A Strange ATM
The strangest thing happened to me last night. After taking photos of kids with Santa on Main St. I ended up with a wad of cash in my pocket. Being the responsible person that I am (wink, wink) I went straight to the bank, ready to deposit what I'd just worked so hard for, so as not to frivolously spend it on junk I don't need.
As I approached the three ATMs outside my bank, I heard that piercing beep which sounds when your card is ready to be taken from the card slot after your transaction is complete. But in this eerie moment, there was not a soul to be found anywhere near the ATMs. I stepped up, took the stranger's abandoned debit card and zipped it up in my pocket. Now, I'd like to think that I'm truly an honest person in the very depths of who I am, but I have to admit, for a few moments this find of mine got me thinking..... - Imagine finding an anonymous person's debit card in an ATM the night before Christmas eve!!!! Oh so many great gifts I could buy!!
After a good chuckle the temptation passed and I carried on with my own transaction at a separate ATM, because I suddenly felt nervous that the little spy camera may somehow be used to turn me into a dirty criminal, when all I really wanted to do was help this stranger named "Paul" keep from losing any of his money at the worst time of year to be robbed - Christmas.
I began the transaction process, but didn't get far because a note came up on the screen telling me the ATM was not able to accept cash at this time. I touched the button for the option to return my card, and once again heard that loud, piercing beeping sound. I looked up, went to reach for my card and there it was in the card slot, but ejected only enough for me to see the edge of it peeking out. The loud beeping continued in my ear for about 3 minutes as I tried to pry the card out using whatever I could find in my pockets - keys, other cards, etc. Here I was again in ANOTHER little ATM camera looking like a criminal!!!
I started laughing. Then suddenly the ATM retracted my card and told me it was taking it for security reasons and that I needed to "contact my local banking institution." WHAT THE HECK!??
There I stood with "Paul's" debit card and not my own. I got back in the car with my wad of cash, then called the bank and cancelled Paul's card for him. I started up the car and went to the store and bought some junk I didn't need. :) Merry Christmas Paul.
As I approached the three ATMs outside my bank, I heard that piercing beep which sounds when your card is ready to be taken from the card slot after your transaction is complete. But in this eerie moment, there was not a soul to be found anywhere near the ATMs. I stepped up, took the stranger's abandoned debit card and zipped it up in my pocket. Now, I'd like to think that I'm truly an honest person in the very depths of who I am, but I have to admit, for a few moments this find of mine got me thinking..... - Imagine finding an anonymous person's debit card in an ATM the night before Christmas eve!!!! Oh so many great gifts I could buy!!
After a good chuckle the temptation passed and I carried on with my own transaction at a separate ATM, because I suddenly felt nervous that the little spy camera may somehow be used to turn me into a dirty criminal, when all I really wanted to do was help this stranger named "Paul" keep from losing any of his money at the worst time of year to be robbed - Christmas.
I began the transaction process, but didn't get far because a note came up on the screen telling me the ATM was not able to accept cash at this time. I touched the button for the option to return my card, and once again heard that loud, piercing beeping sound. I looked up, went to reach for my card and there it was in the card slot, but ejected only enough for me to see the edge of it peeking out. The loud beeping continued in my ear for about 3 minutes as I tried to pry the card out using whatever I could find in my pockets - keys, other cards, etc. Here I was again in ANOTHER little ATM camera looking like a criminal!!!
I started laughing. Then suddenly the ATM retracted my card and told me it was taking it for security reasons and that I needed to "contact my local banking institution." WHAT THE HECK!??
There I stood with "Paul's" debit card and not my own. I got back in the car with my wad of cash, then called the bank and cancelled Paul's card for him. I started up the car and went to the store and bought some junk I didn't need. :) Merry Christmas Paul.
posted by Mark Chapman at 11:37 AM
1 Comments:
It could only happen to you Mark! So what was the purpose of the ATM taking your card? It was just a bad day for using ATM's. Maybe the same thing happened to Paul and it later spit out his card! You did get your card right?!
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