THE other day I heard the banks were on strike! My neighbour who works in a bank, owns two flats next door, and who has just bought himself a new motor car, all through zero percent interest loans, that his bank makes available for him, sat on his balcony on that same day of the bank strike, along with his teenaged son sipping a cup of tea.
“Aren’t you going to work dad? Asked his son, sipping an iced coke, taken from the giant sized frost free fridge which the bank had just sanctioned his father a loan to buy. “No,” said the banker, “we are on strike!” “Higher wages? Bonus?”
“No son.” “Then what dad?” “Privatization son.” “What’s that got to do with you dad?” “Everything son.” “How dad?” “We’ll have to work! We’ll have to be courteous! Competitive!” “Oh!” “How can they do this to me son?” “Do what dad?” “Privatize, when we don’t want it.” “The banks will start making money dad.” “Who cares.” “You could get faster promotions, if you work hard dad.” “I don’t want to. And son…….” “Yes dad?”
“I could get sacked!” “Why dad?” “Because the fellow next to me might come on time and work hard.” “You can do the same dad.” “I don’t want to. And son…..” “Yes dad?” “They might break up our family.” “How dad?” “I won’t be able to drop you to school, or take mummy for a movie or holiday with you on the sea side!”
“Why dad?” “Because it’s during banking hours, son. No more tea breaks, which stretch to lunch breaks, which stretch to going home time! This privatization is going to kill me.” “Dad.” “Yes son….” “Maybe this privatization thing is not too bad.” “Why son?” “Maybe your bank holidays are over and it is time to go to work!” “Son…?” “Yes dad…” “Whose side are you on?”
