The economists might very well say that India shouldn't get rattled because of the grim global scenario when she has such a huge domestic market - thanks to her population. The same population, however, gets on to the nerves of us mere mortals. Oh no, I am not talking about the rush-hour traffic or weekend stampede at the supermarkets. I am talking about your friendly-neighborhood ATM.

Just the other day I went to one to withdraw some money. Looked like the bank hadn't yet got a chance to refill it after the new year eve because the machine told me that it couldn't hand over the entire amount requested by me and suggested a sum which I could withdraw instead. As if I had any choice! When I agreed to do so, it spit out the currency notes in denominations of 100 instead of 500. Oh no! I had to make sure the amount was right before I left the premises. Just then I heard the room door bang shut. I looked over to see a man waiting outside. This opening and closing of the door is the way we Indians seem to tell each other that our patience is running thin and to hurry.

I pulled out the receipt as well as card from the machine and started counting the cash. I hate to keep anyone waiting so I hurried myself and so probably counted one note less. That meant I had to start over again. The crispness of the notes wasn't helping the process. To make matters worse, I now saw that another person had joined the queue outside. I could practically hear them wonder in their minds about the primary school I attended and the quality of its maths teachers. But funnily enough I was now getting annoyed with the people outside. They don't have a right to rush me because if I end up with less money than what the receipt indicates, it is I who will have to run from pillar to post to sort out the matter with the bank. So though this time the counting told me that the amount was right, I counted a 3rd time just to be sure.

All was well. So I put everything in the purse and walked out. One of the guys glared at me and I glared back.

As I walked down the street, I wondered if there will still be a queue if the banks put an ATM on every street corner. I agreed that there will be. And I realized another thing - the next time I find myself on the other side of the door at an ATM location, I am going to end up glaring at someone who takes, what as per my estimate is, an unnecessary long time inside. Human nature is a funny business!