GEORGE'S LAST DAY AT THE BANK
© 2000 James D. and Rebecca P. Pearce
Louise Matthews came into the bank just a few minutes before closing time.
When he saw her come through the door, George, the teller, turned away and tried to busy himself at the big desk against the back wall.
Louise rapped her walking cane a couple of times on the floor.
"George!" she said. "Pay attention to me! I want to deposit some money!"
George mumbled something, but didn't come to the teller's window.
Louise rapped again.
"George," she said, "Come on over here now and give me a deposit slip. I've got a hundred dollars here that I want in the bank today."
George moved reluctantly to the front counter.
"Louise," he said, "it's almost closing time, and I really don't feel like making out a deposit slip right now."
"What? What are you talking about, you don't feel like making out a deposit slip! Don't you get paid for making out deposit slips? Isn't that your job?"
"Well, yes," said George, "but right now is really not a good time to be making out deposit slips, and it's almost closing time anyway."
"George, quit talking so dumb. I'm not taking this money back home with me, for somebody to knock me in the head and run off with it. It's the last hundred dollars I've got. I want it in the bank where it's safe, right now, this day, this week, this month, this year ~ 1933 ~ and you had better take it and give me a deposit slip if you know what's good for you, young man."
George took the money and made out the deposit slip.
He followed Louise to the door, pushed it shut, and pulled down the shade.
~~~~~
After supper, George said to his wife, Christine, "I've got an errand to run. Over to Louise's. I'd like for you to come with me."
Christine went for her coat, and accompanied him to Louise's house.
At George's knock, Louise asked: "Well, what on earth are you doing here?"
"Ask us in," said George. "Ask us to sit with you at the table."
A surprised Louise acquiesced.
"Louise," said George, "here's your hundred dollars."
"My what? Why isn't my hundred dollars in the bank, where it's safe? What are you doing walking around with my hundred dollars in your pocket? I know that's against the law! I have a deposit receipt right here, that says it's in the Farmers Bank.
"If there are any other hard-heads like you working at the Farmers Bank, I'll just get myself down there first thing in the morning and take it out, and put it somewhere else like over at Franklin or Ahoskie.
"Louise," said George, "you can't take it out in the morning."
"What on earth is the matter with you, George? I've got the receipt right here saying I have one hundred dollars in the Farmers Bank! But with you acting so strange, I sure don't think I'm going to leave it there."
"Louise," said George, "take the hundred dollars. It's yours. I didn't put it in the bank. That's why I'm bringing it to you."
"Well, I never," said Louise. "I'm going down to the Farmers Bank first thing in the morning when it opens ~"
"Louise," said George, "you can't. The Farmers Bank isn't going to open in the morning.
"What's more," he said, "the Farmers Bank isn't going to open again ever ~ not tomorrow, and not ever."
Louise, stunned into silence, took the hundred.
~~~
The Farmers Atlantic Bank in Ahoskie
closed its teller windows in 1932
~~~
The Powellsville Bank
became an antique shop
~~~~~~~~~
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