ATM blues

India got its first ATM when the HSBC introduced the concept in 1987.

I saw an ATM for first time in 1995, it was December in Mumbai landing at around 10 in night at VT now called as CST(I think it was called CST back than as well) straight from Lucknow with an address in hand looking for my Buddy Alok Jain although I had sent speed post in advance of my arrival date it’s a mystery still where that post went.Out of train Frantically I looked everywhere for Mr jain..not a trace of him.I summoned all the courage and went out of station. Irani restaurant on the front street was full of crowd doing brisk business ….being a simpleton I told the owner guy the predicament I was in and told him I was looking for no of Colaba YMCA,guy was point blank and told me it would cost INR 5/- extra and than pushed thick yellow directory in front of me..one full page of YMCA nos!!! , this was a coin propelled phone and I was able to connect to manager of YMCA Colaba, I was speaking english as if everyone in Mumbai breathed only that language(assumed fears of a small town guy) he guided me to a phone no of the hostel and lucky me that Mr Jain was somehow was in his room awake still and was called instantly , for first time I felt oxygen in my lungs.My saviour the Irani the eatery owner never took that 5 from me I feel indebted to him still.

Mr Jain was prompt in coming and out we went for night of adventure( would recap that in some later post or maybe Alok recaps that) but first Mr jain went into kiosk sort of the thing pulled out card and extracted money out of the metallic box.

I had seen working of first ATM in my life.