The Bank Teller Window

There is a long checklist that must be taken care of after a move takes place, like: power, water, insurance, licenses and tags, and most importantly, the bank account.

Coming from a bigger city, I was looking forward to a slower pace and finding a bank that fit the picture of what hometown banking is all about; a bank like I remembered as a kid. The same teller was always at the drive-thru window and she knew everyone by name. My sister and I loved watching the cylinder shoot through the pipe and disappear inside the bank. When it returned, there was always a sucker waiting for each of us.

One morning, I had taken Eva with me to our new bank and I noticed there was no drive-thru window; all I could see was a computer screen staring at me. I parked the car and we went inside the bank to figure out where the drive-thru was. To our surprise, we were told how modern their bank had become. The drive-thru was now automated and all we had to do was drive up to one of the computer screens and push the command button to be connected with one of their many online bank tellers who would handle all of our transaction needs by voice contact. The lady was so pleased as she shared this information with me.

One would assume this news would be thrilling, however, to me, I just stared at her for a moment and then asked, “So, no human contact whatsoever?” She proudly replied, “None at all!” I then asked, “What about suckers for all the kids that come to the bank with their parents?” She smiled and said, “Oh, we don’t pass out suckers, but if you wish to come inside, we will give your little girl a sticker.” With raised eyebrows, I thanked the lady for her information and turned to leave. Another customer leaned over and said to me, “Without even realizing it, we are modernizing our way out of precious memories for our children.” I couldn’t have agreed more.

A sucker is a seemingly unimportant sugary treat to pacify the backseat riders. It’s as insignificant as the truck ride to the lumber yard with my father; listening to his conversations with the yard boys while they loaded the backend of the truck. Or perhaps, running errands with my mother; remembering her watch and the rings on her fingers; hearing the sound the blinker made as she turned the car. The classic country songs playing on the radio are the same ones I enjoy today, but what’s a sucker at the bank teller window anyway?

Taking away the human element in life leaves loneliness in its place. It is in contact with people that we find purpose and meaning; a small greeting, a cheerful smile, or a quick chat on a street corner can change the course of an otherwise isolated society; especially at the sight of children. They are the sunshine on a rainy day.

Life is a series of moments stacked together. It’s in the monotony of the day that we will build precious memories for our children; trouble is, we don’t get to know which things they will remember and which things they will forget; that makes childhood all the more worth fighting for.

Needless to say, we found a bank with a drive-thru window and good old-fashioned suckers. Our technological advancements amaze me and make me so very thankful, but it’s not the bank deposits made through modern technology, with non-human involvement, that Eva will remember; it will be the suckers from the bank teller window.

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“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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