Thanks, Regis

Who's the winner? I am! That's who!

There is the strangest phenomena a few blocks from me: a drive-thru bank in Park Slope. A parking lot is a big investment among high rent, low square-footage, fancy boutiques on a block of multi-million dollar brown stones. But nevertheless Commerce Bank, in their quest to be the most convenient, went for in car banking. Risky, but a parking lot in Brooklyn certainly gets your attention. I hear from a little policeanado birdie that Commerce Bank also takes big risks with their floor plans. Against all recommendations of the NYPD, the entryways are big and open and the windows are floor to ceiling.

In this banking climate it does not pay to take risks, and Commerce Bank has suddenly become TD bank. Those of you that live in international communities will know that stands for Toronto-Dominion Bank. Yes, it is happening, we are being invaded by Canada.

However, other than the name, it appears nothing has changed. They are still open on Sundays and they still have dog treats at the counter along with the lollipops. But, most importantly, they still have the Penny Arcade, the change counter. Some of you may remember the ads several years ago, before Julia Lewis Dreyfus broke the Seinfeld curse with "Old Christine", of her walking down the street with a purse full o' silver and cashing in at Commerce bank.

Well, Penny is awesome. She is a cartoon character that guides the packrat spendthrift through the process of putting coins in the machine while sorting out the garbage and valuables that may have been stored with the coins. Before the real fun begins, she prompts the depositor to guess how much coinage they have brought in to turn into real money. If your guess is within $1.99 of the combined total, you win a prize.

Well guess what? I won. I took in all the coins on my nightstand as well as the remnants of a pre-washingmachinecard roll of quarters. I guessed $32.45. Penny doesn't give the final count until all the change has been counted so I missed out on the suspense of see the numbers match up. But still, nothing uplifts a rainy day like winning something. The final count was $32.53. Woo Woo!

At the counter I exchanged my receipt for money.

Teller: How would you like this?
Me: In bills?

She gave me a twenty a ten and a few ones and coins and smiled. Then I asked for my prize.

Me: Look, I'm a winner
Teller: Would you like one of those plastic things you put money in?
Me: What?

She held up a plastic child's bank with the TD logo on it. I looked at that piece of landfill and said, no I did not want it. She gave me a look of silent agreement and shoved several packets of after-dinner mints and a magnet (shown above) at me.

Sometimes winning is its own reward.

Oh, and FYI, Regis and Kelly are all over the ads for TD bank.