Slogging to Citibank

Hot town, summer in the city, back of my neck gettin' dirty and gritty...

It is HOT. When I went out, it was 92 which doesn't seem that bad, but with 738% humidity, it's hot. This was supposed to be a simple trip-- around the corner to 711 where there are Citibank ATMs (alledgedly) so I could deposit a bunch of checks -- a task I now have to do myself since Marilyn abandoned me and left me whimpering and helpless.

I do have a new person coming tomorrow -- a graduate student named Joni -- and I spent way too much energy considering whether I could send her to Citibank with my PIN number and a bunch of checks. OK, I hear ya. Let's see a stranger you found on Craig's List ripped you off?? No one would even feel sorry for me. You guys would have kicked me in my butt, deservedly so.

To reward myself for making this trip, I was going to have two slices of pizza for lunch. So I reluctantly drag myself there, had never been in this 711, couldn't find the ATM, finally find it, and note you can't make deposits -- only get cash, transfer money and check balances. So I decide I will just get cash so I can pay Joni and give her money for what I want her to buy. I then realize the ATM is down. I ask the clerk, hoping he'll say "oh, just press that button" or something, but no go.

I then go to the pizza place and think again about trusting Joni. Lexington Avenue may only be three (long) blocks away, but it felt like too far. Finally, I hear the voice of Dr Phil with a Dr Phil-ism. He says, "Require more of yourself." It's sort of a motto of mine as I try to balance going easy on myself and just doing it.

I compromised and took a cab. I don't care. The coolness of Citibank was the highlight of my day. There is no A/C like commercial A/C.

Because Marilyn had been making my deposits for so long, I had never done the no deposit slip deposit. The first thing I noticed is that the little tables were empty of deposit slips -- and then I realized -- oh, there aren't deposit slips any more. I am a multi-thousand hour ATM user so I was confident I could do this.

Banking 2013-style really is amazing. Like the Wright Bros to the space shuttle... we've experienced that change. So (as Mary had explained to me last night), you just stick the checks in one by one -- I had four. I was then given a chance to take a check back -- but I didn't need to. I then had my choice of paper or email receipt. I took the paper, because I like something I can hold in my hand immediately but having a deposit receipt emailed to me does hold a certain appeal.

So then I slogged home. It was so hot I didn't even have the energy to go into Panera which is across the street from Citibank to get one of my new favorites: an orange scone... it's a wonderful orange-flavored scone with pale orange icing. Maybe in the fall.

As a kid growing up in suburbia, I used to feel sorry for the city kids when I could run under a sprinkler or go to the beach, but if I'd passed an open hydrant today, I think I would have joined them.