A Female Banker Denied My Request to Withdraw Money: ‘Do You Even Have Money in Your Account?

"Is there any money in your account at all? " Sally clearly thought I had no money based only on my appearance, even though it was something that could be easily verified. "Are you certain that you're all right?

You realize you don't have to put on a front. " I had never experienced such treatment at a bank before. "Enough already!

Everyone, from young children to elderly people, should be served by banks. How can this type of conduct be tolerated? " "You may appear like a child, but you're lecturing me like an adult.

Adorable, but truly, you don't have any money, do you? Give up acting! " I have frequently been undervalued due to my appearance, and I usually don't mind; it's different this time, though.

They mistreated me. The last time, they also made me wait for five hours. Today, this is the outcome of all that.

I'm officially out of patience. I'll see to it that they take the lesson. "Julia Gibson is my name.

My age is 55. I own a clothing business. It's a somewhat unusual business that specializes in selling apparel with Universal Design.

Simply said, designs that are usable by as many people as feasible, irrespective of age or disability, are referred to as Universal Designs. For instance, the rough ridges on the side of shampoo bottles or scissors that are equally effective for right-handed and left-handed individuals. Instances of Universal Design include those, even though knowledge is still somewhat low.

It is slowly becoming more well-known in this age of growing variety. My own experiences are the reason I founded this business. Due to a hereditary problem, I am small, prone to gaining weight, and have limited finger mobility.

Life was challenging because of these obstacles; they made it difficult for me to make friends in primary school, and I briefly quit attending. Teachers thought I was just lazy because there was no such thing as school refusal back then. However, my parents did something wonderful because they recognized how I felt.

I was sent to study overseas by them. My mom and I moved to the Scandinavian countries after they conducted research and discovered that they had developed welfare systems. Naturally, there were difficulties adjusting to a new environment and the language, but I was free of relationship concerns and received a wealth of worthwhile experiences.

Even now, I cherish my time overseas—my parents' guidance and their support. I currently manage a business with its main office located in Scandinavia; however, I established a branch in the U. S.

a few years ago. I now divide my time between the United States and Scandinavia. Having a business account in the United States seemed like a smart idea when I set up the branch, but I was unsure which bank to use.

My dad helped me make my decision, and I went with Star Sky Bank. My dad was able to obtain a lot of assistance because he knew the branch manager at the time. I chose to create an account there after hearing that story.

I recall that the branch manager at the time was an absolutely amazing individual who taught me a great deal. I thought I would ask for advice, now that I was going to open another branch abroad and would be sending a significant sum of money there. I assumed the branch manager would come up with a brilliant answer.

Rather, I was going to have a bad experience. I called to schedule an appointment since I didn't want to bother the branch manager with an unexpected visit. "Thank you for calling, this is Sally from Star Sky Bank's Mayfair branch," Sally answered the phone, and I told her I wanted to meet with the branch manager.

Then she responded with a half-smirk in her voice. "Are you talking about how many years ago that person was? The former branch manager?

That's hilarious! " It was my first time speaking to her, yet her tone was shockingly rude. "Well, then I would like to stop by and introduce myself to the new branch manager.

Could you connect me to them? " When I made this request, she responded with another half-laugh: "There's no way the branch manager would meet with someone they don’t even know. You understand that, if you thought about it.

" She didn't even fully listen to what I was saying and just kept telling me to show up during business hours if I wanted to consult someone. Realizing this conversation was going nowhere, I reluctantly said I understood. Though it was just a phone call, I couldn't shake the unsettling atmosphere.

When I opened my business account here, I hadn't encountered this kind of toxic vibe, and honestly, how could a bank tolerate an employee who less calls like that? With these doubts in mind, I decided to visit Star Sky Bank the next day. The accountant responsible for managing the account offered to go instead, but I wanted to get a sense of the atmosphere myself, so I decided to go in person.

When I arrived at the bank the next day, I looked for Sally. Although I could have just greeted the branch manager and discussed my concerns without involving her, I wanted to see her face. Little did I know this was the first step toward disaster.

"Excuse me, my name is Julia. Is Sally available? I spoke with her on the phone yesterday.

" I told this to the employee who welcomed me, and they went to call Sally. I watched the scene closely when the employee approached someone who seemed to be Sally. Sally turned to look at me.

When Sally noticed me, her expression instantly shifted to one of someone who had spotted an easy target. "Julia! Thank you for waiting.

What can I help you with today? " After speaking politely for a moment, Sally suddenly seemed to realize something. Then, with a sly grin, she changed her tone and said, "What?

" "Brings you here today? Did you come with your mommy or daddy? " It was clear that she had judged me based on my appearance and adjusted her tone accordingly.

