The Card Man

Hello, Everybody--Nice seeing you again.

One day, years ago, I was walking down Madison Avenue on lunch break from my dayjob at a law firm. I was on the west side of the street between 39th and 40th, when a chubby little man with a bad haircut, wearing an ill-fitting, brown blazer, handed me a business card as he walked past. The card had the name of some employment agency on it, and I tossed it into the next trashcan I came to.

A few months later, he did it again. I was on lunch break, on Madison, near the spot where I saw him before, and he handed me the same card. “What is this?” I asked.

He looked a little startled when I spoke to him. “It’s about a job,” he said.

“What kind of job?”

The question seemed to make him uncomfortable. “You have to call,” he said, sidling away.

When I got back to my office, I did call. A woman answered. “Hi,” I said. “A gentleman gave me your card and suggested I call about a job.”

“You’ll have to come in to the office, “ said the woman.

“What kind of jobs do you have?” I asked. “Are you a temp agency?”

“I can’t talk about it on the phone,” she said. “You have to come in and see us.” Of course, I never did.

After that I noticed that the card man was usually around Madison at lunchtime, but I avoided him after that and never spoke to him again. Then I left the law firm and went about having the rest of my life. I didn’t go to midtown very much, until a couple of years ago when I got the job at the dog magazine. During my first week on the job I walked down Madison on my lunch break, and there was the card man, standing in front of the Citibank on 42nd Street. He was still tubby, still sporting his bad haircut, still dressed in a baggy brown blazer—still handing out cards. I watched him for a little while, and noticed that he handed out cards only to young women in office clothes—attractive women, but not TOO attractive, in nice clothes that weren’t TOO nice: paralegals, executive assistants, junior bank tellers—that sort of girl. When I saw one of them toss her card on the sidewalk, I swooped down and picked it up. As far as I could tell, it was the same as the one the card man had given me all those years ago.

Being older and wiser, I have a better idea now of what kind of job the card man is offering. I started paying attention, and found that the card man stood in front of the Citibank every day from noon to 2 PM. It fascinated me that no one but me seemed to notice him: Hello! He’s there every day! It amazed me that someone could have the same job for at least 14 years, especially a job like handing out business cards on Madison Avenue. How much does something like that pay? Not much, judging by the card man’s haircut and clothes, but who knows? Maybe he’s part owner of the business and put his daughter through dental school by handing out cards. I decided to call his office again. I dialed the number when I got back to the dog magazine, but nobody answered. That’s when I decided, finally, to go visit the card man’s “agency.”

The address wasn’t far from the building where I work now, and I walked down there at lunch the next day. I had to sign in at the security desk in the lobby, and I realized I was very nervous. I imagined walking into a small reception area and trying to explain that the card man had approached me about 14 years ago and I just wanted to know what it was they actually did there. Like they would tell me. So I didn’t know what I would say, or what they would say, or what would happen after that, but as it turned out, nothing happened at all. I took the elevator up and stood in the hallway outside the door. It was an old-fashioned building, and the offices all had those wooden doors with the pebbled glass panels. The name painted on the glass of the office was not the same as the name on the card, and on the other side of the door I heard men answering phones and shouting at each other and laughing. It sounded like what I imagined a stock-scam boiler-room operation would sound like. I left without going in.

I kept watching the card man, though. After a while I began to find it kind of reassuring to see him every day at his station in front of Citibank, handing out his cards and luring young ladies into a life of vice. The card man was an eternal verity in a constantly changing world. One day I didn’t get out to lunch until very late, and I saw the card man as he was leaving for the day. He glanced at his watch, adjusted his jacket, and turned and headed up Madison. I had an intense urge to follow him and find out where he goes when he’s not handing out cards, but I had errands to run and decided I couldn’t take the time. “What if this is the last time I ever see him?” I thought. “What if he walks away and I never see him again?” But then I thought that was silly. The next day he was back at his post, and all was well with the world. It wasn’t until the following week that he disappeared.

