The Olive Branch

“I don’t give a hoot about selling checking accounts,” Katie scribbled down on her notepad as she listened to Ringo Blandford, the head of investment and sales, deliver his spiel on peeling the onion. “You see folks, you have to connect with the client on a personal level and get down to the very core and essence of their hopes and dreams…and then and only then will you earn their trust and their business.”

Katie tapped her foot in boredom as she glanced around the room. Men and women in suits were earnestly jotting down notes, and a few nodded their heads and looked interested as Blandford role-played how to peel the onion with an eager volunteer… “See, you start with, oh, you’d like to open a checking account or a certificate of deposit, great…what would that do for you? You say you’re saving for your child’s college education, why is that important to you?

Katie tuned out as she scribbled on her notepad and wondered, “What do I want?”

Blandford finally returned his attention to the room and proclaimed, now that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you peel the onion, and the room erupted in applause and cheers, and slaps on the back. Just then, Beth spied Katie’s scribbling when she leaned over to grab a pen. “Hey, what’s this?”

“Oh this,” Katie looked down at her notes and laughed nervously, “Oh my gosh, I forgot the word JUST.”

“It’s supposed to say, I don’t JUST give a hoot about opening checking accounts…honestly, I really, really love my job!” lied Katie. “I cannot wait to try this peeling the onion strategy when we get back to the office.”

Beth laughed with amusement and said, “I know, right! I’m so glad we decided to do this workshop together.” Katie laughed and attempted to stoke Lori’s ego, “ You are so right!”

Upon return to the office then next day, the bank manager, Karen, pulled Katie aside, “Hey Katie, how was the conference?” Katie smiled and eagerly shared, “Oh, it was great, thanks for sending me. I have a client in mind that I’m going to try to connect with later this week on a new investment account.”

Karen hesitated a moment, “That’s great Katie, but I do need to speak to you in the conference room before you go to lunch today.” “Oh, ok,” Katie replied, and the two women crossed through the bank lobby to the back conference room.

Once seated, Karen immediately started in, “Look Katie, there’s some issues with your performance lately that we need to discuss.”

Katie, thought fast as the blood rushed from her face, “Look, I know I’ve not been meeting all of my sales targets lately, but I am 100% committed to working even harder to make sure I exceed my goals for the quarter, I have several clients lined up…”

Karen interrupted, “Well it’s more than that Katie, your ex-husband called here 27 times yesterday demanding to speak to you, and we were short-staffed. I had to call the police to file a report…this is not good for business…”

“Oh man, not again!” Katie thought, as she stammered, “I’m really sorry about that, I have a restraining order; he’s not supposed to call me at…” Karen interrupted again, “You have got to do something about this, this cannot continue to happen. What did your lawyer tell you to do?”

“I filed a complaint with the court, but…” Katie reported dutifully as she slumped down in her chair. Meanwhile, Karen checked off a few boxes on a document in front of her. “You’ve also been five minutes late to work almost every day for the last two weeks.” Karen tapped her pen while staring straight at Katie.

“Yes, I’ve been meaning to speak to you about that,” Katie said nervously, “I, uh, just moved to a new apartment, and I’m not 100% used to the commuting time yet, and it takes longer to drop the girls off at daycare.” Katie wondered if she was about to be fired and looked out beyond the glass enclosed conference room to meet Beth’s concerned gaze.

Karen adjusted her glasses and jotted down a few more notes before she fixed her eyes on her employee. “I also received a copy of an application for tuition reimbursement through H.R. Are you…taking classes?” Karen’s eyebrows were raised, and her forehead crinkled in mean little daggers.

Katie shifted in her chair, “Uh, yes, I mean, I was going to take some classes to help me do better with my job here” Katie sputtered, “I uh, want to be a better employee, and to increase our fee revenue for the…”

“I think you’re making a mistake,” Karen said bluntly in a direct, lowered voice. “Customer service representatives can make up to $28,000 dollars a year, and we’ve invested a lot of time and training into developing you as a sales rep.” Then she said matter-of-factly, “Every new employee who utilizes the education benefits ends up losing focus on our number one goal, and that is to bring in fee revenue for the bank.”

“I understand, I uh, thought that was a perk,” Katie uttered dejectedly with the realization that she'd have to put off taking classes again. “That figures!” she thought, and in an effort to save her job Katie forced a confident smile and offered a cheerful proclamation, “I’m 100% committed to doing a good job here. I am so thankful for your coaching and guidance.”

“Alright then, I think I’ve made my point very clear.” Karen asserted. “Focus on your sales goals here, and then we’ll see if we can send you to another sales conference if you make your next quarterly targets, agreed?”

Katie, resigned and relieved, replied nervously, “Agreed, Karen. You’ll see a change in me for the better!”

When the two women rose, Karen noticed a glimpse of a tear forming in Katie’s eyes, and she oddly felt a pang of sympathy in the pit of her stomach. Karen shook it off and offered, “Hey, why don’t you take an early lunch break, and then we’ll go over your client list and action plan when you get back.” “That sounds like a plan, thanks,” Katie said with relief as she left the conference room and headed straight for the staff restroom.

