Page 48 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

10. Experience of a different kind at

the Zonal Office

I was, in fact, transferred to Zonal Office in transit for a position of

head of a small branch after I had put in about 3 years' service in
the bank. Meanwhile, the plan to open the additional branches
was shelved by the Head Office. I was posted in General
Administration Department (GAD) in Zonal Office itself that majorly
looked after hiring premises or renewing leases and buying /approving
office equipment for 50 branches of the Division spanning two states
along with local office General Administration.

Normally, a ball point pen was provided on demand to each employee
at the Zonal Office. But then unions at the branches demanded and got
a pen set costing around Rs. 50, once in six months in place of ordinary
pens at call. The Zonal Office staff also insisted on the same lines. So, it
was agreed that no ordinary pens will be provided in between 6 months
period as bank had spent good amount on the pen set. But still some
officers would come sometime and ask for a ball point pen costing Rs.
5/- a piece then. I used to keep a few in stock for such eventuality.

One day, an officer came to me and asked for an ordinary pen. I told him
that I do not have it in stock and would pass on as and when ordered
quantity was received. But I just reminded him that only the previous
day, the pen sets had been distributed to all. This infuriated him. I sent
him an ordinary pen next day but he refused to accept.

During lunch time, one of my batch mates asked me what was the matter
that the particular officer was so much annoyed with me. He told that
he had heard him saying to some other officer that he would show to

A Banker down the Rabbit Hole | 45