Carded

I got carded this morning.

Deciding I needed to run by the bank for emergency cash, I drove out of the area.

Passing Costco, I noticed there is no longer a line around the building. There was a short line near the front door, so it appears panic buying is over and the line was probably due to a limit of how many can be inside at one time.

Entering the bank, I saw they’d finally caught on and spaced the open tellers every other window, rather than side by side.

If you will recall, it freaked me out last time I did banking because, though we were spaced self-distance apart in the line to the teller, once at the teller I found myself sandwiched between a customer way too close to my left and another way too close to my right, which prompted me to tell the teller to pass on to his manager the suggestion the open windows be spaced out.

I don’t imagine MY suggestion had much merit, but someone evidently woke up and distanced the tellers.

At any rate, I learned there is now a limit as to how much cash can be requested through the pin machine. I’m not talking about the limit imposed on ATMs outside the bank, I’m talking about there’s now a limit on how much one can request inside, using the pin at the teller window.

I don’t know if this is everywhere, but this new restriction certainly surprised me. I don't see the logic.

The funds were there so I say to the teller, “Do you mean this is all I can take out?”.

“No. You can take out more, but not through the pin. I have to write out a withdrawal slip for you”.

And that’s what the teller did, but isn’t that what we did before the age of technology ─ fill out deposit and withdrawal slips? Are we now reverting to kicking it old school?

THEN he carded me ─ “Do you have a valid form of ID?”

Pre-pandemic, it sufficed that I entered the pin, but I guess this new request is due to our mask wearing.

I showed him my drivers’ license, got what I wanted and was outta there thinking to myself that the license couldn’t have been all that helpful because I was wearing a mask and he couldn’t be sure the faces matched, but whatever. It’s a new world out there.

I swung by the craft store on my way back to the freeway and noticed there is also no longer a 3-hour line around that building. Just a few folks in line along the front.

I didn’t join in. I’ll wait until things go back to when I can walk right in.

I guess the golf course is essential, because I saw a group playing on the greens. Couldn’t see if they were wearing masks.

Safely back at the complex, I checked my phone and saw this ....

Ooooh look John Gray, Walking Dead’s Darryl tweeted me goodnight.  LOL!