Read 'Til You Drop

So, yesterday, I did a reading of SORCERY for a group of law librarians in DC.  I had bought some copies of the novel to sell at the reading (since I've been utterly unable to get a single bookstore in town to be interested in sponsoring a reading.)  I decided that, in the interest of being a good librarian and easy-going author, that I should  have change for the people who bothered to attend and cared to buy a copy of the book.

Therefore, at noon yesterday, I found myself standing in a branch of Chevy Chase Bank, holding a twenty and a ten.  There was one other person in the bank, a man filling out a deposit slip.  One of the three (all unoccupied) tellers called me over to her window and asked if she could help me.  I asked for six five-dollar-bills.  She asked if I had an account at the bank, and I said no.  She then asked if I would like to open an account, so that I could change my legal tender.  Laughing incredulously, I told her no, and I told her that I would never do business with her bank for the rest of my life.

As I turned to storm out the door, the man who was completing his deposit slip offered to get me my change.  I told him that I truly did appreciate his offer, but that I wouldn't have anything to do with the bank.

The Adams National Bank (a small, local bank) in the middle of the next block changed my money, asked if there was anything else that they could do for me, and wished me a nice day.

I wasn't asking Chevy Chase to cash a check.  I wasn't asking them to extend credit.  Banks have metastasized to every corner of every intersection downtown, but they apparently don't want to build good neighborhood relations or reach out to anyone other than their own already-paying customers.

Now, was I totally out of line?

Mindy, who had a great time at the reading last night!