The card man was gone. I checked every day for a week or two: No card man. “Was he okay?” I wondered. “Did something happen to him?” I could make up lots of stories about what might happen to someone like that, and they weren’t happy, he-just-won-the-lottery kinds of stories, they all involved Bellevue Hospital, or Riker’s Island, or worse. Poor card man. But then, after a few weeks, after I’d given up even looking for him any more, there he was. He was standing back in front of Citibank, handing out his cards, looking even worse than he’d looked before, with just about the most godawful haircut I’ve ever seen on a human being. Of course, I can’t just go up and say welcome back, and ask what happened, and tell him I was worried about him. Instead, I pretended to be a tourist taking pictures, and I got a couple of him but I could tell that he could tell I was photographing him and it was making him fretful, so I had to stop. Since he’s come back, he’s not there every day, either. Every time he’s not there, I think that’s it, he’s gone for good, but then I see him again. So he’s back, but it’s different: That’s just the way it is now. But I still don’t think anyone but me notices if he’s there or not.

Thanks for reading my blog entry this week, and may God bless.

Comments

[23 Wolves]

i think you should talk to him, because definitely he will die. he sounds like the key to a mystery, possibly one that is unclear at this point. press him ever so lightly for details. it's a good idea!

[Michael]

to me it sounds better than a Paul Auster novel. But I would be to scared to talk to him. It could wind up being a "Don't Look Now" scenerio....

[spong]

Have a nice little business card made up, thanking the "agency" for changing your life - but be vague, make it mysterious. If he doesn't recognize you, just walk up one day, present the card, and disappear. Or have a friend that he WON'T recognize do it. Perhaps HE does not know who he works for.

[Ed Word]

I think its art.

[Matt]

Maybe recruiting women for some female-oriented MLM "job" (scam). They'll usually only reveal "job" details in person.

Like Scentura Creations / World Perfume, try a google on those.

I heard about this on your radio show awhile back. I'd love to find out the answer to this mystery!

Matt

[DAMARI]

Subject: IS IT LEGAL TO LIE TO THE DFEH & US DEPT OF LABOR? CITIGROUP DID & THEY LIE TO CLIENTS IN CARMEL PLEASE READ THIS LETTER SENT TO THE MONTEREY HERALD
The Monterey County Herald
Attn: Herald Executive Editor, Carolina Garcia
8 Upper Ragsdale
Monterey, CA 93940
[email protected]
(831) 646-4306

Ms. Garcia,

I have attempted through several sources to clarify my
position regarding my unfair treatment by my previous
employer, Citibank. I had no previous plans to leave
my position as Head Teller at the Citibank branch in
Carmel. After 4 years of employment with the company,
the unfair and unequal treatment of employees led to
medically supervised work-related stress. The manager
of the branch then accused me of job abandonment which
led to my termination via UPS delivery on December 15,
2005, while I was at home on medical leave.

Subsequent to my termination, I received numerous
correspondences that referenced me as terminated, no
longer with the company, and as a former employee. My
401K and pension have both been forwarded to me.
However, when interviewed by the Department of Fair
Employment and Housing, Citibank representatives
reported that I was terminated due to not personally
reporting my absence, but rather having medical
documentation reported by my physician. When
interviewed by the U. S. Department Wage and Hours
Division, Citibank representatives reported on August
8, 2006, that I was still an employee of the company
and that a letter indicating such would be forwarded
to me. To date, this letter has not been received.

I have continued to be in contact with several clients
that have stated that Citibank representatives
indicated that I was either on vacation, or that I
voluntarily resigned in order to work with my husband
in his new business. This is absolutely untrue. It was
my intention to continue my employment as the benefits
were extremely important to me, as well as to my
family.

Clearly, there has been a gross misrepresentation by
Citibank, either to its clients or to the U. S.
Department Wage and Hours Division. It is my position
that I was unfairly terminated by Citibank. The
unscrupulous behavior of Citibank and its
representatives, locally and at the corporate level,
is unacceptable.

