A new day is dawning?

posted by The Vidiot @ 7:18 AM Permalink

I'm not sure this is what the Obamaniacs are talking about, but I have to say, since Obama took power, my bank has been, well, nice.

Our landlady, bless her 80-year-old heart, took our post-dated rent check to the bank four days before the money was in there. The bank, of course tried to cash it and the check was returned with insufficient funds. Fine, so I explained to her what happened, wrote her another check plus the fee and it happened it again... because MY bank had charged ME a fee for insufficient funds to the tune of $35. So she incurred ANOTHER fee as did I.

I freaked out. I haven't bounced a check since college. I completely forgot that there would be a fee. So, here we are $70 in the hole with the bank. It seems that since some time in the 90s, banks no longer have to follow the post-date on the check. It seems that you can write "Marchember 62, 3013" on the date line and they'll still cash it. I couldn't handle it. I was too angry to speak to any bank employee calmly and rationally. I made Mr. Vidiot do it. His southern demeanor seems to have an effect on these hard-nosed northerners.

Sure enough, using straight logic of "good faith and trust" and a lot of "Yes ma'ams and No ma'ams", he got them to return BOTH fees. The girl actually said, "Sir, you've been nothing but pleasant and polite, you argued your case perfectly, AND you didn't yell at me. I'll just refund you both fees." (She's actually lucky she caved into him. His NEXT argument was going to be sociological and no mere mortal can battle that.)

So, just as Obama took power, apparantly, the entire personality of our bank industry changed! Long live King Obama!

Labels: Banking