Brothas

Acceptance

[City: Salem, Illinois, time: 11:35 A.M.]
[Location: Salem Trust Fund Bank Credit Union]

Tony's and my perspective inside the bank office:
After I entered the bank to deposit on my credit card, I found myself in a long queue. Patiently waiting for my turn, I randomly chose a clerk's desk to make my deposit. To my pleasant surprise, I spotted Tony, an old friend from my school and college days. It was a heartwarming moment when we recognized each other and shared a warm embrace.

I couldn't contain my excitement and exclaimed, "Tony, is that really you? I can't believe this!"

Tony, with a smile on his face, responded, "Yes, it's me! I'm thrilled to see you after all these years."

"Dude, can you believe it's been a decade since we were in school and college together? It feels like a lifetime ago," Tony mentioned as we were catching up after sharing a hug.

"Yeah, it's crazy how time flies. I'm just grateful that we've managed to reconnect after everything that's happened in the past 15 years, man. Life really has a way of throwing curveballs at us," I replied, reflecting on the ups and downs we've both experienced.

"And guess what? You won't even believe what's been going on lately," I added, eager to share some exciting news with Tony as we reminisced about our shared past and looked forward to the future.

Tony was really interested in hearing about how things have been going for me since graduating from school and college. He was eager to know about my future plans, so he said, "Tell me."

"Well, after we finished school and college, I ended up making a new friend all the way from Japan. We actually met at this cool bar called 'Survive Bar' in Isezaki Ijincho, after being relocated. We hit it off right away and became the best of friends. Eventually, his group of friends suggested that he move to a new city, and I offered him to stay with me as roommates. So now, we're living together and having a great time," I explained to Tony, making sure he knew who my friend Ichiban was.

"Sounds awesome!" Tony replied with excitement.

"After that, Mike, my roommate, and I all team up at a company called 'Hello Work'. We work together as colleagues, going through candidates' resumes and comparing their qualifications to see if they are a good fit for the job or not. This is part of the follow-up process after conducting interviews." I shared with Tony the effective partnership and cooperation that exists between Ichiban, Mike, and myself at Hello Work.

"Nice one," Tony replied with a grin.

I was about to continue the conversation when Sabrina, the bank supervisor, noticed Tony chatting with me instead of focusing on his work. "Tony! You can't just wander around and slack off with your buddy. Get back to work, we're a team," she scolded him.

After Sabrina reprimanded Tony, I turned to her and explained, "Sorry, ma'am, we were just catching up. Tony was helping me with a credit card deposit. I apologize for any inconvenience."

Sabrina nodded in understanding, acknowledging my explanation. She then addressed both Tony and me, "I get it, but could you do this during your break, Tony? I don't want others to report to you. Please catch up in your own time and focus on work while you're here."

Tony nodded in agreement, realizing his mistake. "Got it, Sabrina. Thanks for the reminder," he said, before returning to his tasks.

I smiled at Sabrina, grateful for her understanding and guidance in maintaining professionalism in the workplace.

As Sabrina walked away, I turned back to Tony and whispered, "Let's catch up later during lunch break, alright?"

Tony nodded, "Definitely, man. Sorry about that, I got carried away."