We were at the bank last week as I mentioned in the blog. While we were waiting for the customer service representative to update our time deposit paper, I did not intend to eavesdrop but my attention was caught when a lady nearby raised her voice. She mentioned a cleared cheque and was requesting a bank draft. The manager kindly apologized that they do not issue a bank draft. And I do not know what a bank draft is. Hahaha.
Investopedia states that bank draft is a type of check where the payment is guaranteed to be available by issuing bank. I will try to learn more about this in the future and it's usage.
I then simply looked at her side. There I was stunned a bit seeing that 3 ladies were actually assisting this fine lady including the bank manager. And I got a glimpsed of her phone on the table. You will never guess what her phone was. Iphone? Samsung Note 4? HTC? A BIG No.
Years back I went to a bank branch to pay my credit card bills. The branch actually has so many customers that on a daily banking hours, the line is long and I have to wait much longer which give me enough time to observe people coming in, going to the teller and coming out. There were those wearing fancy clothes going directly to the officers behind the tellers and coming out in a shorter span of time. Talk about priority queue/lane.
But what actually inspired was the not-so-old fat lady in her muddy slippers, messy loosely tied hair, and wore a dress covered with some dirt. On her side a child in his muddy slippers as well licking a lollipop. She carried a medium sized black sling bag. She waited just like me but it turn out that her queue number was just before me. From the look of it, she maybe a seller at the wet market which happen to be just in front of the branch.
She went to the teller when her number was called. I looked at them intently. And before I could actually tap my fingers on my chair in impatience, she drew out a bunch of paper bills from her bag along with a passbook and the deposit slip. Bunch. As in. Bunch of bills in 20s, 50s, 100s, and 500s. So she was actually depositing their hard earned money.
I was humbled by the experience. Realization sinks on me that actually there are those privilege people who are living extraordinary below their means. Those who actually knows their priority. And I salute them for being able to.
The not-so-old fat lady maybe storing their income in a savings for safekeeping and I will never get the chance to know if they are also diversifying those through an investment. But what it taught me is that they can buy a little luxury for themselves however they chose a different way. They could have worn a fancy dress but had chosen to be as they were. Well come to think of it, maybe it also to keep them away from any unforeseen situation such as hold ups since they are carrying big money. They maybe saving for something in the future which I do not have at that time.
Because there I was. Paying those sky high credit card bills. And just started to learn the most difficult way out of debts.
And the lady at the bank last week, she was carrying a bar type, black and yellow phone.
Just sharing. Smile. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment