Almost bad day

Today is payday, which for us means grocery shopping day. I took a deep breath, grabbed my coupons, and grocery list, loaded up the kiddos and headed for the store.  

My son didn't sleep well last night, so he was choosing to spend the day in a state of temperamental hysteria. Every little metaphoric bump in the metaphoric road resulting in literal tears. 

After about an hour or so of shopping, I pulled my overfull cart up the counter. After all my groceries were unloaded and checked out, I ran my card and saw the words that every middle to lower middle class person hates to see

DECLINED. 

This baffled me. My husband has direct deposit and today is payday!!! 

This was event one of pending disastrous day. 

I tried the card again, in confusion, and when I got the same result, I had no choice but to ask the cashier to suspend my order and wait while I ran across the street to the bank to see what was up . She politely agreed, until her assistant manager came over

dum dum dum  

... and said NO! He said that he couldn't help but assume that I wouldn't return, so he demanded it all be put back. 

Did I mention it took me an hour or so to fill this cart???? 

This was event two. 

I then, in a huff, went out to my car, and then realized I DIDN'T HAVE MY DEBIT CARD!!!!

I searched high and low, went back in the store (kids fighting the whole time) and I couldn't find it anywhere. 

This was event three. 

I finally loaded everyone up and headed for the bank. I got there and upon realizing that there was no problem with the balance of my bank (thank goodness) I inquired about my card not working. The bank then informed me that my card had a hold on it because of suspicious activity on it. They tried calling me, but they had the wrong number, so they put a "hold" on it. I had them block the card, because I still didn't know where it was, got a new card, some cash, and headed out. 

I was actually thankful that I misplaced my debit card, because otherwise I wouldn't have known what was up with my card. 

I rushed back to the store, ran in, and as luck would have it the courtesy clerk that was responsible for putting back my cart of groceries, had to go on lunch, so they had put it in the cooler until after their lunch. I was able to give the cashier some cash and took home my groceries. 

I got home, unloaded my groceries, and then realized that I had put my bank card in the slot behind my DL. 

sigh

In the end, I praise God, because if I hadn't thought I lost my card, I would have not known that there was a hold on my card, and I wouldn't have blocked it, preventing any other suspicious activity on the card. 

I praise God, because if the Courtesy Clerk didn't have to take her lunch, right then, then I would have had to do my grocery shopping all over again. 

Now I have a new debit card, a kitchen full of groceries, and everything is as it should be. 

Gideon is even in a better mood now that we are all at home. 

Praise God taking the "mis" out of my misfortune.