It was a Monday morning. I was at a public sector bank in the temple town of Tenkasi, which was crowded as usual, despite the digitalisation of transactions.
I was in the crowd, trying my best to inch forward to the second counter, which handled the repayment of loans. But to my dismay, the crowd before the counter kept swelling. The woman who stood in front of me had to credit cash while the man at my back said he had to withdraw money. I cleaned my glasses and stared at the display and confirmed that I was at the right place. As time passed, I grew restless.
When I moved ahead, the bespectacled middle-aged man at the counter came into view. He seemed calm and composed, not at all perturbed by the maddening rush.
Having stood there for some time, my interest in him grew. Every customer called him by his name, as though he was a bosom friend or a close relative. Some even called him by his pet name. The clerk had a soft corner for the poor, the retired employees, the elderly and the women. He addressed their queries with a pleasant smile—a dwindling trait in the public sector. He also took care to enquire about their health, their children’s marriage and employment status.
He must have been working at that branch for at least
10 years to gain such popularity, I told myself. Even those rushing to the nearby counters greeted him. However, when my turn came, it was tea break and the man politely excused himself. Upset, I demanded that he be fair to me. After all, I had been waiting in the queue for long.
He completed my papers in no time and told me to meet the branch manager. When I reached her cabin, the tall young lady smiled and said the clerk had granted me more instalments at lesser interest. I could call it a day. As I was about to leave the bank, I thought of thanking the man. I walked to the counter. The long queue had vanished as it was tea break. As I reached the counter, I saw the man being helped onto a wheelchair.
Yes, the clerk is a differently-abled person. I thanked him with a guilty conscience. He welcomed it exuding confidence. To help the needy is ingrained in his nature. Ever since, I’ve been banking with him and it has been such a pleasure. May his tribe increase.
G Nataraja Perumal
Email: natarajgreen@gmail.com