Sunday, December 29, 2013

SOUTH BOSTON SAVINGS BANK

When I was around 8 my father announced that he was going to give me an allowance of 25 cents a week. I was allowed to spend it anyway I wished. Since I was a movie nut I chose to blow it all on the Saturday matinee. It cost 10cents to get in and that left 15 cents for a soft drink, popcorn and a candy bar. I know …I know…that dates me but that’s what it cost in the 1940’s. But for other money I received for my birthday and errands I ran, my father encouraged me to start saving. He gave me a large jar and I would deposit my money there. Now every night I would count it out. My mother laughed because it reminded her of an Ebeneezer Scrooge character that lived in her home town in Albania. His name was Dhimitri Bino and that is what she called me when I was counting.
 When the jar was full my father decided that I should open an account at the South Boston Savings Bank. So he walked me to West Broadway and I remember passing through Greek like columns to the inside counter. There I gave my money to the bank clerk and he came back with a small brown book he called a passbook. Inside was inscribed my name  with the amount of the deposit, five dollars. With the South Boston Savings bank Passbook in hand I felt I had passed into adulthood.





No comments: