Watched a guy in the checkout line swipe his debit card the wrong way and it hit me

He jammed it in chip-first and the machine beeped at him, and right there I realized I'd been doing contactless for years and judging people for fumbling when I used to be that guy who couldn't figure out the chip reader either.

3 comments

3 Comments

victor_robinson1mo ago

Right, because clearly the universe was trying to send him a sign about his own credit card incompetence (which is a fancy word for "I also mess this up daily"). My personal favorite is watching someone tap their phone only to realize their NFC is off and they have to do the whole awkward dance of trying again while the cashier sighs. We're all just one beep away from being that guy, honestly it's the great equalizer of the grocery store.

vera_lewis21mo ago

Tbh nobody talks about the real nightmare which is when the card reader says "remove card" but you pull it out too fast and it glitches. Suddenly you're stuck in this loop of reinserting and praying while the machine just stares at you. Adds another layer of panic when there's a line forming behind you and you can feel their stares burning into the back of your skull. Also why do those readers always have the most sensitive touch screens so one accidental brush cancels your entire transaction? It's like they're designed to humble you.

wesley_jones1mo ago

@victor_robinson you just described my entire life at the self-checkout. I'm convinced the universe gave me two left thumbs specifically so I could hold up the line at least once a week.