It will be the last day of the week, I told Bimbo, a friend of mine, knowing the adamant and indisciplined behavior she embodies. If we don't make it early tomorrow, we will not be able to rectify the issue we have on our bank account I warned.
This Ikogunsin town that we are in for a tour to check the hot and cold water string for December has hooked us big time as the new policy of the country imposing the bank verification yearly, and we are to move very early on Saturday to catch the first bus going to Lagos.
You know that we can't make withdrawals nor do any online transactions, so we must take chances to meet up, I hinted.
As we all know tomorrow is Friday and banks do close immediately at two o'clock so I employed you to meet me by 6:00am tomorrow so that we can be among the first batch to be attended to in the bank
For the verification is so important for us to catch I concluded.
Bimbo said it was no problem, that she would meet up at the time, and we would go together as planned.
We departed from the hotel’s receptionist and went to our various rooms.
The next day, I came knocking at Bimbo's room door, and she wasn't answering in any way. Then, later, I heard a voice from Indoor that I should go and that she would meet up later. I was so disappointed with her reaction because I know she is always like that as she delayed for two hours before getting to Lagos Park, and I almost left her, and now she is again.
I left her and waited at the bus stop around 5:30am. I called Bimbo, but her handphone kept ringing, and she was not picking up the call. I keep calling only to no avail, and immediately it clocks 6:00am; I embarked on the journey to the nearby bank, which took fifteen to twenty minutes before getting there.
I was surprised to see like twenty people already there, and I don't know when I altered a statement,” Don't you all sleep at home”?
I quickly apologized and greeted everyone in the queue and asked who was the last in the queue. I was given number twenty-one by the security officer, and by this time, it was already getting to 6:30am.
I called Bimbo, and this time, she picks and told me she was just waking up. I told her I was at the bank already, and she was like how come? I told her that I stuck to time as planned, and she told me that she would meet me in a jiffy.
I asked the security officer if he could give me another number for a friend of mine who was on her way, and the security officer denied the request, asking me why she could come along with me if she knew that I was coming to the bank that day was that important.
We stood in the queue for another two hours before the bank opened, and this time, we were over a hundred already in the queue.
The bank security officer calls in using the given number and calls five people in at once.
The standard of the bank, which is a small branch around that area, made banking there stressful and tedious operations. The banks rented an apartment in a plaza around the area where we were. It has only four bankers in attendance and four chairs to be seated by customers, including one chair left beside one person to sit awaiting others.
Outside the bank, it has four automated teller machines where transactions can be made to withdraw or send funds using the ATM card.
It has solid and transparent non-penetrable glass as an entry, which the security officer stood beside while one stood with the queue calling number. Due to the glass transparency, everyone and everything going on in the bank was vivid for the queue to see from outside.
It took as thirty minutes before the first set came out and the second set was called.
By this time, I was still checking for Bimbo, who was not yet around, and it was 9:00am by then. The officer called another set of five people in, and my hopes of getting my bank verification done are coming to life.
Happily, I unzipped my bag, brought out my valid Identity card, and cross-checked some other needed documents like a borrowed utility bill from the lodged hotel, passport, and other needed credentials for my bank's verification stuff.
I have to cross-check it so that it will not be a sad story, missing out on one or two things before getting the opportunity to enter the bank. Unfortunately, I heard the security officer call everyone's attention and state that the bank network was bad and that we had to be patient.
I was shocked and demoralized because I had waited for four hours and this sad news creeple me.
I looked back and noticed that she was still not yet around and I pitied her lackadaisical attitude to important things and the gross indiscipline she embodies to stick up to time and appointment.
I bought fries and a bottle of soft drink with my last cash, having everything in mind to stay in the queue so I would not be toppled.
I checked my wristwatch; it was noon. Most of the people in the queue had already hung around the bank for shade, including me, as we put all our concentration on the entrance of the bank.
Luckily enough, by that time, we saw the security operative moving towards the glass from inside, and we all rushed to meet him as he stepped out.
He cautioned us, raising his hand upwards and telling us that he knows the queue is destabilized, but he will continue with the calling of numbers. We just stood outside the bank door crowded.
Thank God, my number twenty-one was called, and I walked in as fast as I could, wishing everyone in the queue the best of luck. It didn't take much time and I was out of the bank as I was about to take my leave, I saw my friend Bimbo highlighting from a taxi cab and I just nodded my head in pity as I looked at the crowds By then knowing well that she will not meet up as it was 1 pm.
She hurried up to me and asked me how it went and I told her she should go and try her luck.
Getting there she mingled among the crowd and tried to push further to stay upfront, which she did, and as the security officer came out, everyone was agitated and stood waiting for the calls.
The security officer called the numbers again. As usual, five people moved forward, handed the card numbers to him, and entered. She was now confused and asked one of the people in the crowd how she could get her number. But everyone around her looked at her and told her together to go home that number sharing was off today.
I Intentionally waited to see what would happen, and I saw her feeling heavily disappointed in herself. Looking downward and coming towards my side, she asked me how we could make it, and I told her that I was going to leave her behind and she could make her journey the next week.
She followed me as I went back to the hotel; she was fully disappointed and tried to explain why she was late, but I told her that she needn't have it wouldn't change anything.
Getting to our hotel, I entered my room and locked out, and I slept off. I woke up very early in the morning and saw twenty missed calls already on my phone. Then I called back and told her that I would help her out through the journey, so she would pay back later would be the best option.
I made it known to her that I wanted to get at her from bridging the plan and agreement and to teach her some common sense, so she could pack all her things ready.
She was extremely happy saying that she couldn't sleep over the night.
Your indiscipline gave you a sleepless night, I answered.