Lesson 10
The Jamieson Savings Bank prided themselves on being the ‘bank for the ordinary people’. And the number of ‘ordinary people’s’ Christmas Savings Accounts attested to the truth of that claim.
In the Reidport branch of the JSB (Jamieson Savings Bank) alone, they had almost 2,000 Christmas Savings Accounts. With an average of £800 in each savings account, you can calculate how much money we would be paying out in the span of a couple of weeks – because Christmas Savings account holders wanted all of the money that their members had paid into over the previous year, by the beginning of November, ready to buy things for Christmas
I was totally impressed with how Mr. Yeoman managed to keep to all of his schedules, He had a rigid timetable for who would come in to collect their funds and when. The bank was always packed out at this point, with the usual customers and the nominated persons collecting their money. And of course, the money was all counted up and set aside, in the huge walk in safe, for each account. It was a particularly sociable time, because we saw everyone we had accounts with in the two busiest weeks.
The bank was a little old fashioned and not just in its typical 1970’s appearance. The corporate colours of royal blue and dark grey were set off by the grey practical lino flooring and the teak wooden desks, stools and panelled wooden walls. Light came through the bank of windows at shoulder height, giving us a welcome boost of sunshine to supplement the fluorescent lights above each till.
Of course, the first year I was a very junior bank cashier and not ready to hand over such large sums of money. The two senior cashiers, Gillian and Tracey, worked with the Assistant Bank Manager, quickly, calmly and efficiently.
My hopes of following in their footsteps, was severely jeopardised in the second week of the busiest time of the year.
Gillian and Tracey had been guarding me, with kindness, but warning me off the relationship that had left me tearful after the breakup the previous weekend. My fiancé and I had been unable to agree on a wedding date. My dad’s business was busiest in the summer months, and I wouldn’t go ahead without my dad being there, so there was an impasse.
Neither of us had contacted each other, and although the first week had been hard, it was mega busy, so I was recovering. Gillian, Tracey and I felt that I could be settled into a life without Alexander, as it was a very one-sided relationship, it was thought that I could do better.
I had no idea that my ex-future mother-in-law would venture into my place of work. Unsought, unnecessary and unwelcome. I had never seen her outside of her house, nor out of the pinny she wore in the house.
But as I sat on my stool, at the third till, with Gillian and Tracey in order, on till one and two, I caught a glimpse of Brenda, raising her hand and waving at me. I was stunned. We weren’t allowed to entertain members of family, nor friends in our workplace.
I must admit I panicked. I dealt with the customer in front of me and then begged the next customer’s pardon, I put up my till closed sign and promptly sat on the floor, out of sight of any customer and hissed at Tracey, on her till. She reluctantly excused herself to her customer and listened to my problem.
Tracey went to the bottom of the stairs and called up to Kay, our part-time member of staff, who came flying down and set up her till, chucking all of my cash and slips into my tin for me to balance it later and taking the next customer. Meanwhile, Gillian spoke to Mr Burnes, the manager, and he agreed that I could use his office for a chat with Brenda.
I was mortified! The whole bank disrupted for my problem. I wanted to turn and run upstairs, or even better, run home and never come back.
I thanked everyone for their help and avoided the gazes of Gillian and Tracey.
But it was with these formidable ladies’ fortitude that I went through Mr Burnes’ office door and let Brenda in from the internal door. She sniffed as she passed me. I closed the door and I sat at the desk, keeping it between us.
She burst into tears, I had never seen her cry, and I think she was surprised herself. I waited for the outburst to stop and then asked her what she was there for. She sobbed afresh and told me how she had never seen Alexander so unhappy and he didn’t come out of his room. He didn’t go to the football at the weekend and had come straight home from work every day since our argument. He wouldn’t even speak to his brothers. Her sobs had become wails at this point, and I was concerned that the customers would hear her.
I asked if he knew she was coming to see me. If he didn’t, he wasn’t likely to be grateful to her. And then, just as she usually did, she started her answer with “Oh, Alanna, Hazel, Cindy”, and then managed to insert my name into her rambles. Those names are of Alex’s previous girlfriends and their current dog.
I could feel Gillian and Tracey at my back as I stood up and said to her,
“You have had two years to get my name right. I think that you and your son are quite similar. My feelings do not matter to either of you. I would only discuss this with Alex in person, which won’t happen. Thank you for coming to see me. But I won’t be trying to change Alex’s mind. It is over.
I took my engagement ring off my finger and handed it to her. “I don’t expect that I will see you again.”
Gillian knocked on the door and took over, seeing Brenda out and giving her some tissues. I went to find Mr Burnes, to apologise. He was kind and we didn’t speak of it again.
