UPCOMING GIGS

  • June 10'20 Nice Bistro Whitby, ON
  • Apr.15'20 Princess M Hospital Atrium
  • Apr.11'20 HIRUT 2050 Danforth Toronto
  • Dec.14 '19 HIRUT 2050 Danforth Toronto
  • July 26 2019 Gull River, Minden ON
  • June 19, 2019 The Nice Bistro, Whitby
  • Sun.May5, 2019 Hugh's Room, Toronto
  • Sat.April 6, 2019 The Old Mill, Toronto
  • 15 marzo 2019, el gallo restaurant, san pancho, mexico
  • Feb. 26, 2019 Relish Bar/Grill, Toronto
  • Jan.23,2019 Nice Bistro, Whitby
  • Sept.29,'18 12:30-3:30pm; Glass Eagle Studio, Haliburton
  • Sept.19, 2018 Private Function, Toronto
  • July 27&28, Haliburton Arts&Crafts2-4pm
  • June 6, 2018 The Nice Bistro, Whitby, ON
  • Feb.23,2018 San Pancho Music Festival, Mexico
  • Jan.20,2018 The Old Mill Toronto, Home Smith Bar
  • Sept.30,2017 All That Jazz & More, at the Minden Legion
  • Aug. 5, 2017 Private Party, Carnarvon, ON
  • Aug. 4, 2017 Music by the Gull, Minden, ON
  • Aug. 2, 2017 The Nice Bistro, Whitby ON
  • May 17, 2017 The Nice Bistro, Whitby, ON
  • April 29, 2017 Minden Cultural Centre, Minden, ON
  • March 24,2017 The Old Mill Toronto, Home Smith Bar
  • Feb.26,2017 San Pancho Music Fest. Mexico
  • Nov.5, 2016 Radio Hall, CanoeFM, Haliburton, ON
  • Nov. 2, 2016 le Nice Bistro, Whitby, ON
  • Sept. 4, 2016 The Red Umbrella Inn, Minden, ON
  • July 26, 2016, Head Lake Park, Haliburton, ON
  • Jan. 29, 2016, The Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill, Toronto
  • Oct.23, 2015 Gate 403
  • Sept. 9 The Nice Bistro, Whitby, ON
  • August 22, Gate 403, Toronto
  • August 14, Music by the Gull, Minden, ON
  • July 29 Hugh's Room, Toronto
  • June 13, Gate 403,Toronto

Friday, June 7, 2013

THE DULL WIT OF CAPITALISM IN BANKING CENTRES (CIBC)

If there's anything that bugs me, it's meaningless bureaucracy. Had a little run-in this morning, with that anachronism of sixty years or more, and it's all I can do to just run away – fast and furious. It was a bank – not surprisingly – that brought out my wrath. Bad enough their obscene profits; they have to be obtuse and annoying in the process.

Last week, I was thinking about doing a little traveling in the fall, so dropped in to my local CIBC, and spoke with a nice young man about setting up an account that would let me withdraw cash in most countries. My normal banking company doesn't have actual, physical outlets, and their debit card is not guaranteed to work outside Canada.

The nice young man told me to come back with my VISA card, and a passport, which I did; I also brought with me a second credit card, some bills with my address, including a tax bill, and my Ontario teacher's ID card. The only photo was on the passport, which happened to be Irish rather than Canadian. Canada's passports must be renewed every five years – another source of tedious bureaucracy – while Ireland's last ten years. So although I am Canadian, born in Toronto, I have Irish citizenship as well, through my grandfather.

I can't really blame the nice young man – even if all he did was repeat the rules over and over, and show me the brochure that states those rules. It's the manager's fault; and I have grave doubts about what those people can honestly “manage” in real life. God forbid they should base a decision on common sense - in this case lots of ID, including a photo on a passport which states I was born in Canada. I also have a mortgage with CIBC, which they have in their files, and have had many accounts with them over the years.

But stupid rules are stupid rules, and so, rather than offer service, they rigidly and dim-wittedly maintained their position for precisely and only what's listed in their beloved brochure – and thus lost my business. Oh, I know they don't really care, because I would have had a “no-fees” account, and CIBC wouldn't make a profit from this one pathetic customer.

It's a good thing I can sing; and don't have to live a life limited by “business”. Even if I'm poor – and I can live, and have lived, below the poverty line quite happily, often enough. I think I have more by being able to remove myself from this “mean” mean. I quit office jobs a long time ago because of this same lack of intelligence, imagination, and commitment to what I consider reality.

I'm reminded of my very brief stint many years ago with the government's income tax service: we all sat in rows in a big room, checking returns, while a man did nothing but walk up and down the aisles, presumably to make sure we were working. I used to put my pencil down, and place my hands in my lap until he passed my desk. He never said a mumblin' word, of course. Jerk.
I quit the job as soon as I could. 

I'm singing tonight at Gate 403
403 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto
9pm
with John Deehan, sax; Mike Allen, guitar; and Ron Johnston, bass
Come and have some fun.

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