The Future

The future. 

I got a glimpse of the future the other day, and it wasn't good. In fact, I left feeling pretty disappointed. 

I was in Frisco this week dropping off our taxes, and decided to take care of some other errands while I was there. I was needing to deposit a check, and thought I would stop by the local branch of my bank. 

My purpose was actually two-fold. Along with taking care of the transaction, I thought I could visit with my favorite teller. For the last two years I had been making trip a to the bank to pick up the cash we needed for each month.  We had subscribed to Dave Ramsey's envelope system a few years before, and each month as I withdrew cash I enjoyed shooting the breeze with the teller.  

We both enjoyed sharing stories about our grandsons, and I looked forward to showing her updated pictures of mine. In such an impersonal world it was nice to actually establish a relationship with someone, kind of like the old Andy Griffith Mayberry days. 

I was really looking forward to seeing her again, and when I stepped into the bank it was was obvious that it had undergone a renovation, and I was met by an unfamiliar face. She led me to an ATM device instead of a person to take care of my transaction. The touch screen revealed a real person somewhere in the cyber-world. Although, I was able to accomplish what I had needed, I was sad that I wouldn't be seeing my familiar teller anymore. 

What seemed even more sad, though, was the reality that someday that person would probably be replaced by a human looking robot. Apparently, there really isn't any need for tellers anymore. Along with fast food workers demanding fifteen dollars an hour, bank teller jobs, I guess, are also going to be replaced by automation in the future. 

I wonder what else will fall to the wayside and be replaced by a robot in the next few years?  Regardless, I think we will be missing out on something.