Right or left-handed

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I was born ‘way back in 1932. Evidently at that time if you were born left handed, your Momma didn’t let you stay left handed. Of course, I only have my own Momma to judge this by.

I was quite grown into adulthood when she admitted to me that I was born left handed and to correct that matter, she hung a toy on a long string to hang down from a doorknob. I have no idea how many total hours I was expected to bat at this thing with my right hand until I changed which hand came up first.

This process was effective up to a point. I have always written with my right hand. No problem there. However, that baby creator in the sky intended me to be left handed and all manual things I do, I just automatically do with my left hand. Sorry, Momma, but it’s just as natural to me as can be.

The only problem to come out of this quandary came as a bank teller.

I have spent 15 years working in banks. I worked in one in Cleveland for 5 years, prior to moving to Georgia.

In Cleveland, there is a bar on every corner. On Fridays we would close at 2 p.m., grab a bite to eat and reopen at 4 p.m. to give out thousands of one dollar bills and five dollar bills and an untold number of coins. It never failed, if I was waiting on someone new, I would get halfway through counting and they would say, “oh, you’re a southpaw, huh.” I would just bob my head up and down indicating, yes. No explanation was needed and I could keep my concentration on counting out several thousand dollars accurately.

I have worked in Georgia with small banks and large ones. At the Bank of Hapeville I met “George Washington.” Yes, that was his real name. This was in the early 1960’s and this delightful character was probably in his 50’s but had the mind of a child. One day the bank examiners were visiting and George, who always wore a sheriff’s badge, came in with a gun, announcing he was holding us up. It took a few minutes to bring the examiners up to speed, but in the meantime, the expressions on their faces were priceless.

Those of you who remember Mills Lane, longtime president of the C&S Bank, will appreciate my honor of working in Atlanta at the main bank. I was a teller in the loan department, right across from his office. Over several years I saw a number of very interesting people go in and out of that office, including the former governor, Carl Sanders.

I no longer have to do very many manual tasks, but yes, I still have to do them with my left hand. Just don’t tell my Momma.