My transaction was actually very simple I phoned QNB first but was referred to the mother bank of my debit card account. A few colleagues of mine experienced the same concern and was resolved, so they encourage me to visit QNB, the one located in City Center mall. So I went there, when my number was up, I can honestly say I was being professional and courteous to this afro-arab lady frontliner (name, nationality already forgotten) and narrated my concern in a manner that is professional, respectful and, I even use simple english to avoid miscommunication. She then wrote something in a piece of paper and gave it to her filipino assistant instructing her to photocopy it. When it was handed back to her, I manage to peek on what she wrote, I was appalled to what it says… “this guy is bakla” (this guy is gay ‘bakla’ is the tagalog word for gay) I was right in front of her while she momentarily looked at her assistant in a mischievous way, she also tried to suppress her mocking-giggles right in front of me. When she sober up, she told me in an adamant way “I cannot help you, if you want to complain you make call to supervisor” I tried to cite my colleagues problem since it was the same deal but she dismiss me by saying “i dont know about this” I tried to plead, “but…” she cut me off and replied, “this is no problem” looking at me from head to half-way mid-body, and in a snobbish-unprofessional mood she turn her back.

I stepped out and was in shock, trying to fathom was just happened, the note was very disturbing. My thoughts were, “Did I say something to her that made her reacted that way?” My feelings at that point was in between frustration, anger, and even self-pity. She knew that I can see the paper in front of her (I was approximately a feet and a half away) but why’d she wrote it? Contemplating on revenge, I thought, “at the end of the day what will I accomplish?” a clear, deafening NOTHING! echoed in my head. So I decided to ‘Rise Above’ and put that ordeal behind me and move on. I vowed never to return or even so much as blink on the direction in that part of the mall.

Being “different” in my home country has its pros and cons, at this day and age, its more or less being “tolerated” as to being totally accepted. Total acceptance in a conservative catholic society can be a very large pill to swallow so this behaviour is not new to me but I have never, in my life encountered the wrath of a prejudice person in a direct, assaulting manner. Looking back at that incident, I cant help but wonder, how she would feel if she is being denied of a service just because of her religion or the color of her skin.