Day 352 - Funny $ Scary

I used to work at a bank, as a bank teller… that was one of my very first jobs in the U.S. My English was not very good… I guess good enough to get the job, but my vocabulary - not very advanced. So, one day, I am at the window, it is lunch time… in the branch: just me and my manager, doing paperwork right behind me. Some lady walks in, comes to my window and gives me a note. The note says: “This is a hold up!” I am looking at the note, looking at the lady and again at the note… I have no idea what a “hold up” is. She looks at me impatiently, points at me something metal, and says, “The money, the money!” and gives me a stare as though I am the dumbest person on Earth (at that moment I probably am).… My thoughts are going super-fast… in the manner of seconds I travel between: “That poor lady needs help” to “That lady is robbing the bank/me…” I am finally getting it and all I manage to say is “Oh… OK” and then of course instead of opening the top drawer as I have been trained, I open and share with her the contents of the lower one, which has more cash. I give it all to her… she turns around and quickly leaves. I push The Button (that is to be pushed only after a robbery), I turn around in disbelieve and tell my manager who is continuing to do her paperwork right behind me not having an idea what just happen: “I got robbed…” At first, I think she thinks I am kidding, but quickly realizes I am not…

I am the first person to ever get robbed at that branch. I come from Bulgaria, where I have seen robberies just in the movies, and here I am - getting robbed and getting an English lesson from a female robber. A fun story to share, but the feeling of getting robbed and continuing to work at a bank after knowing that this could happen again - not fun.

And why the English language needs two words for one thing (again) – I have no idea!