Confidential to C.A.: There are four possible ways to use a debit card in a card reader – the chip, the magnetic strip on the back, the NFC/”tap” transmitter, and the account number, manually entered. Not every card will have all four of them, but most have at least two; and not every card reader will accept all four, but you only need one.

Your card had three, all of which were obviously broken. The chip and part of the strip were covered by tape, and part of the account number was worn off and illegible.

This was, for whatever reason, the only method of payment you brought with you, and you acted, for lack of a better word, huffy when it didn’t work.

These are the facts. I’d like you to consider them carefully.