ATM Blues

I've never doubted my skills of using an ATM( Automated Transaction Machine ). I was in fact quite proud that I learnt to use the ATM before my mom and also that I could remember the password in my mind unlike my friends who had them written on pieces of paper. On this particular day I defeated my pride, suprisingly!
This happened a month back. I was going to Kerala that evening to attend my grandpa's funeral. I was forlon and sad since the previous day, ever since I got the news from Kerala. ( Spent most of the day remembering the good vacations we had in Kerala while we were kids. The mango trees, having tender coconut water standing under the tree that grew it, collecting pineapples from the bushes, all of that we did. All the kids with our dear "appachen" ventured out everyday, expecting a new adventure. )
I wound up my work at office and left for the day. Half hour later I was home packing my bag. I decided to leave at 5 for the 6.15 bus from Madiwala I had tele- booked that morning. Considering the traffic conditions in Bangalore specially in the evening, I thought it was a safe time to start. I was short of cash, so I took a detour to the ATM to withdraw some to pay for my ticket and of course for the travel. That would mean at least a 15 min delay before I could take the auto-rickshaw to the bus station.
I got into the HDFC ATM in a hurry and slipped in my card into the slot. I keyed in the pin and amount and waited for my transaction to process. 2 seconds later I hear a beep and a message saying my Pin does not match. First time in 3 years!! I thought I did a mistype, so there I entered the pin again and the rest of the process followed.2 seconds later I hear the beep again with the same message. The next second, my brain started its ramblings.."Pin's been keyed in wrong twice, how did this happen?? someone's changed my pin??My account has been hacked and all my money's gone!!The bus leaves at 6.15!!! I dont have enough money to pay the ticket!!! I dont think I'll be able to go today! " Sigh! 2 mins late, before a I could pass out I tell my brain to stop and slip in my card again into the slot and key in the pin with another combination of the same numbers, thinking that I probably made a mistake.By now I am totally confused about the pin. Another 2 attempts and I get a message saying "Your card has been blocked, you can use it after 24hours"!
Well I managed to call my roomies and get the money I needed and ended up at bus station just on time. But forgetting my pin was the last thing I would do and wondered what went wrong with me. It felt like the password file got deleted from my brain and I would never get it back again.
Maybe I should write down my passwords some place. But then I would have to do away with my pride....


Oracle India, PTP