Standing at less than four feet tall, I sometimes get that kind of treatment when walking down the street. I'm used to it, so I didn't particularly mind and began speaking. "My name is Julia, and we spoke on the phone yesterday.

Since I heard there's a new branch manager, I'd like to introduce myself and also consult about sending money overseas from my business account. " Considering I'd mentioned transferring money from a business account, she should have realized I was at least a working professional. On top of that, while I may be short, my face clearly shows the experience of someone who's lived a full life.

Surely she couldn't seriously think I was a child, and yet Sally didn't change her tone. "Oh, is your dad the business owner? You know, some pretty complicated stuff, like sending money from a business account," she kept speaking to me in a condescending manner.

"Well, let's see if you can understand. The branch manager is out today, working outside the office, so they're not here today. They'll be here tomorrow, so can you come back then?

And next time, bring your mom or dad with you. " "Okay, well, I'm already at an age where I could be called middle-aged. How long are you going to keep talking to me like that?

" Thinking her tone was incredibly rude, I gently pointed out my age. "Oh my, I'm so sorry about that! I thought you were a child.

Anyway, the branch manager isn't in today, so could you come back tomorrow? " I figured staying any longer would only ruin my mood, so I told her I'd return the next day and prepared to leave the bank. As much as I thought her behavior was unacceptable, I've experienced far worse in my life, and something like this doesn't faze me for now.

Since the branch manager seemed to be in tomorrow, I decided I'd talk with them and settle everything then. The next day, when I arrived at the bank, I heard Sally talking loudly with her co-workers. "Do you think that little robot cat will show up today?

I can't wait! " "A robot cat? Is there some kind of event happening?

" I wondered, but I quickly realized they were talking about me. I'm short, on the heavier side, and my fingers don't move well, making my hands a bit rounded. I was shocked by how cruel her comments were about my appearance.

Sally noticed me and smirked as she approached. "Julia, thank you for coming. You're here to see the branch manager, right?

I'm so sorry, but they're currently in a meeting, and it might take a while. Would you like to wait? " I had time today, so I decided to wait.

"Okay, how long do you think it'll take? " For some reason, this question seemed to irritate Sally, and she reverted to the same tone as the day before. "Have you ever worked before?

There's no way to know when a meeting will end. Maybe it's a bit too hard for you to understand, huh? Just sit here quietly and wait until they call you.

" She spat out her words and walked back behind the counter. I started to regret coming here, wondering if yesterday's experience hadn't been an illusion after all. If I had let the accountant handle it, this probably wouldn't have happened, but I really wanted to meet the branch manager in person, so I had no choice.

With that thought, I waited, but no matter how long I waited, it didn't seem like I'd be called. I also noticed Sally glancing at me occasionally and laughing. Every hour, I asked the other employees about the branch manager, but they all seemed to defer to Sally for some reason and kept telling me, "Please wait a little longer.

" At this point, I was determined to see this through to the end, but after five hours had passed, I realized waiting any longer was a waste of time and approached Sally. "Sally, I've been waiting for five hours now. How much longer will it take?

" "Huh? Don't you have plenty of time? Just wait a little longer.

You're the one who said you'd wait. " Clearly, this person lacked the basic courtesy of not only a bank employee but also a working professional. I was beginning to feel disgusted at the thought of keeping my business funds in a bank that employed someone like this.

"I'm sorry, but I can no longer continue my relationship with Starry Sky Bank. I'd like to close my account. " "Huh, sure, whatever.

But do you even have any money in your account? " Even though she could easily check, Sally had apparently judged from my appearance that I didn't have any money. "Are you really okay?

You don't need to put on a front, you know. " I've been to many banks before, but this was the first time in my life that I'd ever been treated like this. "Enough already!

Banks are supposed to handle money for everyone, from kids to seniors. How can this kind of behavior be acceptable? " "Oh wow, you might look like a kid, but here you are lecturing me like a grownup!

So cute, but you don't really have money, do you? Stop pretending. " I've been judged by my appearance many times before, so something like this doesn't usually upset me, but this time was different.

Last time I was treated horribly, and today I was made to wait for five hours. After all that, this was the result. My patience had reached its limit.

I decided to teach them a lesson. Overwhelmed by anger, I went straight home without even greeting the branch manager and called my company's accountant. I had worried it might be hard to handle this in a day, but surprisingly, things went smoothly.

I felt relieved knowing I wouldn't have to go back to that bank again. Last night, I was so irritated that I couldn't sleep much, but tonight I thought I'd finally be able to sleep peacefully. With that thought, I climbed into bed, feeling unusually refreshed.

I ended up oversleeping and woke up after 10:00 a. m. Panicking, I quickly got dressed and started getting ready to head to the office.

