If you work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, at home, doing the exact same work and seeing the exact same things day in and day out, chances are you’ll get bored and would want to have a change of ambiance. That’s exactly what I did yesterday. I stopped working an hour earlier than usual to take a side trip to the mall because I’m getting really bored. I needed to be somewhere else aside from home to keep me sane. But if you know me, you’d guess that I won’t just go to the mall to simply stroll around. I had to make that time away from work productive, too.

In short, that alone time was pre-planned because I already had an agenda in mind. First, I brought my pearl pendant to a jewelry store in the mall and had its silver loop changed to gold. I also hand-carried a pair of not-so-old sandals to Mr. Quickie for some sole changing. Then, I bought vitamins for me and my son and some small things needed in the house. I then went to the nearest BPI ATM to withdraw, and guess what? My ATM card was captured, and the amount that I withdrew was not dispensed. I panicked because this is the first time this ever happened to me. I also knew from friends who experienced the same that it takes weeks to get your captured ATM card back.

It’s a good thing there’s a BPI office in that same mall where my ATM card was captured. I reported the incident, and the staff told me that I don’t need to report what happened to their toll-free number (89-100) because all the captured cards in the BPI ATM machines in that mall will be turned over to them. I just needed to call them if they already have my card and pick it up myself when it’s available. All I have to do now is wait and see.