The Joys of the ATM

A trip to the ATM is fraught with all sorts of stress. Not only do you have to look around to see if there's anyone there to possibly mug you. Be warned in this town, they come in all shapes and sizes and all varieties! Trying to work the new machines is something to behold!

Once you've inserted your card and punched in your pin number you are transported to a fancy looking screen with dozens of options on it. Everything from recharging your cellphone to payments is displayed with a picture of a smiling (Stepford like) man as the background. After scanning the screen and wading through all of the options - all I want is some money! it comes up with a message in caps and red "You've taken too long you idiot. Now as you watch I am deleting all your savings as punishment" Okay, so its not quite like that, but for one who is "ATM challenged" Yes, its a new word for the Oxford dictionary! you start to panic and hope like hell it doesn't swallow your card if you hit the wrong button by mistake.

Finally, after squinting at the screen and trying to read the super small print, you make your choice of the amount you wish to withdraw, only to be told that the machine does not have R100 notes, it only has R50 and R20's today. This usually tends to bring on one of my flat eared moments as I utter something not so quietly. Admitting defeat I take whatever I can get and wait for my slip of the transaction. Only to be told by the same Stepford like man that the printer is down and cannot print any slips today. It should be noted that the damm printer is always down and you never get a bloody slip but that's besides the point!

Limping back to the car demoralized and drained you begin to wonder how some of our local indigenous people cope, if you battle with it, then how on earth do they manage? No wonder some of them having taken to bombing them to get at the money!! In a moment of madness I've considered the possibility for about 1 second, then sanity prevailed! For now at least!!!