Anyway, I digress....
One of the typical things my family does when I'm home is run errands and see movies. Actually, they do that regardless if I'm here, but I get to tag along when I am. Yesterday, dad and I saw The Descendants, which wasn't too bad. But before that, we went to the post office and to the bank. Sitting there, in the drive through, I witnessed the craziest transaction I'd ever seen. And when we left, I asked my dad if he thought what had just happened was bizarre and he didn't know the slightest thing what I was talking about.
This explains three possible things:
1. I'm way too observant and curious for my own good.
2. My dad is way too oblivious to all of his surroundings.
3. It really wasn't that bizarre, but I thought it was because I'd never seen it before.
Here's what happened:
Right after we pulled into the drive through and sent the transactions through the tube, an armored van pulls up right behind us. The ATM is directly to the left, so an armored man gets out of the van, leaving his sun glassed partner watching from the van like an eagle on its post. The dude gets out his keys and after about 5 minutes of punching codes and unlocking and opening the machine, the world is staring at the ATM's skeleton. Or I am at least. he continues punching numbers and a piece of paper regurgitates with some more numbers, I'm guessing, and then finally, he bends down too far below for me to see him extracting the money. It's like he's doing surgery on the robot ATM and getting paid millions in a matter of seconds.
I keep looking in all my mirrors and at the teller, who has been on the phone the entire time. It's taking a very long time for our transaction to be complete.
Then, after a while of bending down, the uniformed man stands up, turns around, and we lock eyes. He's caught me observing the surgery and although I wasn't doing anything wrong, it felt like I had seen him extracting a kidney to sell on the black market. I was at the wrong place at the wrong time and maybe I had caught on to something that wasn't meant to be witnessed. It felt even more like that when he immediately radioed something on his shoulder, at which point the teller behind the window broke me from my trance by mumbling something about taking a little longer. Sure thing, lady, I'm watching this million dollar transaction occur. Take all the time you need.
After that, he walked to a drive-thru that was 3 spaces away from ours. There was a car to our right, and then a space, and then him. Until, right as he started sending the money (I'm guessing), this unmarked white van pulled into the empty space to the left of him. And then the car next to us left, and the van reversed from his original spot, then pulled into the spot next to us. Finally, after about what seemed like 10 more minutes, the armored car that was just sitting behind us began backing away, then the uniformed man walked to the backed up car and got in. It finally drove completely away. But the white van remained. And then suddenly, the teller turned her attention back to me, apologizing that her assistant had been away and was there anything else she could help us with. No, I responded, and thank you.
Why was I so mesmerized, I wonder, while my father remained completely unfazed?
Today, mom and I took a trip down memory lane, to the square in downtown Carrollton. It brought back memories of the county fair parade and riding in the float that my dance company put together every fall. It reminded me of the days when mom would get us out of school for a doctors apt., then take us to the Rainbow Fountain for an ice cream cone and the chance to sit and spin on our favorite color bar stool. I always chose blue. I thought the antique store next door was boring, but as long as the Rainbow Fountain was in the plan, I could manage to get through antiquing. Then there's the gazebo in the square where I'd pretend like I was Lisle from the Sound of Music, and try to jump from bench to bench. Getting back into
the car, mom would put us back in our places if we got out of hand. She had me convinced that if I continued to act out, all she had to do was press the Eject button and I'd be shot out of the car, through the ceiling, like a Wile E. Coyote. I didn't dare challenge the threat. All I know is that I didn't have to learn "the hard way" and that she was a great rearing mother and she still is a great and loving mother.Tonight a lot of my family gathered to help celebrate my only living grandmother's 80th birthday. Grandma Pat has been in the family since before I was born, after she married my Grandpa, the same year my parents got hitched, in 1980. The number of friends and family who attended, and their age ranges, is a testament to the type of woman Pat Fuller is. I can only hope to one day hear my husband publicly express the kind, heartfelt and supporting words my Grandfather spoke to a room full of loved ones, tonight. And I can only hope to live as long and as full of a life that she has thus far. Just 2 or 3 years ago, I might not have made the short trip or minuscule effort in coming home for the weekend. But somewhere in between, I realized life is too short. I constantly have to remind myself to keep things in perspective. Money should not restrict you from doing the things you love or want to do, and it certainly shouldn't keep you from the people whom you care most about. But sometimes it's that impeding obstacle. But when you're just a kid, nothing can slow you down, right? Not even bank teller
s.
No comments:
Post a Comment