WAMU: Can You lose Your pension twice?
9/26/2008 5:05:41 AM PDT
On September 26, 1988, I was hired by CenTrust Bank (formerly Dade Federal Savings & Loan) to learn its old and new computer hardware and software systems that the employees used to process financial services. We worked in teams throughout South Florida and in the process I was blessed to learn BANKING from Professional Intelligent Men and Women, many of whom had begun their banking careers fresh out of high school. Most of these GOOD FOLK, whose company I was privileged to share and enjoy, averaged twelve (12) years of banking experience. So during the rollouts, while I provided them backup with the transition to the new system they taught me a world about banking.
AT that time, I had just spent four years each in high school and then college waiting for President Ronald Reagan’s (R.I.P) largesse to trickle down. I was in the haze of complete unawareness regarding the reality of my Artistic ability. My then career path to study International Business Law and Legal History had been derailed on March 11th of that year when a neuromuscular disorder, myasthenia gravis that I was born with, was finally properly diagnosed and had begun to be addressed by caring medical personnel.
That didn’t bother me none. Folks close to me thought I was being brave, considering one of my three other room mates in that Critical ICU ward, where each of us had our own medical team included a Jarvik heart patient, and that was more than a hint and a half as to how sick I was.
But see, years ago when I was a toddler trying to climb some steps and told My granny that my feet wasn’t listening when I told them to move, She told me to just sit ‘til they hear you. So that attitude pretty much has stayed with me all these years with all the trials and tribulations of MG.
Man, I wish Granny was here now. (I know She shall always be in Ma Blood, Mind, Spirit and Soul), but I could damn sure use The Wisdom Of Her Ages in person.
CenTrust Bank was acquired by Great Western Bank which was then acquired by Washington Mutual Bank (WAMU.)
Today is September 26, 2008 and a new email beep on my fancy phone (which I usually don’t ever notice) woke me around 3am.
And right there on the screen, breaking news headline flash, ‘WAMU, Biggest bank failure in US History,’ and suddenly all these faces and long gone but obviously never forgotten experiences flooded and have now overwhelmed me.
I see Mrs. R., who I met at a North Dade Branch, with Her Daughter in Her Senior year of College about to go to Law School and Her and Her Husband’s daily concerns about which shoe would drop next at the financial institution where She had spent more than two decades.
Joe, a client I met in Coconut grove, with whom in the fine Tradition that is Dade County, I began a friendship by engaging in a ‘who run tings’ debate; Opa Locka and Carol City or some other place in Da Bottoms yet to be discovered by Ponce De Leon.
Lady Venezuela from Hialeah, who while my Spanish only showed itself in conversations with muy guapo hombres, none the less, would insist on me being alongside which ever of my co-workers was conducted her business.
The Genuine Warmth and immediate Friendliness of The Boca Raton Branch, which actually made me consider commuting all the way from Dade County to work there after the rollout was complete.
My Family members, friends and neighbors who currently have accounts, mortgages and investments in WAMU and the gentleman I met the other morning outside a coffee shop, here in the BellTown section of Downtown Seattle.
He and His Wife had just made a split decision in their family budget to use one car because of the $5.34 per gallon gas prices and one (1) bus pass, because that price had been impacted as well by a gas surcharge. But He smiled, ‘a thank-God-for-Life smile’, as He relayed how fortunate His Family felt that they were in a position which still held some choices for them as word was not good with WAMU and His Wife worked for WAMU.
Two days ago I called my Congressional Representatives and demanded that for every dollar about to be appropriated there be an accounting sheet with one hundred lines for each penny to be detailed as to how it is to and will be spent.
For all this junk bond, redlining, no regulating done trickled down a pile a republicrat-democran bullshit that has and is drowning me and Ma Fellow Americans.
(A told ‘cha, Granny bin in Glory since September 1980, so A gotta go it alone.)
Come seven am, Am fitting to call and email e’ryone a dem again. But right nah, Ma feeling helpless ass is gonna hold a pity party and just hate September.
2008©cindy adrienne quashie
aka Cin D Quashie, Ghettoink, SomaMoja ZuriAsali QUASHEBA, wordslingAH, Da Kid!
AND Amma always keep on LOVING!
