BANK LOCKER Dear friends,
About a fortnight back I went to the nearby State bank of India, whichwas earlier state bank of Hyderabad. While the bank branch was opened in my area Madampakkam, I transferredthe accounts of my son and mine from TNagar and requested for a Locker. Collecting 3 years rental in advance I was allotteda medium locker, since I was having a locker already in TNagar. Now the state bank of India isarranging one fixed deposit lean with locker.So for the medium locker, the staff desired a new TDR for 20000-00 separately inPrincipal person’s name. New form of SBI to be filled up and signed in about 15places by all operating persons. I gave on the spot my cheque and filled upform for fixed deposit. Somehow after three times checking for missing of signaturesand other details and other supportingdocuments it was received by them. At that time itself I wasthinking of reposting of my earlierwrite up dated 25-2-2010 about locker with updating. Other than some interesting nostalgicincidents written with humour andexaggeration nothing serious is there in this reposting.. Both ten years back ortoday, getting a locker is horse horn. Sincerely, Gopala Krishnan 15 -09-2021 1. Consequences of Locker thinking After my son’s marriage Idesired to rent a bank locker at Trivandrum(where I was at that time) sothat my daughter in Law’s jewellery canbe kept safe if she desired to keep somequantity with us before leaving abroad. I just intimated my son and daughter in Lawabout my intention. My son replied- Appa, we candeclare and take as much we require when we go, in one sentence. This put me tofurther dilemma whether in that case Locker was necessary?. He was not readyfor any further talks about it. He wanted everything as desired by daughter inLaw. However our daughter in Lawunderstanding my predicament came to me and said – “Appa we would have one here”.Till today she supports me in all predicaments. My wife all the while busywith kitchen preparation appeared on the scene hearing my daughter I Lawtalking to me. She enquired the subject matter. Daughter in law said – appa isasking about renting locker to us. She is very clever in her wordings. “Still sumangali prarthanainot over, you have not gone visitingall relatives. You have to wear jewels and go, why appa is like this- He isalways in hurry. Hedoes not discuss things with me. I will tell when all these are to be done.What is the hurry for all these now”? Withdrawing to kitchen mywife made a comment to sambandhi mami, but for my special hearing. I have gone with Raji (Close friend) and Ihave seen her keeping all silver vessels too in the Locker. Appa thinks he onlyknows all these things. If we take bigger locker silver items also can be kept. I am sure while seeing theBank manager and Accountant of SBH during marriage, appa has already discussedall these things and rented one small locker already. Now he is making an eye wash. Don’t I know how he might deal with things, after living for thirty yearswith him? 2. Bank manager and accountant attending marriage For my son’s the marriage,the auditorium arranged was just opposite to the SBH. In fact the manager ofthe bank was younger brother of one of my colleagues in the Trivandrum TrainingCentre. This colleague got an NRE account for my son in the bank. Being mycolleague’s brother he too became close. On that account I invited them for themarriage and they too attended. Though I had never discussed anything of lockerearlier with them, I knewvery well I would fail if I try to prove my innocence. 3. Locker- a very scarce commodity After coming to my office Icalled my Asst Engineer and very close friend Sasi expert in financial mattersand financially sound above GM, by inheritedwealth of his wife. I just opened the topic about locker. He smiled and told heis having a locker with State Bank of India near his house at Kowdiar. From him for the first time I under stood it is not so easy to get bank locker. >From him I understood mostof the banks have nil capacity for allotment. He >explained me in soft words itis horse horn. I well understood he is helpless >in the matter. However I wassure he would better think than me. I frantically thought why I opened the topicwith son and daughter in Law(newly wedded) without having basic informationabout this horse horn. My worry started what would be my predicament if I mightnot succeed in getting a locker. 