“I JUST WANT TO SEE MY BALANCE” — LAUGHTER

“I JUST WANT TO SEE MY BALANCE” — MILLIONAIRE LAUGHS AT 90-YEAR-OLD BLACK WOMAN… UNTIL THE SCREEN FLASHES OUT!
Mr. Edward Go is a famous business tycoon. He has no patience with people he considers “worthless” or “slow.”

One afternoon, he was rushing into the bank to withdraw a large amount of money. The line in the VIP lane was long, so he was forced to wait in the regular lane.

At the front of the line, there was an old woman. Grandma Digna. She was 90 years old, dark-skinned (an indigenous Aeta), with curly hair, and wearing only an old duster and rubber slippers. She moved slowly and her hands were shaking.

“Miss… can you please check my balance?” Grandma Digna asked the teller softly.

Mr. Go was impatient. “Hey, Grandma! Hurry up! We have a lot of people waiting! Just checking the balance, it will take a while! Maybe it only has 500 pesos or maybe 4Ps!”

A few people behind laughed. Grandma Digna bowed in embarrassment.

“Excuse me, Sir. You’re old,” the teller apologized.

“Hurry up! Time is gold!” Mr. Go shouted again. “If you want to change coins, just go outside!”

The teller took a deep breath and asked for Grandma Digna’s passbook. He inserted it into the computer.

After a while, the teller’s eyes widened. He gasped and covered his mouth. GASP!

“M-Ma’am Digna…” the teller stammered. “Is this really your account?”

“Yes, sis. Why? Is it empty?” Grandma Digna asked worriedly.

“N-No… That’s too much…”

Out of boredom, Mr. Go interrupted and glanced at the computer screen. “Bye! I’ll check! Maybe there was an error!”

Mr. Go looked at the screen.

The TOTAL BALANCE read: PHP 5,400,000,000.00 (5.4 Billion Pesos)

Mr. Go froze. His expensive sunglasses fell off. The old man he called a “4Ps beneficiary” was ten times richer than him!

“W-What’s this?!” Mr. Go shouted.

Grandma Digna smiled. “Ah, son. Is that it? That’s the sale of our ancestral land in Clark and Subic that was leased to foreign investors. I am the matriarch of our tribe.”

Grandma Digna looked at Mr. Go who was turning pale.

“Son, you must be rich in money,” the old man said calmly. “But in terms of behavior? You’re overdrawn. Your respect is insufficient funds.”

Grandma Digna turned to the teller. “Son, withdraw it all. I’ll transfer it to another bank. I don’t like banks that allow their clients to abuse people like me.”

The Bank Manager panicked and came out of the office. “Ma’am! Don’t! Our branch will collapse if you withdraw that!”

“Then tell that guy,” Grandma Digna pointed at Mr. Go.

Fearing that the billion pesos would be lost, the guards themselves let Mr. Go out.

“Sir, please get out. Rudeness is not allowed here.”

Grandma Digna was left sitting, fanned by the Manager, while Mr. Go walked out of the bank in shame, carrying the lesson of never judging people based on their appearance.

END.