Safety Deposit Boxes

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Photo Credit: online pic


Received a love letter from the bank, but did not open it immediately. I’m not Bill Gates, so letters from the bank are bad news, usually reminders about the state or non-state of my account and warning me about measures it will take to rectify the situation.

Must they use high English? Anyway, the bank wanted to tell me that it is moving its headquarters in October. Long letter, but I soldiered on until I came to the paragraph about safety deposit boxes.

So they do exist? I thought they were a movie thing, where bad guys hide illegal diamonds, gold bullion and documents they intend to use for blackmail.

‘If you currently have a safety deposit box that needs consolidation, you will be contacted by someone from the main office branch.’

Consolidation. What’s that? I can’t consolidate a mere cheque account, how much more a safety deposit box? Then I let my imagination run wild. If I was Bill Gates with a few billion dollars as pocket change, what would I keep in a safety deposit box?

How about diamonds and pearls that have been in the family for three generations, I inherited from grandma? That won’t work. She had hoes because she worked the land. Anytime I looked she had a hoe. Night was different. She had her glasses on and reading the bible.

What else can I store in a safety deposit box? Nothing. I don’t have any dead valuables like gold coins. I have living valuables like my sight, hands and feet.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

 

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