He's not giving up
Well, tomorrow I face my friend the bank teller again.
Last visit, he greeted me warmly, after my long month away in the States. He started counting my bills....then stopped......flipped my check over, sighed, and shook his head:
-OK, aah, there is it. Your signature.
He looks at me over his half moon glasses.
-You can sign wherever you want, you know.
-Oh, really? I answer, feigning surprise..
-In my country we sign it right up top there, like I did.
His eyes haven't moved.
-Wherever you want. You can sign it right down the middle, he adds, finally moving his eyes back to the 2 centimeter signature I've crammed up at the top of the check.
-In Spain you have the whole check to write on.
He finishes with a dramatic hand gesture, flipping his wrist to to show me just how "whole" the whole check is. The check does suddenly look much larger.
He catches my eyes again and holds me there. Pleading.
-Wherever you want, Erin.
-Wherever.
I wonder if I am straining his eyes or something. Do you think? Do they give classes in how to invent your own 4 inch fully flourished never to be forgotten Spanish signature? A signature worthy of the entire back of a check?
Last visit, he greeted me warmly, after my long month away in the States. He started counting my bills....then stopped......flipped my check over, sighed, and shook his head:
-OK, aah, there is it. Your signature.
He looks at me over his half moon glasses.
-You can sign wherever you want, you know.
-Oh, really? I answer, feigning surprise..
-In my country we sign it right up top there, like I did.
His eyes haven't moved.
-Wherever you want. You can sign it right down the middle, he adds, finally moving his eyes back to the 2 centimeter signature I've crammed up at the top of the check.
-In Spain you have the whole check to write on.
He finishes with a dramatic hand gesture, flipping his wrist to to show me just how "whole" the whole check is. The check does suddenly look much larger.
He catches my eyes again and holds me there. Pleading.
-Wherever you want, Erin.
-Wherever.
I wonder if I am straining his eyes or something. Do you think? Do they give classes in how to invent your own 4 inch fully flourished never to be forgotten Spanish signature? A signature worthy of the entire back of a check?
Labels: on living in Spain
posted by Erin at
8:50 PM
3 Comments:
LOL, Moof. I went to a ferreteria today to have them cut me a long phone cord, simple thing, but I got a treat when the owner made me a receipt so I could pick up my cord tomorrow, complete with lovely florid, lines crossing illegible signature, his, and of course, the official ink stamp.
I may have to do another post jus on the ink stamps.
By
Erin, at 7:55 PM
My landlord in Spain, Jesus Ferris, of the moving company, had an amazing signature. He started drawing a circle, and spiraled inwards until he couldn't spiral any more, and then, of course without picking up the pen, drew a perfect straight line for himself to sign on, and then he proceeded to sign the signature. I have tried to copy the style 100 times. It comes out like scribble. Not artistic scribble either. His, was magnificent. I am still in awe! I think it's best I can't emulate it. I'd be signing everything I could get my hands on. Walls, floors, whatever!
Yusuf
By
Anonymous, at 5:38 AM
Ha, it does sound like a work of art, Yusuf. It does fascinate me how the Spanish develop such gorgeous (if unreadable, as Moof says) firmas. At what age do you sit down and start designing your signature? And when do you know you're done...that you've got it?
Bet nobody goes around forging your old landlord's signature, huh?
By
Erin, at 10:05 PM
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