One hell of a Smart Card adventure!

When I was a child, I could simply not make of the smartness of the smart cards which could buy you vegetables, chocolates, clothes and everything you needed. The smart plastic cards used by the people to pay off their bills were all but a piece of mystery to me. I had endless questions about the very popular “Visa Power” which puzzled me and the least I could make out was that it was some sort of a magic card made of plastic which somehow gave out money when asked to. But as I grew up I came to know about internet banking, ATMs and thus unfolded the magic of the smart plastic cards. Today I use one of those cards which were a piece of mystery to me in my greener days. But I can’t have really understood the many faces of my super utility plastic card had this incident not happened to me. So let me narrate to you one of my most memorable experiences with my debit card and how it made me feel warm in the winters of January. The previous day on the 18th, I had been window shopping at some of the town’s prominent shops selling sports shoes. After spending a lot of time testing the best fit and bargaining for the best price, I zeroed-in on an All-black designer football gear. Fortunately for me it was the last available stock. My shoes were packed and stacked on the billing desk. It was here that my smart plastic card entered the scene. I produced it to the “all yours sir” salesman. He swapped it through his “”meant-for-swapping” machine & waited for a response. Nothing happened. He repeated twice, but still nothing happened. “Sir, there seems to be some problem with the bank’s server.” Realizing some technical faults at the bank’s end, I produced my other debit card and gave a beaming smile to the salesman. The witty salesman acknowledged my smile with an even bigger one and repeated his swapping exercise on his “meant-for-swapping” machine. But to our amazement the other bank also seemed to have similar problems. It seemed that the smart cards were finding it difficult being smart. But anyway, the salesman was a smart enough guy and suggested me an alternative. All I had to do was to visit a very smart machine which is commonly called am ATM and collect cash. All very simple! The ATM was some half a kilometer away from there. Having left with no other options, I left for the smart machine. A man was guarding the ATM outlet standing outside, apparently enjoying the winter sun. However upon reaching the ATM he informed me that due to some technical failure, the money vending machine was out of order for the rest of the day. After all the guard was no angel! No doubt the day was cold but it was growing warmer & frustrating for me very passing minute; every time being outsmarted by the smart technology. But again in those troubled times when there was no hope, the ATM guard came to me with a smart piece of advice. He told me that at about half a kilometer further, there was an ATM belonging to the other bank. And this time it was the local head office of the bank, so no chances of another frustrating technical failure. “It’s only half a kilometer from here. Moreover it’ll only warm me up in this chilly weather”, I comforted myself. The local head office of the bank had an imposing structure. But when I reached the ATM outlet, the world seemed upside down to me. I had never in my life seen a longer queue; not even at an India-Pakistan final. “Were all these people queued-up at the ATM victims of ‘Technical failure’?” It was an alarming proposition. People looked hungry for the ultimate date with the smart lady. But it seemed that the smart lady was in no hurry; completely carefree, testing every one of her admirers before serving them. It was one hell of a day for me or should I say “One hell of a smart card adventure”! Apparently, the smart cards were not all that smart!