4. Assistant Engineer calls on me again After one hour he came to mewith some files for approval. With a smiling face he started Locker topic. Ithought he would have spoke to his bank and got some good news to me. I putdownall files and started listening him. 5. Asst engineer suggestion My happiness became very lesswhen I understood he was going to putforth some suggestions. He had two suggestions. One was to discuss with bankwhere I am having my fixed deposits. They may favour sometime. The other, he askedme to call the bank manger of SBH known to me by going over to the bank and request.He felt some good solutions might come. He insisted not to talk on phone. 6. I visited Bank of India manager My maximum deposits werewith the bank close my residence at Trivandrum. The reason was my wife couldimmediately go on receiving my son’s drafts (?) sent from abroad trough post anddeposit immediately. I took half a day leavestarted my search for the horse horn. I called on the bank manger. I was underthe impression all the banks would have locker facility. The bank manger foundmy appearance unusual and asked the matter. He knows I was a caller only onSaturdays. I formally enquired sometimeshe could not attend my son’s marriage due to busy. 7. A bad beginning? He replied – Sir, You werevery much engaged. I just came for Muhurtha and returned. How do we miss your son’smarriage? I recollected a scene from aBalachandra menon’s film Prasnamgurutharam in which Premnazir appear as a failing medicalrepresentative and Jayabharathi as a doctor, and I was like Nazir on the scene. I recollected the incidentsduring my son’s marriage. My two GMs could come exactly 5 minutes beforemuhurtha and with all arrangements told, my daughter could somehow get them twoseats among ladies, vacating her two friends. They could be served only in thethird panthi, that too my son in Law and daughter occupied two seats and laterI took the GMs…. Acommon situation in Trivandrum marriages. I slowly put forth the requirement of a locker. With a smilingface he said- Surely sir after OUR SHIFTING to new premises. In the new premises we would behaving locker. Here there is no space you see.. . I enquired which building thebank would be shifting. He intimated itis under finalising. Thanking him I went to my home,to have afternoon meals. I thoughthaving come close I could better have meals with hot dishes. 8. What- you have forgot? I came to home and told Ihave forgotten to take some files in the morning. I could not tell my wife Icame to the bank. After meals I started back with the only bulky file availablein the home. It felt very much heavy after the meals. I cursed myself why Itold for taking file . 9. Calling on state bank of India Once while coming from SoudiArabia , my son had brought his money asRials( Soudi currency) . Next day hewanted to change it to Indian currency . My nearest bank manger intimated that I could either change it in Airport orthrough state bank of India showing passport and visa. Thinking airport is far, I took my son to statebank of India. The manager welcomed, collected the money in rials on deposit opening a NRE account. Hesaid it would l get converted and debited as Indian money in a week’stime. My son blamed me- a fifteenminutes travel would have got cash in hand. Now no rials with meor Indian rupees . I asked him, how much money herequired? I would bring in the evening.He told not a question of money, but my thinking. … However on that account we couldget one more NRE account with SBI somewhateasily. Now he transfers his money savingsmostly to this account I went to the SBI beforegoing to office. Fortunately the familiar bank manger was relaxing after meals. I felt surely he would help me. I put forth my request. He too smiled and replied, all the lockers arefull and he is not able to getone more unit since scarcity of space . He too said the bank isproposing a shift and in the new premises he might surely allot me one. Now I recollected- My AE Sasi’s advice – Go to the bank manager who is brother of my colleague in trainingcentre. By the time it was about 4 PMand I again went to the office to attend works. Sasi came to me with a smile.He was better in understanding my feelings. Sir, tomorrow morning you go to SBHbank after worshipping our Pazhavangadi Ganapathi. 