2 The Last Days- Part 1

Location- Alobile city, Huskor.

Time- 2:34 pm.

Huskor was one of the small countries in Europe. It wasn't any famous or did stand out in any way. For most of the part, it was just a country town with lots of local people who's the main source of income was through farming and animal husbandry.

But moving inside the country, there was one city which was busiest like every other metropolitan city, Alobile city. It was located near the landlocked lake of Alobile city and was one of the prominent city for exporting freshwater fishes and minerals extract from the lakebed.

The fishery industry and the mineral industry was one of the lifelines of Huskor. It was abundant with a wealth of resources and provided means of income and jobs for the citizens of Huskor.

But even moving inside the city away from all these hustling bustling fishery industries and going further inside the Alobile city.

There was the Bank of Alobile located on the street way opposite to the fish market. It was a government-affiliated bank who was in charge of keeping the records and safeguarding the money of the citizens of Huskor. Despite being a government bank, the bank itself was not a big or flashy bank, just your normal average bank for the common citizens of Huskor. It was one of the lesser branches of the main bank.

Still, it was one of the most busybody offices in Alobile.

"We need your address proof as well as an identity proof with a Xerox copy.", said one of the guys who was seated on the cashier desk.

"As I said, this is my ID card and address proof!", addresses a woman as she points out to her ID card, "See this is me in this photo in my school uniform and in the back is my address."

At her response, he brushed off his sweat from the brow as he thought,

'It's already past my break time and even this dump of bank can't afford one working air conditioner. The recent new air conditioner was installed in the manager's cabin!'

This bank cashier was none other than Alex Dcosta, aged 38. He had combed his hair and oiled it backward properly. The hair was silky that it almost glittered from the tube light over his head. He was wearing a formal suit over his tie which was the dress code norms of the bank. His boots were polished and he wore his glasses despite the lens were fake.

He looked like a typical office employee but this was all just a fabrication to blend in.

He gulped up the saliva in his throat and wore his fake friendly customer service smile,

"Madam, this is your school ID which is almost 60 years old. The bank can't confirm if the photo of this person in this ID card is really you or not. Also, a school ID card cannot be classified as your identity proof or as your address proof. What we need is a copy of your passport or driving licenses. As for your address proof, a copy of your electricity bills would suffice.", answered the man diligently.

The woman sitting in front of him was an old lady around the age of 70 who wanted to open a bank account for herself. Alex was having a hard time getting through her and was losing his patience.

Despite his dressing set up and the friendly customer smile, his true nature was totally opposite of the way he was acting. He was in a desperate need of money and hence been tolerant enough to maintain his behavior just to keep a hold of this job.

After Alex's diligent reply, the old lady went in utter silence. She thought for some time as she fixed her big soda glasses.

"Are you perhaps so blind that you can't even see the resemblance from my school ID and the real me. Why are you even employed here? Try to manage all the authentication you want with this school ID, I also bought my school graduation results to prove this is my real school identity card. Don't make an old lady myself to go back home just to get a different ID card for your amusement. Troubling an old lady like myself, how shameful.", scolded back the lady with her scornful eyes.

Doing a desk job that needs to interact with your customer of a bank was a very hard job. It was like the test of your life. The most important things need for this job was to possess great communicative skills as well as patience. Somehow, Alex lacked in both departments.

'Don't lose your cool, Alex! Calm down!', thought Alex as he narrowed his brows and glared back at the old lady while maintaining his customer friendly smile which seemed to be getting distorted by passing second.

'If this old fart been eating my head for the past 2 hrs. I missed my lunch break and if she doesn't leave anytime soon, I won't guarantee she will live long. I am not sure if I can keep myself from strangling her, I don't even care if she's old or not. There's a difference between 'annoying customers' and 'straight out prick in the butt customers' and she was the latter case. If it weren't for the money, I would never do this bullcrap called banking job.', consoled Alex to himself in his mind.

Alex paycheck day was nearing soon, hence he doesn't want to put that in jeopardy by doing anything reckless. He has been tormenting in this hell hole job called the cashier for about 2 months and 26 days. He was desperate need of money and been working his ass off for a change.

