# Through the Corridor of Past #

By vermavkv on December 23, 2023 • ( 4 )

Friends,

In the peaceful times when we are alone, our minds often wander through our past, unlocking memories that make us smile.

Let me gather those moments and share them with you, creating a story that gives meaning to our memories.

There is a Story to tell

Yes, our story takes us back to the days when I was engrossed in the rigors of preparing for engineering entrance exams, stationed in the industrial haven of Ranchi.

In the quarters where we lived, a daily spectacle unfolded — a young man, aged around 30-35, leaving his house at 9 in the morning with a small bag, returning promptly at 6 in the evening, his routine unwavering.

I thought about his job and how he seemed so calm in a world where fixed schedules were rare. Our families were connected; his father worked at the same factory as my brother and our homes were within a short distance.

Intrigued and yearning to understand the mystery of a job that allowed such a harmonious blend of work and life, fate intervened when my elder brother asked me to withdraw money from the bank. Little did I know that this routine task would uncover the mysteries of the young man’s serene daily life.

To my surprise,

Amidst the bustling bank crowd, I stood in line for my turn, armed with token number 24. To my surprise, the same young man from the neighboring quarter greeted me from behind the cash counter.

A smile adorned his face as he asked, “Which denomination note should I give you?” It struck me—he was the bank’s cashier, orchestrating financial transactions with efficiency.

At that moment, I realized that working in a bank could be amazing. The idea of having a very precise schedule seemed wonderful. Even though I originally wanted to be an engineer, destiny led me to study agriculture (Agriculture Graduate) after I didn’t pass an entrance exam for Engineering.

how my banking journey began

But, luckily, this detour led me to a job at a bank — my secret wish coming true. I started at a rural branch in the village of “Reodar,” Rajasthan, and that’s how my banking journey began.

Being the Cash Office, the daily ritual of entering the strong room with the head cashier unveiled shelves adorned with bundles of new currency notes — a sight that filled me with unbridled joy.

Charan Sahab, the Head Cashier, shared a valuable lesson, “Don’t consider these bundles as money, but as sheets of paper for us. Yes, remember, these are just pieces of paper to be used as currency, a thought that keeps us honest to the profession.”

My colleagues knew I loved new banknotes. Living alone and with few expenses, I withdrew my whole salary in new notes. This made me popular in my community as I used them freely for buying things like vegetables and groceries. I cherished the new notes of different denominations and kept them in my cupboard at home.

the supply of new notes suddenly stopped

Then, a time came when the supply of new notes suddenly stopped, and the bank chest was left with only old notes. But I had many new currency notes stored at my home.

One day, while working at my desk, My manager called me into his chamber. I was surprised and a bit anxious. When I reached there, I found that he was talking to someone.

He smiled at me and said, “Look, Bade Sahab wants to talk to you.” Hearing the name Bade Sahab(Regional Manager), I became nervous, wondering what mistake I had made that the regional office in Udaipur wanted to talk to me.

I picked up the phone with a pounding heart, and Bade Sahab spoke, “Varma Ji, I need your help.”

I was astonished. I wondered what help Bade Sahab could need from me. Then he continued, “Nahar Singh Ji is one of our good customers, and he has a significant deposit in our bank. His daughter is getting married, and she needs new currency(notes). I know you are fond of new notes. Can you arrange it for him?”

all my new notes were bid farewell

In this way, all my new notes were bid farewell, and old notes replaced them. I deposited the old notes into my account so that I could earn some interest. From then on, I decided not to keep new notes at home.😒😒

Retired from banking now, whenever I encounter new notes, a flood of memories from my banking days rushes back. The joy, the lessons, and the unexpected turns in my journey—all encapsulated in the currency of nostalgia.

May you too find joy in the stories that memories unfold.