It is also my opinion that if a corporation as large
as Citibank is representing itself on a local level,
the local management and staff should act accordingly.
A large part of the attraction of the Monterey area is
the sense of community that is felt here on a day to
day basis. If Citibank is allowed to misrepresent its
actions to clients and government agencies, where will
the corporate takeover end?

Sincerely,




Damari Stratford
[email protected]
[email protected] wrote:

Subject: Re: Your message to the governor was received
THE GOVERNOR HAS WRITTEN ME TWICE AND SAID HE WOULD
HELP,, CITIBANK HAS LIED TO THE DFEH AND US LABOR DEPT
WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION AND TO THEIR CLIENTS ABOUT MY
STATUS, I NEED HELP, HOW CAN I FIGHT WHEN THIS
CORPORATION IS TELLING LIES AND HAS ALL THE LAWYERS
THEY NEED AND I CAN'T AFFORD ONE. HOW MANY TIMES ARE
THEY GOING TO GET AWAY WITH MISTREATING EMPLOYEES
ON 8/8/06 RONAN FROM THE US DEPT OF LABOR WAS TOLD BY
A CITIBANK ATTORNEY THAT THEY WOULD SEND ME A LETTER
EXPLAINING MY STATUS AS STILL AN EMPLOYEE, I HAVE YET
TO GET THIS LETTER, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO PUT A
LETTER TOGETHER IF THEY ARE TELLING THE TRUTH?
YOUR OFFICE AS WELL AS THE FIRST LADY'S OFFICE HAS
CALLED ME BUT WE AREN'T GETTING ANYWHERE. IT HAS BEEN
7 MONTHS SINCE I FIRST WROTE THE GOVERNOR. CITIBANK
ATTORNEYS HAVE CANCELLED 2 DEPOSITIONS AT THE LAST
MINUTE THE LAST INE THEY CANCELLED WAS AFTER TALKING
TO THE US LABOR DEPARTMENT,WHY?
MY JOB WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY AND I PLEASE
HELP ME AND MY FAMILY AND ALL THOSE BEFORE ME THAT
HAVE BEEN WRONGFULLY TERMINATED BY CITIBANK FOR NO
GOOD REASON
WHY IS EVERYONE SO AFRAID OF CITIGROUP? WHY CAN'T I
FIND AN ATTORNEY WILLING TO STAND UP TO THEM ON A
CONTINGENCY BASIS? I VOTED FOR THE GOVERNOR AND I NEED
HIM NOW
PLEASE CALL ANN FROM THE DFEH AT 408-277-1916 THEY
TOLD HER THAT I HAD CALLED IN ILL ON 11/15/05 AND THAT
I TOLD THEM I WOULDN'T BE IN, THIS IS A LIE I WORKED
THAT DAY AND I CAN PROVE THIS WITH MY IME CARD, THEN
THEY SAY THEY MADE AN ERROR
PLEASE CALL RONAN AT 415-744-5590 EXT 226 FROM THE US
LABOR DEPT TO VERIFY WHAT CITIBANK ATTORNEYS SAID. THE
ONLY REASON THEY OFFERED ME FMLA IS BECAUSE I FILED
FOR DISABILITY, BEFORE THAT THEY HAD PAID OUT MY FINAL
PAYCHECK, FIRED ME VIA UPS, SENT ME COBRA INFORMATION.
PLEASE HELP US PLEASE SEE THAT THE GOVERNOR GETS THIS
EMAIL AND ASK HIM TO MAKE A CALL ON MY BEHALF
CORPORATE AMERICA NEEDS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR
GOOD EMPLOYEES AND NOT ALLOW A MANAGER WITH BAD SKILLS
TO FIRE SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE HE WANTS TO
SINCERELY DAMARI STARTFROD
MOTHER WIFE HUMAN BEING AND I VOTED FOR THE GOVERNOR
I MATTER TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


