THE NEXT PHASE... new job (Part 105k)

I didn’t want to speak first as it was Mala who’d come to me. After a few false starts she asked what Hobie’s reaction had been when I told him why she’d gone home after he’d told her to get to work. When I told her that he didn’t say anything at all I don’t think she believed me. But now there was some conversation and I took advantage of it. I really wanted to know what Chuck had told her but because he’d been held up on a pedestal by her and especially Hobie I was reluctant to go there fearful that I’d say something really negative. I took a different tack and asked what had caused the situation the day before. I remember her taking a deep breath and then said that a customer had called her a bitch. I asked her what had transpired for him to do that. She rolled her eyes and said it was because of the new policies and procedures. That puzzled me so I prodded her to explain. Her response was that he’d requested something that she couldn’t/wouldn’t do for him complaining that it had been done in the past. She said that she tried to explain why she couldn’t do it any more and he started cussing her out. That upset her so much that she ”lost it“. I asked if she said anything to him and she half smiled which gave me the answer.

I was still very tempted to ask about what Chuck had said but just couldn’t do it. I knew that something similar must’ve happened in the past from what she’d said back when Hobie and I’d met with her earlier. After a short, uneasy, pause for both of us I managed to ask how many times ”it“ had happened to her. I distinctly remember her looking away from me and not responding. I waited for a short time and then I told her that I’d like to help her. As soon as the words were out of my mouth I was sorry. She turned her head back to me and I swear the look she gave me was one of disbelief as if to say ”Did you really say that!“. I remember her starting to say something and then stopping. I had to have been red as a beet because I felt beads of perspiration forming on my brow. I really hadn’t planned to say what I did and I certainly had no idea what to say at that point. I think I made a half assed apology but I do remember mumbling that I did have first hand knowledge of what her embarrassment was like. That was like adding gasoline to a fire as the look on her face became even more alarming. I’d dug myself a hole and the only way out was to keep talking. She actually started to get up and I pleaded with her to stay.

I’d gotten myself into a number of uncomfortable situations in my life but none like this. I’ve tried to remember just what I said and how I said it but I was under a LOT of pressure at that moment and don't really remember exactly what I said so what I’m going to write is a summary of  what I do remember. I remember telling her that my wife (Elle) had had an incontinence problem since junior high school right on through college and even now when she was substitute teaching. She had a frown on her face but didn’t say anything so I stumbled on. The main thing I wanted to get across to her was that if she were willing I’d arrange for Elle to meet with her. Hearing that she started nodding her head in a negative manner. By now I wanted to get out of the predicament any way at all so I apologized for making her uncomfortable but that my intention really was to help her cope with ”it“. I remember her looking down into her lap and as she did I wondered if I hadn’t just put myself into a very bad position. I know I apologized again and although I knew I should just shut up it was like I had diareah of the mouth and kept on talking. I remember telling her that she was considered the best teller and that we didn’t want to lose her. I think I even told her that more than once.   

When she started to speak I was thankful. I didn’t expect to hear the words that she spoke though. Basically, she said she appreciated my concern but right at that moment she couldn’t consider the offer. I acknowledged that and apologized for even bringing it up. But, she continued to surprise me when she said she’d think about it and that brought a smile to my face. That told me she wasn’t going to put a complaint in against me and I’m sure I breathed a silent sigh of relief.

As I walked to my car I realized that just about every part of my body was damp. The cool evening air hitting me drove the point home. I sat in my car trying to reflect on the day and found it hard to do. Driving home I remember hoping/praying that I wouldn’t ever have to go through that again. I will admit that while lying in bed I kept thinking back to Mala’s ”it“ and just how many times it had happened to her and, at that time it did cause a bit of ”stirring” in my loins. However, I wasn’t looking forward to facing her in the morning.

It wasn’t long after the doors opened the next morning that I noticed that Cara’s line wasn’t moving. Since she was at the first teller station it was easy to see. I went up to her to ask what was wrong. She looked at me with disgust and picked up a handful of passbooks. ”Just interest only!“ was all she said and slammed them into my hand. I couldn’t tell how many she had but it was a lot. I took them from her and stepped up to the window and asked the customer, an older woman, to please come to my desk. Once there I tried to persuade her to leave them with me and I’d have the interest posted and would mail them back to her later that day. I tried to ”sell“ her on the idea by telling her that she wouldn’t have to stand in line and could get on with her day. However, she countered by telling me that I should go do it and she’d wait. I told her I wasn’t allowed to use the machines but assured her that the books would be safe and would be back to her in a day or two. She hesitated but did agree to it if I’d give her a receipt for the books. Once she left I took a trip behind the tellers line to see if other tellers were faced with the same situation. I saw enough to convince myself that I had to come up with a solution.

I’d been keeping my eye on Mala and everything seemed to be normal. When she  closed down her window for lunch I went up and asked if I could speak to her. I’ll admit I was half holding my breath and I think she was too. But what I wanted to talk to her about was the problem with customers with interest only transactions. As I’ve mentioned she was a ”tell it like it is“ person and when I told her I was trying to come up with a way to get them from getting in the lobby lines she, without hesitation, said it would be an immense help... and then asked when it would start. I told her I was working on it. I more or less, expected that from her but the most important thing was that I’d gone to her first to ask her opinion.

To be continued...