this week i forgot my pin number. i have had the same debit card for three years, with the same pin number the whole time. i did not pick out the number, it was issued to me. so the digits hold no significant value to me outside of the fact that is how i access my millions. oh wait, my pennies.
i was at fred meyer trying to buy a baguette to go with dinner. i swiped my card, lifted my hand to type in the pin number and stalled. frozen in midair. my mind went completely and utterly blank. i stared at the keypad unsure of what to press. after several tries, i had successfully locked myself out of my own bank account.
i don't carry cash very often. i spend it too fast. as if it might disappear if i don't purchase something i can hold onto forever or consume it. i haven't ever had my dollars go up in flames, but i find it hard to hold onto cash almost like it were on fire.
i had told my brain lapse moment to my friend bethy who instantly said i'm worried about you. what's my middle name? i sat there with a puzzled look on my face trying to think of her middle name. now in all fairness i don't use it that often, not like my debit card that i use daily, so this wasn't the fairest question. she looked at me with an exasperated concerned look and we said it at the same time ann!
there were two things i knew for sure about my number
1. my four digit secret number contained only two digits
2. none of the digits were in the middle row
i went to the bank the next day and explained my situation and pleaded for help. after much run around and a phone call later, they agreed to unlock my account and give me three more shots before issuing me a new card and pin number.
so back to fred meyer i went. this time i only attempted to purchase a pack of gum. i had that much change to cover the transaction just in case i locked myself out again. i picked a checker with a friendly face. you don't want to try these shenanigans with someone who doesn't have a sense of humor. i explained my situation and she seemed ready and hopeful that i would miraculously remember.
attempt 1...wrong
crap
attempt 2...wrong
really? i thought for sure that was it
attempt 3...success
two arms raised and a woo-hoo
the checker quickly handed me a pen you should write it down before you forget again. i followed her advice and wrote that super secret, completely irrelevant number sequence down. now i just need to hide that number somewhere so nobody can find it. hopefully i don't forget where i stashed the number. (wink)
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