old school banking

my teller

at the drive thru

bank

is concerned about my finances.

his name is

Kamil.

he's between fifty and eighty.

i can't quite determine

his age.

he used to wear an

old grey turban

on his head,

but after 9 11 he took it

off.

we get along.

we talk about the weather

in the few short

minutes that we spend

together.

me putting my deposit

slip and check

into the box, him retrieving

it.

talking on his garbled

jack in the box

microphone behind

the slanted window.

he tells me

i need to invest.

i have too much money

in checkings.

he advises me to look at stocks,

municipal bonds,

maybe annuities.

i nod in agreement.

soon i tell him. good he says.

and puts a strawberry

lollipop into the box

with my reciept.

my favorite flavor.

strawberry.