Retired Bankers Vs Real Tired Bankers

My friends were having a discussion the other day. At first I wasn’t interested in the topic until the word “retired” was mentioned and I quickly recalled a scenario which transpired a few years back between a trio of bank marketers and a potential client/depositor.

The said bank marketers had gone to this businessman who supposedly had a huge account with another bank that was of course making a great turnover in return.

When these marketers approached the man in his office, he took a good look at them without uttering a word for a while and then, like an afterthought, asked them their mission - as if he didn't know it already.

The first of the trio, a young man who appeared to  lead  the pack of two females went  thus; “Sir, we are marketers from so-and-so bank, we were wondering how we could be of any help to your great organization”.

While the young man spoke the potential client who was listening keenly had this smirk on his face which he eventually turned into a scornful laugh after a few minutes.

As soon as the potential client started  laughing, the young man stopped talking and with an embarrassed look on his face, turned towards his colleagues with an expression which said “Did I just do or say anything funny”?

While the young man was pondering on that, the potential client looked at the trio seated in front of him and said “Hey! Forgive my manners. I forgot to offer you drinks and, looking at you, you sure do need the offer." Ignoring their protests declining his offer, the man turned  towards a fridge behind him) and brought out three bottles of malt drinks which he placed of his visitor.

All the marketers did was mutter a /hushed “thank you” even though they made no move to touch the bottles.

The potential client sat back in his chair, cleared his throat and began, “You know what, I remember when this business started just a few years ago. I approached your bank for a loan, and you know what your bank said to me?"

The marketers shook their heads in the negative.

"Of course not,|" the man continued."Well, they told me that they don’t assist new businesses  and that even this same business that all your colleagues have been coming from different branches to solicit for account opening now, did not look promising to them at the time so could not put a dime in it”.

The marketers exchanged surprised looks - though that didn't fool the man one bit. They knew for a fact that it was the bank’s policy not to give loans to new or fresh businesses.

The man ignored their pretended surprise and continued, “So I went to another bank with the same proposal your bank had rejected and without much hassle, I got a loan, even more than what I requested from your bank after I was convinced by my then account officer to go for more than what I initially had in mind.  It is that money which was used to grow my business that has transformed into this huge business that you all are running after now."

“We, we ...” this time one of the ladies spoke “...understand your plight, sir, and  apologise on behalf of the bank for making you go through all that. But we would still like to know how we can…"

“Point of correction” the potential client cut in “I do not have a plight. It is you marketers who are in some kind of plight at the moment because I am way up beyond that now by the grace of God. And lest I forget, I'm not bitter anymore because at the end of the day, it was a good thing your bank turned me

down, otherwise I wouldn't have gone to my present bank and most importantly met my then account officer who today is a friend and like a brother in my family."

After a brief silence, the second lady, trying so hard to be as seductive as possible, said, "so since you are no longer angry with the bank, we still need to know how we can be of any help."

While she spoke, a man who looked in his early forties walked into the office and the potential client's face  immediately lit up with a smile and an outstretched hand for a handshake towards the man and said "speaking of which, this is the man-of-the-moment, Eugene my then account officer who's now retired from the bank and doing this same business of mine."

 After exchanging pleasantries with the others, the man sat down on a single settee at one end of the large office away from the rest and said "I learnt from the best you know." Turning while laughing towards the marketers, he added jokingly "don't believe anything he says o! If he says I am the-man-of-the-moment, he is the-MAN-OF-ALL-MOMENTS" and humbly picked up a magazine from the stack of papers on a table by the settee.

Well, my 'dears' I do not have any need for a new bank now as I'm fine with my present bank and most importantly you don't expect me to leave a bank that helped me for yours, would you? I give nearly every one of your bank marketers drinks whenever they show up here  because I sympathise with them because I know how hard you work knowing full well that up until now as we speak, your bank still does not help new business thereby making marketing difficult for you thereafter turn you all into 'REAL TIRED' bankers until you eventually take the bull by the horns and quietly Retire like my man over there who did not wait to become 'really tired' before retiring" pointing towards the man on the settee now reading a magazine. 

And so, it ended a case of RETIRED versus REAL TIRED bankers.

Here is my cup filled with so much love for all those 'REAL TIRED' bankers who are yet to 'RETIRE'.

Wishing YOU ALL THE BEST!