Snatches from my Memoirs (UK)- Part One

This is quite long. It's about 2,700 words so bear with me if you feel like reading through it anyway


Part one:

Though bad luck is not something new to my life, it was not before September, 1st for me to experience the unluckiest day in my life. That day made me realise that my previous strings of bad luck were not as bad as I had initially believed. Now I really regret the amount of breath I wasted cursing those moments along with my personal demons. Oh well, it’s too late to regret anything now. I just want to tell you about my day.

It was a fine day; clear and breezy. It was one of the days when you get the chance to appreciate the awe-inspiring colour of the sky in a place where the clouds are the prominent predators of sunshine. It was my last day in the UK and soon I would be flying back home after spending one full year in England, North Yorkshire. My heart was gripped with sadness thinking that the day when I had to leave this place had already come. I used to it. I loved it. It was like a second home to me. I even could not bear staying in my room knowing that I had to leave it forever. Everything in that room had become part of me. Every piece of its furniture has merged into my body and so departure was like tearing off raw slices of my flesh. The imminent hour of departure felt heavy on my soul and lumps of bitterness started to form in my throat.

Anyway, I started packing since the night before but I had not finished yet. Though I could have done with the packing in one day, the compulsive complacent part of me makes me always leave a thing or two for the last crazy minutes. It might be a bad thing to some but it is a sweet bad habit to me.

My flight was at 8:55 pm. I still had plenty of time in the morning. Well, it was not a free time that needed to be killed in a typical Mikhail Alexandrovichian fashion. I had to do two inevitable things: handing in my final assignment and closing my back account. I had printed out the research a day before and I only had to get it bound which had never been a big deal to me since it would not be the first time for me to go to the only place in the whole of the city that I know it can neatly bind up the 85 pages of my research. So I had to get finished with these two basic things before midday since I had a train to catch at 4:11.

I did not sleep that night. I left my room at 9:00 heading towards the Students Union of my university to get my research papers bound. Ten minutes later I arrived at the glassy doors of the Union. The big hall was unusually dark. It was closed! It was the first time in my life to see that particular place closed. I thought that I had come a bit early though deep down I knew very well that it was not too early. I waited till 9:40. Nothing happened. 10:00 and still the door remained frozen. I did not know of any other place where I can go to bind my papers. I rushed to the city centre, nonetheless hoping to find one. I did not find anything there. All I could see were Marks & Spencer, Next, Look, River Land, O2, BT, The Royal Scottish Bank, Cathedrals, the big white Wheel of the city slowly moving around, and a plethora of human voices.

It was hopeless. To me it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. I then decided to do the other thing: closing my back account. I headed to the bank. It was Barclays and was situated right opposite to the big wheel of the city which looks similar to the London Eye if you have seen or heard about it.
One of the bank’s staff asked this random question:

Do you want to make a payment or withdrawal?
Oh, no. I am actually here for something else. I’d like to close my account!

It was an awkward moment and I cannot help myself laughing every time I remember it.

Anyway, I took my place in the queue. There were six staff members on the semi-circled counter. My turn had come.

* How can I help you sir?
* Hi, I’d like to close my back account please (handing her my card)
* Any particular reason sir?
* I am going home.
* Why? Do not you like it here?
* I love it really but I had to go home (faking a sad smile lol)
* So when are you going home?
* Today.
* I see. Do you have any identification card or document like a passport?
* (Slightly shocked) I do not have my passport but I have got my ID card. Is it OK?
* We are sorry we do not accept that.
* A moment of silence. She started asking me some of the most random questions I have ever been asked to make certain that I was the real card holder.
* When was the last time you withdrew money? This morning.
* How much? £50
* What is your phone number?

I had to check it on my phone because I do not even memorise my UK phone number. It’s not that random though but I just did not feel there was a reason to remember it there lol Or simply because I was too lazy to do so!

* What is your mother’s last name?
* What is your postal code?

She went on with her questions. Though I was pressed for time I enjoyed answering her questions because they were easy. They were about me. The feeling of success in front of that lady was extra sensational.

So, that is me now?
Yes, that is you. (Smiling to each other )
Do you know how much cash do you have in your card?
I really do not know.
You have got quite a lot lol
I laughed faking yet another smile lol
She got me the cash in a white envelope.
Oh, you were right. That was really a lot!! I have to keep it in a safe place lol (giving her my typical teasing look =p)
Yes, you should =p

I slid the envelope in my laptop’s bag in which I was carrying my research papers.