Chase National Bank Is Too Cheap to Fly a New Flag

Geez. I've finally turned into my worst nightmare. Woman over fifty -- way over fifty -- with an ax to grind. Oh, well, too late.

So, yesterday I was out doing errands. I get into my car, look up and notice the flagpole in front of the Chase National Bank branch office in my town. You probably have one in your town. They have bought up every bank in the country as near as I can determine.

They are flying a flag that looks like it's been in a panty raid. It's ripped, stained, and faded. It's also twisted.  And it's caught in the branches of a tree. How rude.

I called them up.  Hello, I notice that your flag is tattered and torn. This is disrespectful. The flag should be taken down and disposed of properly, then replaced with a new one. Silence.  Uh, we'll look into it. Let me make myself clear. If you don't take it down today I will call your corporate offices to complain. Uh, sure, we'll look into it. 

Yo, Bill, you'll never believe the call I just got.

That was after lunch, around two.  After sundown I went back and the flag was still twisting in the wind.

Meanwhile I tried to find a local VFW or some veterans' group to stop by the bank and tell them how to properly fly the flag.  Several calls later, no luck. That adventure in itself is worth an entry.

So I emailed the editor of our local paper, suggesting that a story about flag etiquette with a picture I could provide might be appropriate some time. Also a call from a reporter might spur the bank to do something about their own disgraceful display.

This morning I had to be downtown. I didn't have time to drive over to the branch to take a photo of the flag that I knew was still hanging from the pole. 

Once downtown I called the corporate office of Chase in Chicago. I explained my citizen's concern to an incredulous operator who had me wait on hold.  

Yo, Alice, wait till I tell you about the crazy lady I'm talking to.

After considerable waiting, I talked to an Indian guy who took my name, noted my concern over the raggedy flag and said he would contact the branch. I mention that he was Indian only because it occurred to me that I might have been on hold waiting for another continent to pick up.

Tonight on my way home, I'll stop by the branch to see how the flag, at least what's left of it, is doing. I hope they haven't taken it down yet so I can post a photo here. 

Most of the time I don't get riled up about stuff like this. But the more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got at the nerve of this bloodsucking, mortgage lender to be so cheap that they couldn't fly a nice, shiny new flag.

It's a power thing. Some days I just want to see how quickly I can make a monolithic company do what I want it to do. Since we all have to jump to their tune the rest of the time.