10 Prayer to PazhavangadiGanapthi SBH though a nationalised banks still it was asmall branch. I was doubtful whether they may have locker facility at all fromthe above experience. After prayer to Pazhavangadi Ganapathi I went to thebank. My wife had scheduled to perform sumangali prarthana and I was an unwanted person there and now too on such occasions shedesires my absence. I went to the manger and putforth the requirement. I was better in putting forth my mind in a differentfashion. I just toldhim, when thinking of a bank locker, he and their bank only came to my mindin the Jeyaram fashion ( Actor Jeyaram is a relative of my co-brother). I didnot worry much since I know I am neither Yudhistira or Harichandra at alltimes. I once again affirmed in my mind immediately Iwould throw Vedalai(coconut) atPazhavangadi if a locker was allotted. 11. Bank manger Astonish me He said he has got two orthree lockers spare. Since he is going on leave he would allot and go. I felt Iam raised 2 feet up from the seat. He asked immediately to ask my son and daughter in law to come forsigning papers. 12. I call my son Immediately I called my sonthinking better I can explain him and intimate the urgency. Before I could sayanything he said he is taking video ofthe sumangali parthanai and kept thephone. Again I called and now mywife answered the phone. She too said my daughter in law is partaking and shehas attended phone in between proceedings and asked me- You have no work inoffice?. Let the function continue-Do not call and disturb. 13. Manager understood the situation He took out all the forms ,filled up and asked me to sign and handed over to accountant. He told me thataccountant would assist in allotting the locker and completing formalities andleft . I again called and this time asked for daughter in Law. She hadcompleted the participation and sumangali’s were to leave after the function. Itold her that I got a locker now in SBH andwaiting for signature of herself and son . She may come with her jewels in Taxi. My son exclaimed- why appais not telling he is in the bank and doing all these things. All the while Iwas idling after taking video. I saidbetter I wanted to tell it as surprise. What more I can say? My son immediately got a taxi and both came tobank. The accountant showed the three spare lockers and one with desired numberallotted to us. 14. First time foolishness We all were new to locker operation. The accountantopened the locker after our key in position and asked us to keep our items andleft. I just thought we canopen and close any number of times with our key. Before placing the jewels Ilocked and alas I could not open. I told my son and daughter in Law- seesomething wrong with the locker. It is not opening .Fortunately we did not kept jewels. I went to accountant andsaid, some problem, it is not opening after closing. The accountant explained,sir, once locked again I have to open and then only you can. You can only LOCK andnot OPEN again. He again opened it as aspecial case and we kept jewels in locker and with locker key came back in Taxito home and on the way itself offeredVedalai to Pazhavangadi Ganapathi . I was specific I should bring safely thekey, put it up with key chain and keep safe. Knowing well my Munjagrathai Muthanna nature, my son just told daughterin Law, appa is always like this. My daughter in Law replied – My appa too. 15. Paatti (Grand mother)has not seen jewels This would have been thepleasing end. But in the home my wife made the comment- my mother has not seenall the jewels. Why the hurry? After getting locker, for sasthram, she wouldhave kept one jewel. None of you discuss with me. 16. Nanum Rajiyum…. Normally supporting my wife,this time my son sarcastically remarked- “Nanum Rajiyum koodae ponappo…” it took minutes to control laugh of all. Sheas usual concluded- Appa pidivasi- nenachakaryam appo sadhikkunam.(Father isadamant and wants things done as he desires) We all purposely avoided our lockerclosing foolishness to avoid another :Nanum Rajiyum… 17. Jnan parajilae sir In the happy mood of getting the horse horn, I called Sasi – Withouthearing me he said- Jnan Paranjillae sir Pazhavangadiyail Thenga Udaikkan…Ellam sariyakumennu…. (By offering coconut to Vigneswara things would get accomplished). 18. Factual part Later when I came from Trivandrum to Chennai in 2004 end after retirement , SBH manager atTrivandrum gave me a letter, I opened a new account with SBH Chennai T Nagar based on the letter from Trivandrum and a lockeralso. Afterwards we closed the locker atTrivandrum and transferred the proceeds of the accounts to Chennai T Nagar branch.As such I did not felt the horse horn problem at Chennai. On opening Mdampakkam Branch, I got a locker here -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to thatha_patty+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1909296304.227819.1631700601366%40mail.yahoo.com.
