Editor's Query

Tell us about a time when technology seemed to act human

Several years ago, my daughter and I were at Strosniders Hardware in Bethesda on a busy Saturday afternoon. The store was packed with people, and everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Then our checkout line, which had been moving slowly to begin with, came to a halt.

The woman in front of us had dutifully scanned her credit card but had been waiting several minutes for the authorization machine to respond. Impatient customers, arms laden with merchandise, began checking their watches and craning their necks to see what was keeping them from completing their weekend home-repair projects. Meanwhile, the line behind us continued to grow.

Thirty-plus years of experience in designing and building software told me what the situation required.

Leaning close to the display screen, I announced in an authoritative voice: "I am a computer professional. And I can hurt you."

Less than two seconds later the screen replied, "Card approved."

Give computers an inch, and they'll take a mile.

Julian A. Yochum, Chevy Chase

New query: Tell us about a vacation that unexpectedly lingered much longer than its allotted time. If you have a 100 percent true story taken from your own experience concerning the above query, send it to queries@washpost.com or The Washington Post Magazine, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Include your daytime phone number. Recount your story in 250 words or less. We'll pay you $50 if we use your tale.