Resolving My Tax Nightmare ... Memories Of Kathy Chase

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When Washington Mutual

(commonly known as WaMu)

went defunct in  2008

—as did 2008 other banks—

the branch in Belmont Shore

re-branded as 

CHASE Bank 

and one of its tellers

was named Kathy

 

To say she was beloved

by her colleagues

is gross understatement:

 

Middle-aged Kathy

began working for CHASE

as a teenager

and she knew everything

anyone needed to know

about the bank's operations

 

Every fellow employee

—including the bank officers—

would seek her advise

at one time or another

 

YET

the most stunning thing

about Kathy was her aura

of friendliness

and accessibility

by everyone

who banked there

***

 

The reason this page is entitled

Memories Of Kathy Chase

is because

the first employee

I encountered 

on the day

I resolved 

my property tax nightmare

was someone I will call

"Kathy's cousin"

 

BUT

unlike Caucasion 

middle-aged Kathy,

her "cousin"

was a thirty-something

Black man

who helped me

far beyond the call of duty

 

What specifically about him

  reminded me of Kathy was

how many of his fellow

tax-office employees

sought his help

 

But 

they ALL did so

while this young man

was dealing face-to-face

with ME

 

His 5-star level

of institutional knowledge,

and patience and 

need to keep 

his co-workers satisfied

 marveled the hell out of 

Mr. Oliverio

***

 

Upon arriving home

and hearing

the yada-yada-yada

version of ending

  my tax nightmare,

my better half said

"Why didn't you get his name?"

 

Of course, I had known 

the given name

of this gentleman

during the course

of our 1-hour

interaction

but 

—to be Biblically blunt—

I ask this question:

 

How many people

ended up asking the Apostles

about their leader

Is his name Yahweh,

Billy, Nicki, or Jessie?

 

In closing all I would say

 to "Kathy's cousin" is

my gratitude to you

cannot be measured

and 

my only wish is that

every financial institution

should employ

one of your "cousins."

***

 

© PAUL OLIVERIO © 

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