...ibadan, Nigeria,
14.20hrs. The sun was shining with a vengeance that could only mean it had a
misunderstanding with the clouds or some galaxial sky-mate that fateful Friday afternoon. I managed to
catch a bike eventually, only to get stuck in traffic moments later. Why? The
Muslims were praying, their space wasn’t enough and then they blocked the
entire market road with their mats. I was livid. Whatever happened to
fundamental human rights! Blocking an entire ever-busy thoroughfare in the 21st
Century?...hmmm! #i reserved my comments, for
safety reasons#
Minutes later, I was grateful to feel the cool
breeze as i entered my bank with one mission, collect my ATM card & escape.
The queue was discouraging but envisaged. It got to my turn (after ages on my
feet) only to be told by the Customer Service Personnel (most comported i’ve
ever met) that my card was being ‘Pouched’ from Lagos...#my eyes grew bigger#...after a cash deduction
& application for its transfer spanning two months...his explanations fell
on deaf ears.
I quickly walked away before i would do
something unchristian. OMG! Why did i choose this bank? I knew the answer. The
No.1 reason was aesthetics. This bank has the most unique architecture, each
branch dynamic , all over the country; i just loved the buildings, i think i
had a crush on their architect (whoever he is)...so i opened my first savings
account with them.
On this day however, aesthetics was nothing. I
needed money for the weekend & i had to join another loooooooooooooong
queue for an over the counter withdrawal. I was upset. I silently hoped the
security man handing withdrawal sheets would dare to ask why I didn't use my
ATM card instead, so i would give him a piece of mind #don't blame me, I needed an
avenue to vent my annoyance, the customer care dude was too nice to pour the
annoyance on#
With no one to pour the annoyance on i decided
to distract myself, i began observing my environment. i wondered if banking
halls around the world had our issues. I watched as people raised their hands
in surrender as the metal detecting door determined the fate (to enter or not).
The man behind me was toclose for comfort and when i
turned to look at him, he exhaled in tiredness...Chei! his breath was as if
someone forgot to seal a septic tank #it stunk like a soak-away
pit...i’m not exaggerating# . i quickly faced forward & prayed he’ll keep his lips shut # but he didn’t , Oh No!# Lord, i prayed, ‘help me’!
Looking for more distractions i looked in
front, sighted a young, 6feet, chubby lad, just two persons ahead of me. He
chose the wrong day to show the ‘world’ his ugly boxers (sagging). I should
have minded my business but today was just so...
So instead of giving him a piece of my mind #being
so nice and civil#, I simply gave him 'the
look' . I stared at him with a raised eyebrow the way those elders #back in the days# would stare at you without a word and you’d get the message. I almost
chuckled at his confused look and shuffling feet #but i was ready for the drama...hehehe#. Well, our ‘Sagger’ got the
message afterall, because minutes later, i had no ‘boxer-cinema’ blocking my
view...hehehe
More customers had joined
the queue, some left in annoyance, our ‘Snake & Ladder’ queue was getting
closer to the counter, we all wanted money. One girl had the biggest and most
awkward earring i’d ever seen # i stylishly took a picture ...hehehe...paparazzi tinz#.
Everyone wore a long face, both customers and
the bank staff. They seemed to have the not-so-attractive staff in front and
the eye-candies behind. To help their plight however #they were clearly
stressed# I thought about making a suggestion to them or simply writing a note
behind the withdrawal slip. It would read,
“Dear staff , why
not borrow a leaf from ASUU and declare a workers strike, so the management
would deem it fit to open more branches in Bodija and save us all this trauma.
Think about it. Yours truely. Annoyed Customer.”
I didn’t write the note #i had no pen with me...lol# but resolved i had to take a picture of this banking-hall quandary. #and that i did# It is a true picture of life today. We are all on a journey, sometimes
confusing, yes! Traumatic, depressing, time-consuming; Some people get tired of
the process and break-off mid-stream...but you, you must keep your eye on the
goal. In the banking hall our goal was the money, but in real life our goal is
eternity with God.
#Press towards the
mark for the prize of the high calling in Jesus Christ#
Are you in the Banking-hall
of Life? One way in;one way out. Choose you course. Whatever happens, do not
miss your goal, Eternity in Heaven. Choose Jesus, He’s the Way.
Yours truly,
Beryl
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