That's when I heard an annoying buzzing sound coming from the living room. Curious, I went to check and found my phone ringing continuously. Since I never bring my phone into my bedroom while I sleep, I hadn't noticed it until now.

Still, the sheer number of missed calls was overwhelming. When I checked the number, it was from Starry Sky Bank's Mayfair branch. Ah, it must be about yesterday, I thought, and decided to ignore it for a while.

The matter was already resolved as far as I was concerned. To stop the buzzing sound from annoying me, I switched my phone to silent mode. I couldn't help but feel grateful for my team at the office.

I had anticipated that the bank would call my company once they realized the situation, so I had told my staff to forward everything related to this matter directly to me. Their compliance with my odd instructions was probably why I had so many missed calls. With gratitude for my team's competence, I headed to the office.

Initially, the missed calls were only from the bank's landline, but now they were coming from a mobile number as well. When I listened to the voicemail, I learned that the branch manager from the Mayfair branch had called, but I continued to ignore it. At the office, the head of the accounting department was waiting for me.

When I thanked him for handling yesterday's issue, he told me that the branch manager and Sally, the employee from yesterday, were at the office. I couldn't believe they'd actually come to my workplace. Apparently, the head of accounting had told them that I was too busy to meet today, but they insisted they'd wait as long as it took.

For a brief moment, I considered letting them wait indefinitely, but having them linger wasn't ideal either. I quickly made my way to the reception room. Inside, Sally, who seemed completely unrepentant, and the visibly uncomfortable branch manager sat, exuding a gloomy atmosphere.

"Ah, ah, ah, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Mason, the branch manager of Starry Sky Bank's Mayfair branch. I deeply apologize for the unpleasant experience we caused you, Julia," he apologized deeply.

Sally reluctantly apologized too. "Oh, you're talking about yesterday? We've already taken appropriate measures on our end, so there's no need for further apologies.

As for Sally, we'll handle her situation internally and send you an official notice later. Well, I think that's all for today. " As I stood up to leave, Mason, stammering nervously, began speaking quickly.

"Ah, um, about the $10 million from yesterday, could you please reconsider? " Sally scoffed at Mason's words, her attitude mocking and dismissive. "Oh, $10 million, right?

I'll go ahead and close out all remaining accounts so we can terminate our dealings with your bank. Thank you for everything up until now. " Closing the accounts?

That would be a problem. Even though he said that, there was no way I'd continue doing business with a bank that employed such disrespectful staff. My decision is final.

"Now let's end this discussion here. My schedule is completely full today, so I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. " As I prepared to leave, again Sally made another absurd remark.

"Mason, come on, it's fine to let this company go. They're not even well known, and they'll collapse soon enough. Lending money to or dealing with such an unknown company is actually a risk.

Besides, we've got my dad's influence to back us up, so there's nothing to worry about. " Our company had never sought loans or financing, but Sally didn't seem to grasp that and continued to act high and mighty. Meanwhile, Mason was visibly sweating profusely, looking entirely flustered.

I began to wonder why Mason seemed so powerless in front of her. "Members of the Chamber of Commerce can use our bank without any issues, right? So it's all fine.

Let's just ignore this woman. I mean, she looks like a childish old lady. There's no way she's capable of running a business.

Look at her! " It was clear that Sally had a real talent for mocking people based on their appearance. From her comments, I also learned that her father was the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.

Ah, so that's where her brazen confidence comes from, I thought, finally understanding her attitude. "Well, since we're done talking. .

. " This was the third time I had attempted to end the conversation, and yet it still showed no signs of ending. As I stood up to guide the two out, Mason's phone started ringing.

At first, Mason tried to ignore it, but the calls kept coming relentlessly. Instead of stepping outside to take the call, he signaled to me with his eyes and answered the phone. "Excuse me for a moment.

This is Mason. What's the matter? " After speaking on the phone for a while, Mason let out a deep sigh and hung up, burying his head in his hands.

At that moment, I could tell this was going to drag on. "Sally, what exactly did you say to her yesterday? " "Oh, there was this childish-looking old lady, so I just kindly explained things to her like I would to a kid.

What's wrong with that? " I let out a long sigh, paused, and muttered in an unbearably low voice, "Because of you, a wave of customers closed their accounts today. " Alone, we've lost a third of our clients.

What do you mean? How is that my fault? Mason showed her his phone, which was open to a social media site.

There, a video of my interaction with Sally had been uploaded. Apparently, another customer at the bank had recorded our conversation and posted it online, where it spread like wildfire. Even though our faces and Sally's name tag were blurred, I was impressed by the incredible power of Internet users.

In no time, the branch name and Sally's identity were exposed. The comments were filled with speculation that the Maya Branch would soon collapse, and there were even warnings to withdraw funds before it was too late. This misunderstanding had caused a flood of people to withdraw their money, further compounding the chaos.