It's not like he needed the money for dramatic stuff like some ailing member in the family. Not every protagonist of a novel had such Nobel causes in their mind.

Alex fixed his distorted smile,

"Madam, can we continue this later, please. I am really hungry and once I have my lunch, I could concentrate here and explain you better. Sorry for the inconvenience.", asked Alex as he joined his hands and pleaded with his puppy dog face. That was one of a surefire way where the customers unsee the errors of the bank employees.

The old lady thought for a second,

"It's alright, I am not hungry. So make my bank account already and stop wasting my time. When you're at it, also brew me some tea. Is this how you treat your customers? Back in my days, the bank employee's even used to provide tea and massage the customers to make it up for all the waiting. This new generation of children are totally ignorant and don't care about their customers.", replied the old lady.

At his point, Alex already dropped his fake smile as he thought, 'Make a tea while I create a bank account? Seriously? It's not like I am making a sandwich in a kitchen. This is a fucking bank! You stupid hag! What bank gives a message to its customers? You sure it wasn't a massage parlor or spa? I wanna choke this hag right here but that would mean losing my job and I can't lose my salary, just 4 more days to my paycheck.'

Alex let out a huge sigh and let go of his frustration. He placed his forehead on the palm of his hand and supported his head for a second and then he raised his head back with a fake smile,

"How about you talk to our manager? His better versed and experienced than me, I am sure he would be able to solve your problem.", suggested Alex.

"That would be a more adequate decision. I was getting tired with your incompetence anyway.", replied back old lady.

"Why don't you drop dead?", asked Alex.

"Excuse me?", asked the old lady in a surprised expression.

"Tea? Would you like green tea or herbal tea?", asked Alex.

"Green tea would do. I wanted a milk tea but what do expect from this sorry place called Bank", answered the old lady back.

Alex's eyebrows were throbbing in anger, 'This ain't a cafe shop! You wretched hag! I guess if I leave it to the manager, he would be able to handle her. She's been stripping off my dignity with her babbling. I might end up doing something to the old hag. I don't want to end up in jail and I really need a breather.'

Alex turned to his manager,

"Hey, boss man! Can you please talk with this customer? Uh-", Alex dropped his tone after seeing the manager.

The manager seemed to busy gossipping with the girl who was also on a desk job similar to Alex. Good for her she didn't have to handle the customers directly like Alex. The manager and that girl were totally blowing up. The manager seemed to be licking the girl's ear as he fondled her breast from within the shirt. Even though her desk was in the corner where the customers can't see but Alex and any other employee could easily see them.

'Mr. Manager?", asked Alex back, 'Here I am not able to eat a bite from morning whereas that guy was totally savoring that new chic. What a lump of dipshit, doing it so boldly despite being married!'

The manager didn't even bother to turn his head around when Alex called,

"Handle it yourself Alex, my hands are little occupied at this moment. I'm helping out our new employee the ways of our work, right?", replied the manager.

Alex could clearly hear her giggling and moaning from the corner desk. This was the managers everyday routine whenever the other employees left for break. A real-life scum bag. He didn't even leave the maid out. Even the bathroom broom was more handsome than his face and still, he been doing this with every female employee in the bank thanks to his deep pockets.

Alex let out a huge sigh and rested back on the chair.

The old hag again started to complain about something but at this point, Alex was just ignoring it as he thought, 'I would need to work 2 more months to able collect the money. At this point, I don't even care if I could handle this much tension for another 2 months.'

Just when he heard a ring and received a text message on his mobile.

Despite the restriction of usage of phone in office hour, he still opened and checked his text messages.

Suddenly a smile appeared on his face and all his worry and frustration disappeared in an instant.

"You are ignoring your customer and has the audacity of fiddling with your phone in the presence of your customer. I sure need to complain to the manager. Where is your manager? Call me here at once.", scowled the old lady in anger.

But this time Alex glared back at the old hag with a menacing and annoyed expression without hiding his displeasure.

"Shut your trash, you old hag!"