It was a simple task, really.
I had a check and I wanted to open an account in a Mexican bank with this check.
I know the Mexicans love of paper works, so I brought my passport, my visa and a household bill.
What I did not bring was a list of "contacts " so I had to go home and get that.
My second visit to the bank I had all I needed and sat through the excruciatingly slow and tedious process of having the clerk fill in the required information on the computer and then, finally getting a bunch of papers to sign.
And I signed the first paper and the clerk looked at my signature, grabbed my passport and looked at it and then studied my visa and finally said
They are not the same.
I know, I said. Every time they are a little different. I am not a robot.
But, I said, since you saw me sign, why don't you countersign?
My suggestion was ignored and the clerk handed me another stack of papers and said
sign here and here and here and here....
After the second new signature the clerk said to stop, handed me my check and started to tear up the paper work because the signatures did not match absolutely exactly.
I cashed my check-and no problem with my signature- and went to another bank where I opened a new account with cash and my now shaky and wildly different signatures.