Shit(A Repost)
Flashes of
lightning streaked across the sky. Thunder rumbled like a drum roll in the
distance. Dark clouds were gathering. A heavy rain was imminent.
Against a headwind, I weaved hurriedly through a maze of parked cars towards Bank Simpanan Nasional, the place where I receive my monthly salary. Chinese New Year was around the corner and I needed to withdraw some money for my parents. When I reached the ATM booth outside the building, I looked at my own reflection on the glass wall and tidied up my tousled hair with my fingers. Then,I fished out my card from my wallet and inserted it into a teller machine. A lady was standing next to me, running her hand over the keyboard of the other machine for seemingly the same purpose: that of withdrawing cash.
As usual, the first thing that flashed on the screen of the machine was the instruction ' Key In Your Pin Number'. I did as instructed and pressed the button ‘Enter’. Next, a table of figures ranging from RM100 to RM1000 appeared and I selected the amount of cash that I wished to withdraw. Presto and in no time I would receive my money. However, the least expected thing happened. The machine whirred strangely and the screen went pitch black . I gasped and wondered what was happening. In three to five seconds, light returned to the screen together with a statement which read: “ Your Card Has Been Retained.”
Exasperated, my visceral reaction was to say the word ‘SHIT’. I cursed so loudly that it startled the lady standing next to me. She cast me an apprehensive look and sidestepped away from me. Embarrassed, I smacked my forehead and apologized to her, “Sorry, my ATM card has just been swallowed.” She looked at me, her mouth agape. I had to repeat the apology once more. The tenseness on her face gradually loosened up and her eyes glinted with amusement.
“Hehe..” she giggled. “ You’d better claim your card in the bank.”
My cheeks were burning. After thanking her for the reminder, I strode out of the ATM booth into the bank.
When I had got my card back, I went back to the ATM booth and was able to withdraw my money. Suddenly, thunder cracked and the dark clouds in the sky shed heavy droplets of rain. Desperate to get home, I ran across the road to a sundry shop amidst the rain. I was filled with relief at the sight of some umbrellas there. I picked a rainbow colored umbrella and took it to the cashier counter. Just as I was about to pay the money, I heard a familiar voice behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw the lady I had met earlier in the ATM booth.
“Hi, nice to see you here,” I said
“Did you get your card back?” the lady asked.
“Yes, I did."
"Getting yourself an umbrella ?" she asked, pointing at the umbrella in my hand.
"Yes, it's raining heavily."
"I bought myself a new umbrella in this shop too." The lady shook her umbrella showily.
" Fortunately the shop sells umbrellas,” I said. “ If not, I may have had to wait till the rain stops."
“We are both lucky. Oh, I’ve got to go now,” the lady said as she glanced down at her watch. “Be cool next time, okay?”
“I will.” I smiled sheepishly at her.
“Bye.” She waved at me.
“Bye.” I waved back at her.
Holding her umbrella in one hand, she got into a black Toyota and drove away in the pouring rain.
If you were the lady, what would you think of me?
Against a headwind, I weaved hurriedly through a maze of parked cars towards Bank Simpanan Nasional, the place where I receive my monthly salary. Chinese New Year was around the corner and I needed to withdraw some money for my parents. When I reached the ATM booth outside the building, I looked at my own reflection on the glass wall and tidied up my tousled hair with my fingers. Then,I fished out my card from my wallet and inserted it into a teller machine. A lady was standing next to me, running her hand over the keyboard of the other machine for seemingly the same purpose: that of withdrawing cash.
As usual, the first thing that flashed on the screen of the machine was the instruction ' Key In Your Pin Number'. I did as instructed and pressed the button ‘Enter’. Next, a table of figures ranging from RM100 to RM1000 appeared and I selected the amount of cash that I wished to withdraw. Presto and in no time I would receive my money. However, the least expected thing happened. The machine whirred strangely and the screen went pitch black . I gasped and wondered what was happening. In three to five seconds, light returned to the screen together with a statement which read: “ Your Card Has Been Retained.”
Exasperated, my visceral reaction was to say the word ‘SHIT’. I cursed so loudly that it startled the lady standing next to me. She cast me an apprehensive look and sidestepped away from me. Embarrassed, I smacked my forehead and apologized to her, “Sorry, my ATM card has just been swallowed.” She looked at me, her mouth agape. I had to repeat the apology once more. The tenseness on her face gradually loosened up and her eyes glinted with amusement.
“Hehe..” she giggled. “ You’d better claim your card in the bank.”
My cheeks were burning. After thanking her for the reminder, I strode out of the ATM booth into the bank.
When I had got my card back, I went back to the ATM booth and was able to withdraw my money. Suddenly, thunder cracked and the dark clouds in the sky shed heavy droplets of rain. Desperate to get home, I ran across the road to a sundry shop amidst the rain. I was filled with relief at the sight of some umbrellas there. I picked a rainbow colored umbrella and took it to the cashier counter. Just as I was about to pay the money, I heard a familiar voice behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw the lady I had met earlier in the ATM booth.
“Hi, nice to see you here,” I said
“Did you get your card back?” the lady asked.
“Yes, I did."
"Getting yourself an umbrella ?" she asked, pointing at the umbrella in my hand.
"Yes, it's raining heavily."
"I bought myself a new umbrella in this shop too." The lady shook her umbrella showily.
" Fortunately the shop sells umbrellas,” I said. “ If not, I may have had to wait till the rain stops."
“We are both lucky. Oh, I’ve got to go now,” the lady said as she glanced down at her watch. “Be cool next time, okay?”
“I will.” I smiled sheepishly at her.
“Bye.” She waved at me.
“Bye.” I waved back at her.
Holding her umbrella in one hand, she got into a black Toyota and drove away in the pouring rain.
If you were the lady, what would you think of me?
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