CITIBANK IN CARMEL LIES TO CLIENTS ABOUT WHY I AM NOT
THERE. THEY TELL PEOPLE THAT I AM ON VACATION OR THAT
I LEFT TO WORK FOR MY HUSBAND INSTEAD OF TELLING THEM
HAT THEY FIRED ME AFTER MY DOCTOR FAXED IN A NOTE AND
CALLED IN FOR ME TO PROTECT ME FROM HAVING MY BLOOD
PRESSRE RISE. JEFF URSINO AND KATHLEEN MUNOZ LIES TO
ANN AT THE DFEH AND THEIR LAWYERS LIED TO THE US DEPT
OF LABOR. KATHLEN WAS DOING THE OVERDRAFT ON HER
DAUGHTERS ACCOUNTS AND REFUNDED HER OWN DAUHGTER MONEY
WHILE THE MANAGER WAS ON VACATION. SHE LIES ABOUT
BEING FIRED FROM WELLS FARGO, SHE LIED TO THE WORKERS
COMP PEOPLE AND WILL LIE TO ANYONE. KATHLEEN HAD
INSTUCTED THE OTHER TELLERS TO COOK THE BOOKS BY
HAVING THEM PUT IN FALSE REFEERALS AND JEFF URSINO DID
NOTHING ABOUT IT BUT I GOT WRITTEN UP FOR MISSING WORK
WITH A DOCTORS NOTE. THEY STATE TO ONE AGENCY THAT I
WAS FIRED AND TO THE OTHER THAT I AM STILL EMPLOYED,
THEY STATE I WAS FIRED FOR NOT CALLING IN YET I WAS
RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE MY DOCTOEOR CALL IN AND FAX
MY NOTE IN DUE TO THE STRESS AND HARRASSMENT BROUGHT
ON BY JEFF AND CITIBANK, WHERE ARE THE ETHICS IN THIS
COMPANY


