Anecdote from Small Town, Alabama
As some of you know, I've spent the last few days in my
Alabama hometown. Well, one of those days was my 59th
birthday (March 11, for those who must know). Anyway, Mom
presented me with a check as a gift.
I took said check to Small Town Bank. The teller I presented
the check to asked for ID so I gave my PENNSYLVANIA license.
Now, the teller in the next window has known me since high
school, but I digress. She dutifully writes my DL number and
address and THEN calls my Mom, whose number is on the check.
"Hi, miz (Mom's name), I have a check for (amount) payable to
(me), can you verify it?. OK, thank you". When she hung up, I
said, "you just HAD to call Mother, huh"? The other teller was 
= new reply since forum marked as read
That's hilarious!
I wonder if that's their normal procedure?
To be fair, the teller is probably a trainee, very young lady who most likely
was covering her ass. "K" COULD have identified me in a heartbeat, I think
she was playing with the newbie.
Small town hospital let me pay off a 200.00 bill in monthly installments, over a phone discussion.
No credit check, no insistance on my first born, none of that stuff.
Sure, sometimes merchants here get taken in by smooth talkers, but that has not stopped them from issuing
credit and delayed payments.
Woud not change where I live for anywhere in the world.
Happy belated birthday and I hope you get to have as much small town life as you want!! 
My 4 day visit has been eye-opening. Gotta go back to PA tomorrow,
but I WILL be back.
"My home's in Alabama
No matter where I lay my head.
My home's in Alabama
Southern born and Southern bred".
