How I got my ATM Card

I was, and still am, going to the bank every week. I take my priority number from the machine and I wait – patiently or not – for my turn. It was Monday, "first" day of the week, and also first day of the month, and the bank was in utter chaos…I had to wait for my turn just to take a number in order to wait for my turn for the teller!

Finally, I pulled the lever and out popped the magic number 604…when the tellers were at about 300! 

There were eight tellers, but, of course, typical of Crete, only three were working. So, I waited….I went out and bought a newspaper, and waited…then, I went out and bought a magazine and waited some more. After that, I was too tired to leave the bank again. You see, now all banks have those double doors that you have to press one button, wait for it to open, get in, wait for it close, stay trapped between the two doors, then press the other button, wait for it to open, and then finally you're out!  Of course, you repeat the whole rigamarole to get back in again.    

At long last, after waiting two hours, my turn came. I go to the cashier with a smile on my face – because my turn had finally come - and say "Kalimera" to the teller…and, once again, least I forget, I'm reminded that I am in Greece, because I got no greeting in reply… he only looked at me and, behind his bushy moustache, said, in a gruffly: "What do you want?"

I gave him my money, signed the paper and left furious! Next week, the same scene. I went to the bank, took my number, waited for my turn and my number "beeped" to the same teller. Even though I wasn't smiling this time, I still said Kalimera, and he answered with the same "what do you want?" while I mentally cursed my bad luck that led back me to him!

The third week, the same thing happened again, only this time, I went in front of him and I didn’t say my usual Kalimera…I just placed my money in front of him and said: "Deposit."

"People say 'good morning' first!" he told me impudently.  

God, help me! Has he implied that I am not a person? Who? This totally unsociable person?

But, in situations like that, I have learned to hold myself back. Of course, I knew how to answer, but, with people in services like banking, if you have a fight with someone, you will probably never again be able to do any future business without problems. And, that bank is within walking distance from my house, while to the nearest other branch I would need my car.

So, I just smiled, figuring that's the safest answer, but the teller got angry because of it.

"Are you mocking me? He asked.

"My deposit, sir!" I told him, purposely raising my voice. "I didn’t come here to chat!"

Yes, I was a lady! He turned red, but I was full of confidence and extremely happy. On my way out, I stopped to apply for an ATM card. Until then, I didn’t want one, because it seemed stupid to deal with a machine instead of a person. But, after these episodes, I now prefer the machine over people. At least, I know that a machine won't speak because it's not possible while a man won't speak because he doesn't want to. I also know that if a machine doesn't serve you it's because it's broken while a person won't serve you because once again he doesn't feel like it. You think about that…