Will That Be Check or Cash?

I happen to be very meticulous when it comes to balancing my checkbook. If I, or the bank, have made a mistake, I will spend as much time as necessary in tracking down the error...to the penny. I do not like the feeling of being out of balance with my bank. Since I don't like to carry a lot of cash with me, I use personal checks a lot. For years I have paid for gas, groceries and numerous other items with checks. It is a wonderful thing to look at the register and see $49.12 and then write a check for $49.12. It is all about symmetry with me, don't be giving me back change, let's keep it symmetrical. You want $49.12 so I'll give you $49.12 and we're even. That is cool, so to speak, unfortunately, this cool practice may be coming to an end.

I have always thought that this check writing practice was one of the great things about living in small town USA. People know who you are when you come in, and when you leave, you write them a personal check for goods or services and everyone is happy. However, like most things that I have become accustomed to and have enjoyed; this practice is apparently changing for the worse and may soon become a lost art. Rather than filling out checks by hand now, they just pass them through a high tech check reader and (this is where it gets tricky) somehow this contraption contacts something or...maybe someone...somewhere out in the netherworld or maybe just in a local nether region....I can never seem to get that part straight...and either accepts or denies your check. I am not sure how these contraptions work, but I have found out one thing...some of them don't work very well.

A few weeks ago, while paying for gas at Huck's in Bloomfield, my check was denied by the fancy high tech check reader in the store. I hadn't changed checks, changed banks, or changed my address, but my check was denied. Same checks I had always used but for some reason the reader didn't like it, so it was denied. Fortunately for me, a friend of mine who works there, allowed me to fill out my check the old fashioned way, since I had been coming in there for several years and had never written a bad check. For that reason, I will continue to buy my gas at Huck's. Let's have three cheers for small town USA.

I have never written a bad check in all of my 56+ years on this fine earth. To me, and I must assume that in the eyes of many people, it is the same thing as stealing from someone and I don't do that either.

Last night I picked up some items at a store in my hometown. I have shopped there for several years and almost always have paid with a personal check. I have filled out hundreds of checks over the years at this store and have never been denied...until last night.

This store has also installed one of the new high tech check readers. This high tech check reader denied my check and the young lady, who has waited on me numerous times, refused to accept my check. In her defense, she went to the office and talked to someone; however, she came back and said my check was...denied. Fortunately, I had only picked up a few items and had enough cash to cover it. A co-worker from my office was in the check-out line right behind me and witnessed the entire process. I think he was secretly happy with my misfortune because I had beaten him to a certain item and there wasn't enough remaining for him to get his. I promise Lonnie...I will never do that again.

I will probably still go to our local store, if I only need an item or two and if I am sure I have enough cash with me before I go in, but I won't be buying the bulk of my groceries there anymore. It is a tad bit embarrassing to be standing there in front of everyone when they tell you that your check has been denied. I harbor no hard feelings toward any of the people who work there, nor towards the management, but I just don't like that feeling of being told that my personal check isn't any good...especially when I know that it is.

I never look forward to driving to Linton (to The Phil is OK, but no further), but it looks like I will be stocking up at another store in the future. As of this date, they haven't denied any of my personal checks.