Wednesday, March 08, 2006

(37) Bank birthdays

V
At 3:26 p.m. on December 17th 1988 I was in the Bedford High Street Branch of National Westminster Bank.
For identification purposes the cashier asked me for my date of birth. I told him:
"March 18th 1960."

Immediately a black man at the window to my right tapped me on the arm.
"Same birthday as me mate!"
"You’re joking,"I replied.
"No. March 18th." I did not ask him if it was 1960, for he looked too young.

Around 12:15 p.m. on January 19th 1996 I visited a National Westminster Bank in Paddington, London. Whilst waiting at the counter I heard the man at the next window giving his date of birth in response to a question from the cashier.
"March 18th."

I of course thought back to the coincidence that I had encountered in Bedford in the late 1980s, and, after a few moments deliberation, I announced that this was also my birthday.

At this the lady cashier serving me laughed and said that it was also hers!

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