Why Not? Part 2

It might, after all, have been raining.
 
Actually, it was raining this morning: a light steady drizzle all the way to work. That wasn’t so bad, though, and it was warm enough that the rain didn’t chill me. I had a productive morning, prepping for my afternoon class and helping students. Early lunch on campus (thanks, Holly!) and bock to the office to prep some more.
 
The Matthew/James/Didache/Judaism class seems to be going well. A couple more students have added the class (and one has added the Historical Jesus). But before class, I gave the bank a call, to mention that I noticed that hadn’t heard anything from them yet. The bank call centre lady assured me that she hadn’t called because they hadn’t gotten a report back about what the problem was, and she’d call me as soon as she knew. I pointed out that I’d be in class from 2 to 4, so not to call during lecture time, but I’d very much like to hear from her after then. All the more so, because I’d heard that I should be expecting a small cheque midafternoon.
 
So I went off to lecture on the Didache, and we had a pretty good time. The Didache is a fascinating text, and there’s lots to talk about. Still, I let the class go a little early, so that I could be sure to get to the bank in time to cash the cheque (if not to withdraw money from a newly-deposited salary payment). The bank called as soon as I got back to my office, and they had the answer.
 
“Can you bring your passport and visa in? We need to see them before we can unblock your account.” But, I explained, I already had shown my passport and visa, when I first opened the account, and how could Scottish Gas withdraw money when there was nothing in the account, but my employer couldn’t deposit money into the account to prop up my finances and support the banking system? “Sorry sir, but we don’t have access to that photocopy of your passport and visa. Can you bring them in this afternoon?” Well, I can sprint home and dash back to the bank, I guess, sure. I picked up my tide-me-over cheque on my way out, and strode purposefully home. It was not raining, not even drizzling, although at the end of a Friday, immediately after class, I felt pretty worn out. Took off my tie, took off my tweed jacket, hurried back into town to my bank, and waited for the officer who was supposed to (re-)photocopy my passport and visa.
 
He ducked in and apologetically acknowledged that I must have been very discomfited by the banking problems. I handed over my passport, he made the necessary copies, and then noted that since it was so late on Friday, they wouldn’t be able to to clear my account till Monday morning. “OK,” I allowed, “but I have this cheque; I’d like to deposit some of it, and have some in cash for the weekend.” “Oh, sorry,” he said, “but we can’t handle that till your account is cleared.” No matter that he knew that my account would in fact be cleared Monday morning, no matter that he knew that it was their fault that I had been kept waiting so long, no matter that he knew the cheque was good and that my account would be filled as soon as they let the University put a deposit in. Nope, I mightn’t even have a few pounds for the weekend.
 
But — at least it wasn’t raining on my walk home, either.

3 thoughts on “Why Not? Part 2

  1. Reminds me of an old saying: “If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all!”

  2. You know how we do the First Evensong of a saint’s day on the previous evening.. well, in British banks it’s much the same: any transaction after 3.30pm counts as activity for the next day’s trading – which on a Friday would be Monday, unless that’s a bank holiday in which case it’s a Tuesday.

  3. AKMA, are you sure there isn’t a ‘J’ somewhere in your acronymic handle? As in Job? Just wondering.

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