One digit from disaster

The other day I stood in the Bank and as we all do, was looking at everything around me, at others around me, including the banking staff, the security guy and as we all do, immersed in my own thoughts, as well as wondering what might be going on behind the friendly or perhaps not so friendly face of the individuals around me.

However, when it finally became my turn to be at the counter, a realization of hopelessness struck me while watching the teller, Mary, typing all the information regarding my deposit into a computerized system. What was the realization? I realized that if she made an error with even one of the 9 digits that make up my account number, the computer system might not point out to her that she just made a little error and another account will be credited, which means that only after many days, if I'm lucky, will the transaction be corrected, but during that period of time I will have to prove my identity, prove where I live, prove that I am the legitimate owner of the account that I claim should have been credited, as well as possibly having to somehow explain how I got to be in possession of the fairly large amount of cash I deposited. All of these things are now being questioned if one digit is accidentally missed.

In other words, one slip of the finger on the part of someone who may be in the middle of a reeaally bad day, heard her hubby wants to divorce her, who had a terrible night being up with a sickly child, just heard that her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer an hour ago or even worse, she may have just met a new man and is in the throes of a new love affair, could bring my life to a temporary standstill and the worst part is that I have personally done nothing wrong! The same happens when your wallet disappears, whether it was because you forgot to put it away after a simple transaction at the pharmacy, Walmart or after paying to fill up with gas or if someone actually stole it. The process of obtaining new bank cards, driver's and other ID cards and having to prove that you really are whom you say you are...!

Funny, isn't it, when this happens you are treated almost as if you are the one that made the mistake, while Mary (or was it Sara, Malcolm or Jane?) at the Bank just had her/his new boyfriend on their mind and not my cash deposit..... and someone just made a little error...!?

Finally, imagine losing your identity and not just some money, which is what this post is really all about.....