1. Teller
as a teller i tell people things
like no
but mostly yes
and
can you wait a minute i need to ask my manager
and i smile and give dogs treats
i didn’t know you could bring dogs into banks
but people bring their dogs in all the time and i begin to pretend to love dogs
and some of the people love me they wait for me every time
i love counting the money
i touch it with my hands and i think
that everyone in the whole state who sells
drugs or puts them up their nose using a rolled up bill
or works for tips
or strips has touched money that i’ve touched and i love that
it’s like holding hands but dirty
when people bring in coins it’s dirty in a bad way
if someone brings in an old jar full of coins there will be weed in it
and fingernails
sometimes a bullet
when we find a penny on the ground we say “teller 50!” and throw it away
i never stole money from the bank
i am a professional person
the state certifies that i am a person so i can watch people sign things
this is called being a notary
i’m notoriously being flirted with by men in their 80s at the bank
i have regulars i love at the bank
i see how much money everyone has at the bank
i’m telling you all this because i have to
2. The Vault
when patty tells you a secret she says
this is in the vault okay?
the vault is just a room with a safe in it
it’s a pretty big safe
the safe is full of cash
but not as much cash as you might think
most money doesn’t exist
at least corporeally
like all ideas it is real
but also there is some cash
it gets counted by hands
the vault is guarded by timed passcodes
upper and lower
meaning each person knows only half the code
and you have to wait
it is supposed to make robberies inconvenient
is it easier to steal non corporeal money?
of course
but not as exciting in the moment
you cannot roll around in it
unless you are also an idea
like me, the vault
a carpeted room pretending
