A friend suggested the Ulster Savings Bank. It’s not the big chain that has a branch right across from Starbucks – that one would have put us in too much danger of calorie-intake at the drop of a deposit. USB is really cute. The tellers all seem to be friends despite their age differences (the older ones all ask the younger ones about their families). The bank seems extremely open, physically, reminiscent of the Savings and Loan from “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Opening my account was simply a matter of filling out a form and leaving at least $50 in an account. That entitled me to a big, spiffy cooler pack.
The next day we spotted an ad for KeyBank. They were offering a free iPod Nano for opening an account. The closest local branch is in Stone Ridge, about 30 minutes away. [Our GPS made its first error en route to this place, ordering us to take what has since become a private road.] I arrived ten minutes before closing time, and I was happy to discover that the manager, with the neato name of Kevin B. Cool, didn’t mind staying a bit late just to open a small account, even after I had announced that I had been attracted by the iPod offer. The bank was just as homey, and in fact I found out more about the manager than I’d really hoped to learn. But there was a difference between banks when it came to the Patriot Act.
According to Mr. B Cool, he was required by laws enacted five years ago to ask me certain questions having to do with money laundering. It didn’t seem to be an effective deterrent: It’s not like terrorists aren’t well-versed in the art of answering yes or no questions. The bank manager did call another branch to check on my references or something. I think the difference is that USB is a totally local, unaffiliated bank whereas KeyBank is a national chain. Still, I’ll take that iPod anytime
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