My daughter’s teacher gave the class what sounded like a fun assignment. They’re studying community helpers (doctors, crossing guards, teachers, etc.) and why/how these people work together to make the community a better place to live. So we were supposed to go around the community and take pictures of community helpers. Then we had to put the pictures on a board and label them, and write a brief description about what each person does.
Sounds simple enough, right?
Wrong.
So we hit up the first two places (the library and the post office) and as I’m driving around aimlessly, trying to find another community helper, I see my bank and decide to stop in. I unbuckle the kids (yes, I had both of them with me) and we head in.
A little side note: I thought it would be cool if we had each person we photographed hold a handmade sign that said, “I am a community helper,” to give all the photos a similar look.
Continuing with the story.
So we walk into the bank, me and my little ones, and I approach the teller at the counter. “Hi,” I say confidently and I put the “I am the community helper” paper on the counter. “My daughter has a school project where she has to take pictures of community helpers and we thought it would be great to get a photo of a bank teller.”
I slide the paper across the counter.
Her smile disappears. She eyes the paper suspiciously and flips it over. “What’s this?”
“Oh, I thought it would be cute if all the community helpers held that sign in the photos,” I say, still friendly and smiling wide.
“So…” she starts reading the back of the paper (I made the sign out of an article I had to read for class so there was some words on the back). “Do you have an account with us?”
“Um…yes,” I say. What is she getting at?
She shows the paper to the other teller and slides her hand under the counter. “I’m sorry, we can’t take any photos inside the bank.”
“No photos?”
“No,” she says. Her hand is still under the counter.
“Um…okay.” I turn to my kids, upset that I wasted time getting them out the car and now we’d have to make an additional stop to make up for not getting the photo. “Come on, kids, we have to go.”
“Did we take the picture?” my daughter asks.
“No, baby.”
“Why not?”
“Because they said we couldn’t,” I explained quietly. I ushered them toward the door.
Out the corner of my eye, I saw the teller lean over to the other. “Should we call…?” she asked quietly. The other teller looked at me and shook her head. “No, I think it’s okay.”
WTH?! Really? What did they think I was going to do? Rob the bank with my kids with me? I was so incensed. But I didn’t feel like going back in and making a scene and then getting arrested for real. LOL.
So to make up for the disastrous bank visit, I took her to the fire station, where we met the Fire Chief and he invited us in the back to take a photo with the fire truck.
So we made up for it. This girl better get an A (or S or whatever grades they give you in kindergarten) on this project.
As a wife of a former teller and a sister in law to a current one, although it may seem crazy ridiculous to US, tellers are sometimes in a constant state of paranoia. Little notes, get passed all the time and robbers make out with a lot of money, and the tellers fear for their jobs after that. But yes, I highly doubt anyone is crazy enough to rob a bank with their children in tow! Glad she didn’t press the button
@Nellie – I wasn’t thinking before we went in, and I understand now why they were so paranoid, but it didn’t make me feel good.
Oh wow. She wanted to call security why? Because you asked to take a picture for your daughter’s homework assignment. I understand being paranoid when somebody slides a piece paper across the counter but it didn’t say give me all your money.
I think the logical thing would have been for her to ask you all talk with the bank manager to see if it was ok. I’ve had to do a project at a bank for school and thank goodness it didn’t turn out like this.
@YUMMommy – Yeah, I understand her suspicion, but I had my camera out, I explained what it was and I had two little kids with me. I know times are crazy and tellers suspect everyone, but man, I really wanted that shot! LOL. Good thing the folks at the fire station are so nice!
That is absolutely nuts. And that project sounds like a real pain in the butt for kindergarten anyway. What about parents without a car? And whatever happened to not talking to strangers??
@Nedra – I’m pretty sure everyone in the class has a car, but you make a good point. The purpose of the project was to have the kids meet different people in the neighborhood, and the parents were supposed to be there as well. I liked the project, just wish I hadn’t decided to go to the bank.
I have to agree with the first comment! I’m sorry you had a sucky experience at the bank and glad that it all worked out!
Aw, that was such a good idea! Too bad that stank bank teller had to be so bitter SMH. Your daughter looked very happy with the fire fighter though!
@Ess – Yeah, she was very happy! The firefighter also gave her a pink fireman’s hat, which she is really excited about.
Haha. She BETTER get an A.
@Alicia – Right?! Can you imagine if Daddy had taken her to the bank? LOL
Good for you taking your talents to the Fire Station! LOL!
And how did they think you were going to take the money? In a diaper bag?! Lol Great post, Tara.
Wow, I’m glad she didn’t decide to call security. No one is that crazy to try and rob a bank with their kids and a camera. But, I’m glad everything worked out. I’m sure that was a scary experience for you.
Funny (to someone who wasn’t involved) LOL. Is that your normal bank? Will you be going back?
@Lamar – Yes, my normal bank! The one I go to at least once a week! I haven’t been to that location since…
My mom used to work at a bank.. I don’t understand the security thing behind it, but it really is illegal to take pictures in the bank (at least the one she worked at =/) I can’t understand why they would have been suspicious of you, though, instead of just explaining it to you =/ So weird!
@Katie – Thanks for clarifying!
If anything, she could have come from behind the counter like every other person did that we asked that day. (Well, we didn’t ask them to come from behind the counter; they did it on their own.) But I guess they are suspicious of everyone these days…
Do some ppl really not know how to step out the box? Thanks for sharing. Glad you did not give up, and have pics w/a Firefighter. You are the real “Hero” here. The kids saw by example your determination for them.
WOW! I am still laughing at you. You did not think it through at all. I love it! Wish I had been there with you with my own camera. LOL. Passing a folded piece of paper across the counter to a bank teller. I tell you..reading this story had me screaming. I could see it coming and had we been friends, I still would not have warned you. I would have allowed it to unfold as it did.
You created suspicion within her with the passing of the note, so all reasoning left her immediately and she was unable to recover. She could not “function” in reality, because she had moved into the hyper-reality of a possible bank heist. She did not see children, she saw midget accomplices…excuse me…had to wipe my eyes of tears.
Thank you for such a great story.
I would return with a basket of purchased goodies, take them to the bank manager, explain what happened and apologize. You may just end up with pictures of all of the tellers and the manager for your troubles. You threw the poor woman for a loop.