NOW THEY ARE TELLING MORE LIES TO THE DEPT OF FAIR
EMPLOYMENT AND HOUSING JEFF TELLS THEM WHY I WAS FIRED
AND THEIR LAWYERS TELL THE US DEPT OF LABOR THAT I AM
STILL EMPLOYEED
PLEASE HELP US GET THIS STORY OUT TO THE WORLD IF IT
ISN'T TOO MUCH TO ASK:) HOW DO YOU FIGHT LIARS, HOW DO
THEY SLEEP AT NIGHT
CITIBANK IN CARMEL 831-624-8258 CALL AND ASK THEM
WHERE I AM ASK FOR KATHLEEN AND ASK HER WHY SHE LIES
THIS WOMAN WAS HAVING CITIBANK PAY FOR HER DAUGHTER
OVERDRAFTS AND HER A TELLER REFUND HER OWN DAUGHTER
MONEY WHILE THE MANAGER WAS OUT ON VACATION SO WHY
SHOULD ANYONE BELEIVE THIS UNETHICAL PERSON JUST AS
JEFF URSINO THE MANAGER OF THE CAPITOLA BRANCH LIES TO
HIS BOSSES TO MAKE HIMSELF LOOK BETTER PLEASE HELP US
WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME
HOW DO YOU FIGHT A CORPORATION LIKE THIS
Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
DAMARI AND CITIBANK HERE IS THE TRUTH!!
To set the record straight!
Damari was fired by Citibank in Carmel!
Damari did not leave the bank to go work for her
husband!!!!
DAMARI HAD NO PLANS TO LEAVE CITIBANK!
DAMARI PLANNED ON STAYING FOR ANOTHER 16YRS.
THE BENEFITS WERE VERY IMPORTANT TO HER FAMILY!!
DAMARI WAS FIRED VIA UPS WHILE AT HOME ILL DUE TO WORK
RELATED STRESS BROUGHT ON BY THE MANAGER AND THE
UNFAIR AND UNEQUAL TREATMENT OF EMPLOYEES
ALONG WITH BEING THREATEN AND HARASSED
BY THE MANAGER FOR JOB ABANDOMENT.
SEVERAL OF
Citibank clients have TOLD HER that they have been
told by the staff at the Carmel branch :
THAT SHE LEFT TO GO WORK FOR HER HUSBAND!
THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE!!!!
What else will they lie about?
Are they ashamed of what was done??
WHY DO THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO SAY SHE LEFT TO GO WORK
WITH HER HUSBAND
( I DO NOT WORK FOR MY HUSBAND)
( I DO NOT WORK FOR JND PLUMBING)
(NOR AM I ON VACATION)
INSTEAD OF JUST TELLING THE TRUTH ?
IS THERE ANYONE IN THE CARMEL BRANCH THAT COULD SWEAR
TO THIS? NO!
You can reach Damari at [email protected]
ENOUGH WITH THE LIES CITIBANK!!!
IF YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS PLEASE SEND HER AN EMAIL
CITIBANK TOLD
THE US LABOR DEPT WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION ,
ON 08/08/06
THAT I AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE
YET I HAVE LETTERS AND DOCUMENTS
THAT CLEARLY USE THE WORDS
TERMINATED
NO LONGER WITH THE COMPANY
FORMER EMPLOYEE
AND MY 401K AND PENSION HAVE BEEN SENT TO ME AS OF
8/24/06 I HAVE YET TO GET THE LETTER FROM CITIBANK
WHICH EXPLAINS HOW I AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE! HOW LONG
DOES IT TAKE TO WRITE A LETTER IF YOU ARE TELLING THE
TRUTH HOW CAN THEY SAY TO THE US DEPT OF LABOR THAT I
AM STILL AN EMPLOYEE YET THEY TELL THE DFEH THAT THEY
FIRED ME FOR NOT CALLING IN, WHAT IS THE TRUTH
CITIBANK??????????
CITIBANK STATES THAT I WAS FIRED FOR NOT CALLING IN
YET MY DOCTOR CALLED IN FOR ME THE DAY BEFORE AND ALSO
FAXED IN A NOTE FOR ME WHICH THE MANAGER RETURNED TO
ME WITH MY LETTER OF TERMINATION. THEY KNEW THE DAY
BEFORE THAT I WASN'T COMING IN SO WHY WOULD HE CALL TO
ASK IF I WAS COMING IN IF IT WAS CLEARLY STATED ON THE
NOTE AND TOLD TO THEM BY MY DOCTOR TO PROTECT MY
HEALTH
JUST MORE LIES BY THE CITIBANK STAFF IN CARMEL

DCSbears...

I whole heartedly understand you delemma, and my heart goes

out to you.

a few years back, I worked for citibank/corp. for one full year.

It was without doubt the worst job, and the worst nightmare I have

ever lived. The treatment of employees was abominable, among many

other things. .

I worked with people that had been there for years. They were not treated
any better, than I was.

I quit in the middle of the day. I sat in my car for a good twenty minutes

breathing in what was for me, the most fresh air I had in one year.

In the following year, at least six people I had worked with, and had been there

for years, were let go, with the very worst excuses ever. Of course the lost all

benifits, and retirments.

Needless to say, I have never again banked with them, or used one of their credit

cards, or have done any other business with them, whatsoever, and when asked I inform orher companies why.

I have always...and to this day, informed everyone within earshot, of that disgusting thing, know as "citibank/corp.

I am sorry they got you. I hope you get them.

[DAMARI]

Thank you for all the comments, good, bad and indifferent.For those of you whom I upset I am very sorry. It has now been about a year and things are moving along, yes I have had some, alot of therapy, this hit me hard but we are moving on. I have 2 attorneys dealing with this. I admitt that I had alot to learn and I have learned that we really don't matter to corporate America it really is just about profits. My fight is not just for me but for all those wrongfully treated by corporate America. I didn't realize that all caps was so offensive, sorry to that one. Life is all about learning and this was a very hard lesson for us. Again, sorry if I offended anyone I am getting better now. As far as the manager goes, he will just have to live with what he has done and I wish him and his family the best hoping that no one ever treats them as he did us. God Bless Us All