I had a pretty good day today. Although my subject line is all about Friday, I will be writing from Thursday's perspective because I haven't had my sleep zone to separate the two yet.
Work today was just madness. We were short a teller because she was sick. If you have never worked in a bank, you might be slighting this statement, so I will break for a (brief) tangent and explain what this implies.
When a teller calls in sick, all her money HAS to be counted. This is to ensure that she has not taken her cash from the day before, slipped out of the bank with it in her coat, and skipped off to Mexico (or Washington, heh). However, because this teller is also our ATM teller, it also meant we had to hand count the ATM. Everything must be done under dual control since we technically are counting the teller's cash. So, anytime someone is absent, it always involves tying up at least two people for an extended amount of time.
Phew. So, my boss and I counted her cash, counted the ATM and counted more money to add to the ATM because it was low. All in all, the process took a good hour away from my own work. Then, there were customers coming in and asking all kinds of random questions about their accounts and needing stuff done that takes longer than the usual five minutes. Finally, my boss gave me a "honey-do list" (as she called it) right before I went to lunch and she left for the day. I only completed one by day's end. That will be an interesting conversation Friday morning.
I hate days like that... I just spun my wheels all day. In other people's mud, no doubt. I didn't even get to touch my own. It's still piled on my desk for tomorrow.
After work, I had an interesting exchange while I was in the grocery store. I was picking up a dessert to take to someone's house tonight and struck up a conversation with the cashier. Actually, she struck it up. She was young, a teenager, and very bubbly.
She asked (think Valley girl, young teen voice), "So, do you, like, have a daughter or younger sister?"
I paused and analyzed the tone and wording. Is she thinking real young or just younger, like Mal is? Hmm, it's got to be the first. "I have a younger sister. She's not real young though." No response yet. She's just staring, waiting for more. She's blonde and doe-eyed. I can't help but notice this too. "She's 23. Is that what you mean?"
"Oh. No. You just look like you'd be related to this girl I know."
"Is she a kid?" I mean, she did ask if I had a daughter.
"No, she goes to school with me."
"Where do you go to school?" She answered with the name of the school I graduated high school from. Hmm.
I didn't know quite how to respond to that. There were some "have a nice evenings" exchanged shortly after that and I walked out. Didn't she ask if I had a daughter? She did. Do I look like I could have daughter in high school? I did the math. Gross. I reached my car and sat in it staring at my steering wheel and recalculating. Honestly. That's just... a stretch, right?
It made me wonder. If I had bought a bottle of wine or something, would she have carded me? Would someone have the audacity to ask for I.D. after she'd just asked if I'd mothered a high schooler? I was half tempted to go in and see.
It's nothing I took personally or was offended by. It just threw me off and made me think. How many times have I asked a dumb question like that with little regard to mathematical judgements or guesses? Is this something that more people under a certain age make errors about? Is it safe to say that people under that age view anyone over 30 or even 25 as "old" people? The closer I creep to thirty I can't help but admit that the further away my "old" label gets pushed. What was my "old" label at 15? I can't remember. Don't even know that I thought about it too much. What will it be at 40? 65? 80?
Ah well. It's approaching 1:15. If I keep this up much longer I will feel old in the morning. Happy Friday!!!!
12:31 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos -
kristina marino
LOLshe does not sound like the brightest bulb. she is probably young with stars in her eyes and anyone that is slightly older than her is like.... ANCIENT. like, yeah.geez meredith. are you forgetting to cover up your grays?
Posted by kristina marino on Friday, March 24, 2006 at 7:09 AM
J to tha essica
My mom told me that once when I was little, like maybe 7 or so, I said "When I turn 40, just pull the plug." What was I thinking? From the mouths of babes...
No comments:
Post a Comment