Saturday, December 08, 2012

ATM follies

Yesterday (Friday, December 7th, 2012; a date that will live in infamy) I decided I needed cash.
Not desperately, but I was in nearby Honeoye Falls (“HONE-eee-oy;” rhymes with “boy”), and they have a branch of the bank I deal with.
That branch has an ATM (automatic-teller-machine).
Going there yesterday meant I didn’t need the bank later. I didn’t need cash desperately.
Face-to-face with the ATM from my car, “Insert card in slot.” ZOOP! Card returned.
Now, “Enter password code.”
Bip-Bip-Bip-Bip!
“Do you want a receipt?” I keyed “Yes.”
“Select option.”
I inadvertently brushed “pay-bill,” when I also hit “cash-withdrawal.”
Uh-ohhh! Hellfire and damnation. I’m trapped.
“Bill-pay” began.
Is there a “cancel?” Of course not.
The ATM proceeded.
Is there any way to cancel this at all?
I hit the “clear” button. the bill-pay amount was still zero.
“Invalid amount!” it screamed.
I entered an amount, hoping I could cancel that.
$20.
“Have bill handy. Signal when ready.”
Oh for heaven sake!
I gave up and drove away, leaving the infernal machine hanging.
Funny, the sun came up this morning. No angry calls from the bank.
I had not inadvertently caused Armageddon.
I try again today at a different branch.
I wonder what happens this time? —Be careful lest you commit an unpardonable sin.

• “Honeoye Falls” is the nearest village to the west to where I live in western New York, a rural village about five miles away. —I live in the small rural town of West Bloomfield, southeast of Rochester (NY).

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