Adventures in Banking

And now, for your reading pleasure, we present "The Adventures of Martha's Lunch Hour."

Went to the post office to pick up mail / send Catherine's gift. (Shhhh, don’t tell her.) Figured I'd just buy a mailing envelope at the post office and kind of kill two birds with one stone. As I was filling out the envelope with the address and all, this lady comes in and slips into the line before me. She had 5 medium-sized boxes. Each one was being sent internationally. Each one was being sent to a different country. *sigh* It figures that one of the only times I actually have to go up to the window I'd get stuck behind someone like that. The other window was occupied by another lady sending multiple packages. Her problem was the fact that she barely spoke English. *sigh* again. Oh well, I eventually got the thing sent.

I had planned to go to the bank branch on campus to avoid Mean Lady. So I headed down Algoma and was tailed by a cop most of the way. He turned at Wisconsin though (whew) and I continued to the campus. When I got there, there was absolutely no parking. So much for my spring break theory. I don't know where all the cars were from, but there was not one space open. Not even a handicapped one. So I headed back to the main branch. I entered and of course the only window open was manned by Mean Lady. I tell her I want to close my account and she tells me that they need to have my debit card for at least a week before they can close it. I tell her to look at my account and take note that there has been no activity of any kind in over 2 weeks. The last activity was my directly deposited paycheck. The last of MY activity was over a month ago. She decides to be nice since "I look honest" and tells me to just cut the card up and she'll close the accounts and give me all the money today. She did say that if I ever came back and wanted to open an account again I should be sure to mention I had one there before. *sigh*

So that's all done and taken care of. I’m rather happy to be out of there. In addition to all the other reasons I’ve cited previously for leaving, another one came to me today: They weren’t too good with making me feel that my money was secure. I didn’t have any kind of account card. When you go into the bank you just tell them your account number. The last two times I went there was to withdraw sizable sums of money and they just handed it over without asking for any identification. Of course you have to sign the slip, but I could be someone else pretending to be me… At least at Capital they have member cards and you have to have it to do anything. I get so pissed when places are so lax about this kind of thing. Especially places like banks. I mean we used a debit card at KFC the other day and they asked for identification. If KFC can do it, why can’t everyone else? Geesh! I mean, sure, they torture and kill chickens in horrific ways, but at least they ensure their customers are who they say they are.

Still feeling like crap and wish the cold would just come full force already so it can proceed to go away.

Not sure what’s going on tomorrow yet since Adam keeps changing his mind. He’s going to attempt to make the fish dish that I was going to make tomorrow tonight since apparently the Pope granted dispensation of the required abstinence for Lent tomorrow so that all those Irish Catholic folk can eat their corned beef.