The Grumpy Old Lady

Having filled out my deposit form a priori, I walked into the bank and proceeded straight to the back of the line of five customers. Early afternoon, five people in line was rather unusual. But that's fine, it's just more time away from the office.

With all the teller positions in-use, another bank employee started to walk the queue and check if everyone had their forms filled out to expedite the wait. That was when I noticed the the old lady standing in front of me.

The bank employee working the line asked if she needed a deposit or withdrawl slip. No comment from the old lady. Upon accepting rejection, the bank employee asked me the same question, this time with a puzzled look on her face. The rejection from the previous query animated the question. Both bank employee and myself made curious eye movements to the old lady in front of me as I replied "no thank you, I have my deposit slip filled out."

Another minute slowly passed as I waited for my turn in line. As I step towards the first position in line, I start to hear the conversation, no, rather, query and silence between a teller and the old lady. The old lady had presented her transaction and drivers license to the teller. The teller asked the old lady to remove her sunglasses for identification. The request went unfulfilled.

At this point another teller was free to help me with my transaction. Before helping me, I noted he had a couple words with the teller helping the old lady. As I handed him the deposit slip, he leaned forward and mentioned the old lady shows up on occasion and never talks. In fact, if tellers attempt to converse with her she starts a yelling rampage. Not a nice old lady. His words to the old lady's teller were to not talk unless the teller wants to get yelled at. Sounded like sage advice to me.

I look forward to my golden years when I can blame old age for ill behavior. Until that time I'll be continuing to scheme my madness.

Track Racing

Went to Marymoor for my first track race. Concerns about going back to cat5 racing were offset with the upshot of some victories. The chance to work on my sprint is great; but Thursday night Marymoor comes at the cost of missing Thursday night Seward Park. The latter is a much better workout given the right opportunity. Hopefully I won't miss too many more Seward races.

Within the cat5 group, we get seeded into five more groups based on a one lap time trial effort. Despite having one of the faster times I get seeded in the middle: group 3. That didn't last too long.

First race: a 6(?) lap points race with 8 riders starting. I hang near the front for the first two laps to warmup. Get in position and pop points at the line for the next couple laps and take the final lap for 3 points. A pretty hard effort, but another 10 laps would of made it more interesting. Phil, the ref, has a word with me about getting out of the saddle for sprinting. Doh!


Second race was a scratch race, 7 laps. Movin' up in the world with group two now. I sit in for the first 5 laps, sit second or third wheel and manage only get in the wind briefly. Marc from Byrne jumps, nobody follow, and he's looking pretty good. With a lap left another rider jumps hard, I'm on his wheel. I jump past him before the speed drops and nearly catch Marc. Another couple meters and I would of had him.

But that's all she wrote. Heavy wind and storm clouds were looking pretty menacing. The third race was canceled so I didn't get another chance. Yup, Seward would of been a better workout!