Friday morning is when my brother and I do a little shopping - small things I want to get for myself. My brother does his 'shopping' then - if he spends more than 10 quid he is moaning about the cost. 
I went with him to the local supermarket in trepidation wondering of they had managed to clear up the mess. (I told you about it yesterday)
They had, although some of the shelves were still relatively half empty - or is that half full - depending on your outlook so I am told.  I had almost finished getting my bits and pieces when my brother scuttled up to me as I stood looking at the fresh chickens.
             'The ATM is empty!'  he wailed. 'I've only got 10quid on me. What the h*** are we going to do?'
             'Oh, come off it! I'm not falling for that one.'
B likes his little joke often at my expense. I know I am gullible on times but it is because I expect people to be as straight forward as I am.
             'See for yourself,' he insisted. 
             So I did, and yes, the machine was empty - on a Friday!!!!
             B wrung his hands. 'I'll have to put my stuff back.'
I loaned him 20quid there and then.  But I had to get money from somewhere. On Monday I need a tidy sum  to pay S and give her money to buy my main groceries on Tuesday. 

We debated where we could find another ATM.  I suggested the usual dependable places. Tesco, Morrisons, Asda. 
 B would have none of them. He has an aversion to large stores - that is why we shop at the local supermarket which does not carry half the stuff the big stores do, like my special dog food and fresh cream cakes!

And then he remembered a cash point machine standing in a pub car park about half a mile away.  
Arriving at the machine I was puzzled. There was a key board but also a handset. I couldn't find the place to put in my card.
And then someone came up and went around the other side to draw out some money.
I felt such a ninny. We had only been puzzling and squabbling over a very ordinary everyday public phone.
It's technology. I always expect it to be mystfying and a bit over my head. In my head the ordinary telephone had become a very complicated ATM.

Luckily the machine was full of cash.   But as we walked away back to the car I had a disturbing thought.  There the ATM stood isolated, lonely and looking very vulnerable. A perfect target for scammers. That machine could be tampered with quite easily with no one to see. I've heard of people inserting gadgets which can read the info from unsuspecting persons cards.  I wish now we hadn't used it. But we were stuck for cash.

Let's hope I'm wrong this time.