think my kids' teachers know me that well.
Yeah that is creepy...really REALLY creepy.
Yesh, I've never really found that sort of customer-service-familiarity to be a positive thing. It's one thing to recognize you and say hi but even that is bordering on too much in my humble opinion. I prefer anonymity when depositing my funds, buying person hygiene products, or sitting in my car.
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