Ring, ring, ring! My eyes opened wide in no time and I immediately turned off the alarm. Knowing today was not going to be easy, I took deep breaths and those morning yawns that always feel like heaven. I finally had to leave the bed before Dad could scold me and turn my day into a nightmare.

I decided it would be a good idea to make myself some milkshake, with a touch of coffee to help me kick-start the day. Everything was going fine until I received a call from an unknown person. It was from the bank. They wanted me to come and receive my cheque book and my very own first debit card.

This was very exciting, not just because it made me feel rich, but because I felt like a grown-up owning one. So not wasting my time, I got ready and went straight to the bank.

Once I reached the bank, I easily got my cheque book. All I needed to do was sign a few papers and it was done! However, as I had never owned a debit card, so the procedure for that was a bit different. I needed to sign a few papers and then go to the ATM to activate the card, where I also needed to choose the Personal Identification Number (PIN). I had never used an ATM machine before. The only reason I got the card was to avail discounts at restaurants. The representative handed me the card and told me to use the machine, which was right next to the bank.

Each step I took toward the ATM felt more puzzling. After waiting for a few minutes, it was finally my turn. As I stepped inside, I noticed the fragrance was different — the tiny area smelled like the fresh notes you get from a bank, which oddly calmed me.

Opening the envelope containing my card, I carefully took it out and tried inserting it into the machine. However, the machine didn’t accept the card, and I was afraid that if I pushed it too hard, I might lose the card or damage the machine.

While I fumbled with the card, I noticed people behind me peeking through the glass door, wondering why I was taking so long. On the other side of the door, there I was, standing like an idiot, trying to read the instructions and figure something out. With the growing public pressure outside, I finally decided to accept defeat and ask someone for help.

However, I felt too shy and embarrassed to ask for help, especially since I couldn’t even manage to insert the card. Being a lawyer in the making, I quickly chose my words carefully and, blaming the machine, I ranted to the first guy in the queue outside that it wasn’t working properly. Rather than looking like a fool, I thought it was a smart move to shift the blame, and he came inside to check the machine. To my surprise, he was also there to activate his card. The next thing I saw was him trying to insert his card into the slot through which the cash was dispensed. At that moment, I tried to suppress my laugh.

I stopped him and showed him the correct slot to insert the card. However, the card still wouldn’t go in. Frustrated, we both stepped outside and informed the others that the machine wasn’t working. The small crowd quickly dispersed, heading to another machine at the bank next door.

I tried to suppress my laughter the entire time until the guard reported the issue inside the bank. Instead of following the crowd like a sheep to the other ATM, I decided to go back and take my time. With no one waiting outside, I could finally watch a YouTube tutorial and figure it out. While I was hunting for the shortest video I could find, someone from the bank came in and asked what had happened to the machine.

So, I handed him the card and explained that I was there to activate it. He took the card, placed it in the slot where I had been struggling, and with a little force, pushed it in. And just like that, it worked.

I smiled to myself. First, I received a six-digit code, which I entered, and then I changed my PIN. Phew — it was finally done!

Taking a deep breath, I thanked him and headed straight to the car. As soon as I got in, I burst out laughing, thinking about everything that had just happened. I kept replaying the moment in my head, smiling the entire way home. Today, I realised an important lesson: it’s okay to admit when you don’t know something, rather than go out of your way to avoid embarrassment.

Published in Dawn, Young World, January 18th, 2025