I can’t believe, I have made it to Day 10.
For many reasons, I wanted to avoid writing today’s post. But, we all have our embarassing moments don’t we?
Here is my most embarassing moment….
I was new to the US and its ways, my first day of school, and I was supposed to take a light rail. I am a very independent girl, but my husband always wants me to become more independent and so he asked me to go to school by myself. I asked if he has ever taken the light rail before and he said a yes, even when he hadn’t! I asked him how to buy a ticket before boarding the train. He said there is a ATM like machine which will dispense you a ticket, just answer the questions the machine asks and pay money, its very easy, you will easily figure it out! You are smart, don’t worry! But no, he didn’t know I was dumb! I walk to the machine, click ‘1 adult ticket’, it says pay 2 dollars, since I don’t have a credit card I go ahead and press pay cash. Then it says ” Insert your bill here”. Here comes the most embarrasing moment. …….I am not able to find a slot to insert the dollar notes. I called my husband and asked him where to find a slot, he said look carefully, you should be able to find it. After much talking, I found a slot to put in coins. Then, I asked him, “what is a bill”? He said it means a note! In India, the currency is known as ‘notes’ and not a ‘bill’. A bill is a receipt. Then my husband said, now that you have figured out go ahead and buy yourself a ticket. I never imagined this would be so hard! We have these kind of coin slots in Indian temples ,where we put in some money after we have prayed, as a donation/bribe whatever you wish to call it. As, I am still trying to figure out whether there is a different slot to insert the so called ‘bill’, I suddenly remember as a kid rolling the rupee note and inserting it in the same slot made for coins. So, I do exactly the same, roll the dollar note/ bill and try hard inserting it in the coin slot.I made sure the bill had managed to get throught that tiny coin slot by pushing it futher down with the help of a ruler scale I had in my compass. Yet, no luck! The machine still is beeping and asking me to pay. I am so crazy by now that I want to scream and pull my on hair out of sheer frustation! Finally, I spot a passerby, I stop him to ask whats wrong? He says, ” Nothing is wrong with the machine, mam”. “You are supposed to pay your bills here, pointing towards a tinier, thinner but a wider slot to insert bills, the slot you tried putting your bill is only for coins” and it is blocked now! I was red with anger and embarrasment both. I had never want to recall this incident ever in my life again, had it not been for this post!
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