Thank You, Wells Fargo.

I don't even know. Maybe everybody's doing this, but when I saw the option today at my Wells Fargo ATM withdrawal to donate up to $249.49 to the American Red Cross, in aid of their efforts to succor the inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago - now, in their hour of great need, with towns and cities shattered by earthquakes, shorelines battered by tidal waves, the populace at large menaced by the threatening specter of radiation run amok - I almost cried, and I felt such relief to see that there was something, some meaningful contribution that I could make (small though my means may be), and that they could make it something so easily done. Paralyzed and confused as I always am when disaster strikes, I wish someone would always make it so easy to help.

I've read the reports. I know that there is always a sickening glut of profiteers rushing in to suck their ill-gotten lucre from the life's blood of these massive relief efforts, like so many filthy ticks on a hog! I suck at paperwork (if possible I suck even more at the clicky equivalent), and at knowing who to trust. And when I saw that message on the screen, the relief I felt was based on an odd realization. I suddenly realized that as much as they've pissed me off over the years with their fees, and with how they've handled my account, and with that infuriating ATM quirk where it insists on giving me two receipts now instead of one, even though all I want to do is a deposit + withdrawal (today I got three receipts! But that's understandable), I realized that...I trust Wells Fargo. I trust them to put secure measures in place, and to track and audit the disposition of funds. And with that realization, suddenly it seemed like maybe all that crap that's been ticking me off for so long, well...maybe some of it is my fault. Maybe if I'd only come in to speak with my friendly Wells Fargo representative, he or she could have explained to me what easy thing I was doing wrong in each case, straightened it out, and made it square.

And with that realization, suddenly as far as I'm concerned, all's right between me and Wells Fargo. All petty grievances forgiven. And like I said at the top, maybe everyone is doing this! Maybe all banks are doing this. I hope they are.

Thank you, Wells Fargo, for helping me do what I can to help. I know it isn't much. Thank you for making it easy.