I forgot my debit card PIN tonight.
I stopped at the grocery store with Aaron on the way back from soccer practice, and when it came keypad time, I hesitated. Ooh, weird. That’s never happened before. I punched something that seemed right, but it wasn’t. Switched quickly to a credit card to avoid holding up the line, completed the transaction, and left, contemplating the horror. Wow. Are there bugs eating my brain?
(Now just so you have the whole story, I didn’t select this PIN. This PIN was inflicted on me. Still, I’ve been using this card at least weekly for over a year.)
I got home, dropped Aaron off, decided I’d made a simple transposition error, and went back. (I needed peace on this.) So, of course, I promptly blew it again. I actually went back in the grocery store and punched in an incorrect PIN for the second time in 20 minutes. (Oh yeah, and with the same cashier. Need to wait a few days before I go back, else she’ll probably get a restraining order.)
Shuffling back to the Technical Writing Express, I couldn’t believe I was going to have to go to the credit union in the morning and tell them I’d forgotten my PIN. I was going to be that guy for some lucky credit union employee! Woohoo!
Then I saw the bank in the parking lot. Hmmm. I need to check out its ATM.
It was the swipe-it type, i.e. no risk of it sucking up my card if I punched the wrong PIN three times or whatever. So tonight, I actually sat at the ATM and punched in candidate PINs until I got it right. (I had the correct four digits from the very start, and of the 24 possible combinations, I had to try 8 or 9 before I scored.) Should I write it in Sharpie on the back? Have it tattooed backwards on my forehead? Sheezus fuck.
I’m recording this as an anomaly and going to bed. I’ll be sure to post back tomorrow if I forget how to drive or something.
(Please appreciate that not once above did I type “PIN number” or “ATM machine.” You’re welcome.)
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Dude,
About 2 weeks ago, my mind decided to transpose two digits in my PIN while getting gas and cigarettes. I had to key it several times before I decided that the exact 4 digit sequence that had already failed would fail again and finally corrected the error… I’ve had this PIN for 3 years.
(Please appreciate that not once above did I type “CAC card.” You’re welcome.)
Carey
LOL. That is a very unsettling feeling. I was completing a purchase at Lowe’s not too long ago when the cashier asked me for my phone number. I’ve had the same number for 7 years now but for the life of me I couldn’t tell him what it was. It was as if I had had a mini-stroke or something and temporarily “lost” that particular bit of information. Fortunately, while I was standing there with my mouth hanging open, I remembered the number I had had 10 years previously and gave him that.
I’ve stared at my monitor for as long as 5 minutes before finally recalling a password.
Welcome to middle age, Bo. 😉
Who are you, and why are you telling me this story?
lol
My AmEx card asks me to verify my zip code every time I use it. Well, once while at the beach I could not for the LIFE of me remember my zip code. This was at least 12 months after a recent move, and I kept going back to the TX zip. I never could remember it that day. So I kind of know the feeling. I think I had to ask Beth to pay for my groceries that day!
39, is it? Well, hon’ I hate to tell you, but it’s all downhill from here. 🙂
This story actually made my day…and I needed it, I have been in a funk all week.
Numbers… the bane of my very existence.
“Don’t complain about growing old – many people don’t have that privilege.” – like lots of people, but I’ll say Juuuuuuuuuuuuuulio Jones