Banks Without Cash

Last week was rough.  For some reason, I was more emotional than normal and frustrating things kept happening.  For example, I was putting away dishes and making dinner at the same time.  I was feeling awesome because I only had to make sausages, mashed potatoes, and a salad.  I was thinking about how easy my job is and how awesome of a job I was doing at it.  Then I went to put away a ceramic jar.  And I dropped the top of it and it smashed on the floor.  ” They got the jar from their summer home.  Fanny hugged me and said, “It’s ok, Kacie” but I still felt like I might as well catch the next boat home for being the worst au pair in the history of the world. 

But, I took some deep breaths, calmed down, reminded myself that the kids are still alive and that’s all that really matters, and finished dinner.  The night wasn’t the best, but other au pairs have done similar things and felt the same way I did.  One of my friends shrunk one of her boy’s sweaters in the wash, and another girl I know gave one of her kids mushrooms, which he’s allergic to.  Everyone makes these little mistakes.

I thought I could recuperate from that night.  But, the next day I went for a walk with my British friend Phillipa and we later met up with Jessica the Canadian in Lidingö Centrum.  It was lovely and the only thing I needed to do was take some cash out at my bank’s ATM.  So, we popped on up to the ATM.  I put my card in, checked my balance, and was so happy to see that I had saved 2,000 crowns that month, which is about $250.  I turned and talked to my friends about how I couldn’t believe it and by the time I turned back to the machine, it was beeping red and swallowing my card. We went into the bank to try to get it back, but the lady said that it was gone forever and that I’d have to get a new one.  She said that since it was in there too long, the machine swallowed it to make sure no one got access to my card.  Phillipa said, “That doesn’t happen in England.” 

Then Jessica, “Not in Canada either.”

And I said, “Or in America!” Since I was already at the bank, I figured I could just take out some cash anyway for the weekend.  But the lady pointed at a sign on the desk that said, “This bank does not handle cash.” WTF? IT’S A BANK! 

We left and outside of the bank I started to cry.   After breaking the jar, I didn’t want to tell my family about another stupid thing I had done.  My friends comforted me and made me feel a lot better.  When I got home, I told Susanna about what happened.  She was sympathetic, I don’t know why I ever thought she wouldn’t be, it had happened to her once before but the bank was still handling cash.  Because our bank isn’t handling cash anymore, she is thinking of switching to another one.  

But, now I have a new card and all is going smoothly.  Susanna even told me I am the most experienced cook they’ve had so far.  She said Börje thinks so too.  I told her, well I know a lot of people who wouldn’t believe that! I am thinking of making cooking my new hobby because of that!