We do not often spend time thinking up ways of surprising humanity with
kindness; yet when we stand in line at the bank while a queue of merry
merchants ahead of us are drawing out huge payroll sums which take
about five minutes each to be counted and recounted, a blithe thought
comes our way. It is this: On some Saturday morning, when banking
traffic is particularly heavy, we will gather half a dozen friends of
ours who have nothing to do. We will go round to the bank and stand in
line, all seven of us. As we draw nearer and nearer to the window we
will watch the anguished faces of those behind, despairingly counting
the number of people that still stand between them and the cherished
teller. Then just as the first of our seven gets up to the window we
will all slip deftly away and enjoy ourselves by watching the joyous
elation of the man who thought himself eighth in line and now finds
himself next to the grill. All down the impatient throng passes a
tremor of surprised pleasure. Then we will move on to the next bank and
do the same thing.
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