Yesterday, I transferred the $10 million in our business account elsewhere. I thought it would deal a blow to this bank; honestly, I was satisfied just moving the funds and hadn't expected anything more to happen. But I never imagined it would turn into this.

Whether by chance or misfortune, the punishment that fell upon Sally and the Maya Branch was far greater than I had ever envisioned. It seems Sally had received a call from her father, as she now stared at her phone in utter fear. "What are you going to do about this?

This has probably already made national news. I'm sorry, but I'll be reporting this to headquarters as well, and I can't guarantee what'll happen to you after this. " "What?

No way! Let's sue the person who filmed that video for defamation! If we do that, our customers will come back!

" Even at this point, Sally was still spouting naïve ideas. It's true; since the video was filmed without consent, it might be possible to pursue legal action. However, the fact that Sally had committed such an outrageous act was already undeniable.

Moreover, the bank itself would be held accountable for allowing this to happen. After all, the video showed that none of the other employees had attempted to stop Sally. At that moment, the head of the accounting department came over and whispered to me.

Apparently, my father had seen the video. When I checked my phone, I saw multiple missed calls from him. I had completely forgotten to turn off silent mode.

I called him back. "Julia, what's going on with that video? Seeing you being insulted like that is something I despise more than anything.

The branch manager is here with me. Would you like to speak with him? " When I asked, my father said he would.

I switched my phone to speaker mode. My father's anger was unstoppable. Mason could only apologize repeatedly, and it seemed Sally was finally starting to realize the gravity of the situation.

"I'm sorry, but I'll also be speaking directly with your president. This is an insult to my business and my daughter! " As he said this, Sally let out a slight chuckle.

"You think you can talk to our president? Are you serious? There's no way someone like you could get an audience with someone so important.

" For a moment, I thought she might have been reflecting on her actions, but that response—she's truly a hopeless case. "Young lady, you don't know who I am. Not that it matters, but perhaps the name Gibson Business Corporation might ring a bell.

" At my father's words, both Mason and Sally froze. Gibson Business Corporation! That's right; my father is the chairman of a major general trading company, one that most professionals in America would recognize.

Since I was born, my father has been heavily involved in supporting people with disabilities, building welfare facilities, establishing educational centers for individuals with handicaps, and promoting accessibility projects. He also ensured I had a variety of life experiences. While I might have physical limitations, my father instilled in me the knowledge and skills to overcome them.

Investments, business management—these are just a few areas he taught me. Thanks to him, I had accumulated significant wealth at a young age and was able to expand my business without relying on bank loans. Hearing that his daughter had been mistreated for her physical condition enraged him to no end.

When I was younger, my father would often get angry over such things, but as I grew older, incidents like this have become rare. Hearing his furious voice after such a long time brought back memories. I felt a bit embarrassed, thinking I'm 55 years old.

Then I heard a quiet sob. It was Sally. "I'm so sorry.

When I was a kid, I was bullied for being short. You reminded me of my younger self, and I—I'm really sorry," she said, breaking into tears. "What an absurd reason!

Sally, you shouldn't do to others what you wouldn't want done to you. Didn't your parents teach you that, or did they tell you to mercilessly hurt others? " When I said this, Sally began bawling uncontrollably.

Since I had accomplished everything I wanted to, I told Mason and Sally to leave, saying I couldn't let them stay any longer. I also informed them that further actions would be handled through my lawyer. Thanks to the bank president quickly holding a public apology press conference, they managed to retain some customers who were considering closing their accounts.

However, my father's anger was unstoppable, and he closed his account with the bank. It turns out this was his personal account rather than a company account, which seemed to have spared the bank from bankruptcy. Mason was held accountable for neglecting his responsibilities to oversee the employees at the Maya Branch; he was reassigned to an affiliated company in a rural area.

Sally, unsurprisingly, was fired and is now unemployed. Since I filed a defamation lawsuit against her, she's currently trying to prepare settlement money to resolve the case. Given that the video went viral nationwide, it will.

. . It is likely to be difficult for her to find a new job anytime soon, as a ripple effect.

Sally's father also resigned from his position as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce. As for me, I continue my two-location lifestyle as usual. To my surprise, the video going viral boosted sales of my clothing line.

While the video did show some embarrassing moments for me, it also turned out to be great publicity for my company. I never imagined such a response, and needless to say, I was shocked. What's more, a publisher who became interested in my life reached out with an offer to turn my story and my parents' story into a book.

Thinking that my life might help others, I gladly accepted. I am now slowly making progress on the manuscript with the values my parents instilled in me and the resilience I've built to never back down. I plan to keep moving forward in life.