What’s the saddest “card declined” moment you’ve seen?

My car was being worked on in a Walmart car care center. Just tire rotation. When I was
texted that my car was ready, there was a guy in the short line ahead of me. I knew he
was a single dad, had talked to him at the gym where we both worked out, had seen him
in a restaurant with his 3 sons. Someone told me that his wife was in prison, I didn’t ask
what it was for.

He looked really stressed out, his 3 boys were in the waiting area, playing, goofing off.
When the guys card was declined, then he had the clerk try 2 other cards. He asked the
person at the register if he could work something out for the new times he had, put on
his car. Then, he asked if they could just put the old ones back on. It was very cool in the
store; he was sweating profusely.

My heart was pounding with sympathy & sadness for him. He told the clerk that he was
going to walk around to try to figure something out. The shop was not allowed to put
the old tires back on as it would make Walmart liable if there was an accident.

When the guy walked away with his 3 sons, couldn’t hear or see the tire shop counter, I
stepped up. I kept extra cash with me for emergencies. The amount owed was $250. I
knew the clerk, was very sure he would do the right thing. I gave him $300. in cash,
asked him to call the guy on his cell, letting him know his car was ready, then, give him
the change from the $300 & NOT tell him who had paid.

I walked just around a corner, waiting to see the single dad's reaction. He thought it was
a joke at first, then, when the change was handed to him, he looked at it with a big grin.
He never found out who had paid for his new tires. That’s the way I wanted it.

What was the most inappropriate thing that happened to you when reading at a
library?

I was sitting at a table in the library in third grade reading a book. Suddenly the librarian
comes up to me and snaps, “What are you reading?” I told her and she replies, “You can’t
read that!” I was rather bemused as I was in the middle of the book.

She wasn’t having it. “What grade are you in?” “Third” I responded, again bemused
wondering why this woman had such a stake in what book I was reading. Oh now it was
ON. “You can’t read that book!! It’s too old for you!” Now I was beyond bemused and
into the territory of confused. What? How can I not read a book I’m in the middle of
reading. Plus I knew something she did not.

“Actually I have this at home and I’m rereading it.” Her head shook like a terrier. “You
can’t have!” Oooookay. I proceeded to lay out the plot and protagonist. And yes, eight
year old me used those terms. Did I mention I was raised by teachers? But it did not
matter. She took that book and said I was too young to read it and put it back on the
shelf. Huh. I sat for a minute. Looked at her sanctimonious self sitting at her desk.
Thought for a minute and then got up and went and got the book and went back to
reading.

She complained to my mother who wrote a note to school saying that I could read
whatever I chose.

I remember moving from the children’s section to the adult section when I was eleven
and the children’s librarians being shocked. I was more upset by the fact they wouldn’t
allow me to check out more than eight books a week. I’d return them the next week.
They’d always give me the new staff members in glee to watch their faces.

Why are you returning these? Didn’t you like them?

I’ve already read them.

It’s only been a week!!

Oh good grief. I finished these on Sunday.

One bright day I had children. And I had to tell the librarians they were allowed to check
out whatever their little hearts desired.