In the restroom mirror, Katie straightened her outfit and fixed her makeup, then looked at her reflection and issued an order to herself, “Pull yourself together, now!"

When she reemerged into the bank lobby, Katie caught Beth’s concerned gaze and smiled cheerfully, and pumped her fist in a “go team” gesture. She stopped momentarily at her friend’s desk and feigned celebration, “Hey Beth, good news! After lunch Karen and I are going to reinvent our action plan and create some new goals…I’m so excited to put into practice what we learned yesterday!” Beth, privy to Katie’s predicament quizzically replied “Okay, go Team!” as Katie turned to head out for lunch.

Once outside, Katie paused and looked sideways before approaching the ATM in an effort to covertly check her bank balance. She let out a sigh of relief and whispered sarcastically, “Thank my lucky stars!” when she realized her bank balance was still $2.58, and not negative $397.42. “Well, at least I have a crumby $2.58 cents! Holy schmoly…I’m rich!” Katie whispered to herself as she walked to her car.

A few miles away, Katie coasted in on a nearly empty gas tank to the first gas pump at the carwash and rolled down her window, “Fill it up please, unleaded regular…thanks...do I pay inside?” “Yes ma’am, what kind of wash would you like today?” The attendant said. “Uh, how about a super wash, thanks.” “Thank you, the attendant said, “Here’s your ticket, just pay inside, ma’am.”

“Ma’am?” Katie scoffed to herself as she walked inside the car wash giftshop.

At the counter, Katie pulled out her checkbook and said in a rehearsed authoritative tone, “I’d like to pay my ticket please, may I write my check for $20 cash back?” “Sure,” the cashier said noticing the name tag that read Katie Lancelot, Customer Services Representative, Community Budget Bank. “That would be just fine,” the cashier replied.

“Thank you,” Katie said with a pert smile as she wrote her check, “I’m trying to get all of my errands done during lunch.” Scanning the store, she asked, “Do you mind if I look around the shop here while my car is being washed?”

“Sure, go ahead,” said the cashier, “There’s a café in the front if you have time to eat lunch.”

Katie nodded and pretended to be surprised. “Oh, why thank you.” On her way to the café, she happened to notice an affable-looking gentleman standing behind a table with a Vanguard University banner hanging in front of it.

Katie, knowing that she needed to meet potential clients at every opportunity, walked up to the table to talk to the gentleman. “Hello, how are you?” “I’m fine, just cleaning up a bit,” said the man. “Hmmm,” said Katie in a friendly voice, “What do you have here?” as she looked down at the table.

On the table were little black notebooks, and pamphlets for Vanguard University. “Well, I’m Josh Codey,” I volunteer at The Olive Branch Community Center on Olive Avenue, and I also work at the university’s student affairs office in San Diego. We are recruiting students for a degree completion program that is held on Tuesday nights." “Hmmm, and you’re advertising this program at a carwash during the lunch rush, that’s interesting,” Katie said sarcastically as she felt chills go down her spine. With curiosity, Katie hesitated with uncertainty before asking, “May I have a pamphlet?”

“Well of course. I’m just cleaning up here, as I have to get back to work,” Josh said, “But I have some brochures on the university, and these little black notebook as giveaways, and a few pens.” Josh seemed like he was in a hurry, but he handed Katie a new little black notebook and some brochures, and then he stopped for a moment to say, “We have an information meeting next Tuesday night if you’re interested.”

Katie held the flyer in her hands and skimmed over it with interest. “Thank you, I’ll think about it,” she said trying to sound casual. “Thanks again,” she said with a smile as she remembered the conversation with Karen back at the bank. Looking back, she announced to Josh nonchalantly, “I might try to attend,” and then she turned and walked towards the café without waiting for a reply.

Over lunch, Katie took a deep breath and pulled out two crinkled notices from her purse. One from the District Attorney’s office that announced yet another month without child support. “That figures,” she scoffed under her breath. Next, a notice of foreclosure that was freshly peeled off from her front door two mornings ago. After a deep breath and exhale, and a few bites of her sandwich, Katie put the notices away and opened up her new little black notebook and wrote, “Dear Universe, please send some help my way.”

As Katie shoved the papers into her purse, she spied a scholarship application that Josh Codey had given her. Katie gasped as she read the words, “$20,000 Scholarship for re-entry students.” For a moment, Katie pictured her daughters crying earlier that morning as she dropped off at daycare. Ellie had peed her pants in the car, and Maggie had a stomachache.

“How am I going to take classes now?” Katie thought as she sat and watched in silence as carwash attendants circled and dried her car with towels. After a few silent moments, Katie felt a sense of determination wash over her as she opened up her new little black notebook and wrote, “Universe, this is a sign! I WILL receive this scholarship…What classes should I take? I can’t wait to tell the girls…our future is looking better already!”