December 7, 2012. Canyon Lake, Texas. The Bank.

This morning I had business at the bank, something seldom done in this day and age.   The place is in Satler, the small town close to the lake.   In the past, the staff was friendly and helpful and today was no exception.

When I walked in, a couple were sitting waiting to speak to a financial counselor.   The man was sound asleep,  with his arms folder over his big round belly.  The lady was glowering at me which is unusual in Texas.  I said hello and went directly to a teller to complete my business.   It took me about ten minutes, only to discover that I too needed to talk to one of those experts, so I was required to wait too.  The man was still asleep.

In order to avoid sitting right across from the sleeping man and the glowering lady,  I went down the hall and stood, right in front of two chairs.  Almost immediately, two very old people came and sat down to wait as well.  They were friendly old souls and asked why I was standing, so I told them about the sleeping man.    Immediately, the really old man got up to go and look and came back to report that indeed, the man was still asleep.  He then suggested to me that it was better to sleep while waiting than standing pacing, which I was doing.  I laughed and so did his wife.  Then he told me all about them selves:  age, weight, memory problems, digestion, health, wealth, cars, banking.  They were nice old people but I had heard enough and decided that what I was waiting for could wait for another day.

When I was leaving, I said goodbye.  The man asked my age and I correctly told him that my birthday was yesterday and I was 75.   He commented that I looked very spry for 75, but that in 10 years, all his problems would be mine too.  Horrors.  I escaped, just as the sleeping man was being ushered into the expert's office. But the wife was still glowering!!