Ron and I went shopping for groceries together earlier this week. When we got to the cash, I noticed that new card-swiping machines (for want of a better term) had been installed since our last visit. After the cashier had rung up the total, she asked how I
would be paying.
"American Express," I replied.
"Swipe your card," she said, indicating the little machine before me. Up until then, customers didn't swipe their own cards, but handed them over to the person on the other side of the conveyer belt. This was a new procedure but I figured it wasn't a big deal. I looked down at the screen.
Welcome
Swipe your card
I swiped.
Invalid action
Try again
I swiped again.
Invalid action
Try again
I swiped for the third time.
Card is invalid
Transaction aborted
"No it's not!" I protested, and glanced around to see who was watching and thinking I had exceeded my credit limit or worse, that I was using a stolen card.
The cashier said, "Let's try it again." She reset the machine, then took my card and swiped it, running the card through the slot with an upward motion, in the opposite direction to the one I had tried. The screen blinked, thought a moment, then flickered.
Approved
So that's the trick. Swipe the other way," I remarked.
"Bottoms up," Ron commented. "You should be able to remember that." He leered knowingly at me.
The cashier and the customers behind us must have wondered why we both thought that was so funny. We chuckled all the way to the car. I have a feeling that we are going to refer to that particular grocery store as "bottoms up" from now on.