My Sunday afternoon moment of terror

A person I know who works in retail once told me that when a person's credit card is rejected it almost always means that the person doesn't have sufficient funds. The person of course asks the cashier to double check, that of course there must be some sort of mistake. Perhaps a problem with the card or the machine. I was told by this person that this is never the case. With that in mind, picture me at Target purchasing among other things several mouse traps. The total comes to $95.11. Onto my Visa it goes, which automatically deducts from my checking account. Then it happens. The cashier says, "I'm sorry, your card has been rejected." There really is no way to save face in this situation. Unless someone has stolen my card info, this is impossible. I mutter something about that being really strange and give the cashier an alternate card which works. As I walk out to my car my mind is racing. Has someone stolen all my money? I thought I had several thousand in there but I haven't balanced my account in a while, could I be that off? I picture what debtors prison looks like as I call up my bank from my call phone while in the privacy of my car. My account is what it should be and I'm not going to jail. I'm working with an automated machine so I don't find out if it's my card or the system that is the problem. The card worked fine about an hour later at the grocery store so I figure it must have been Target's fault or maybe some temporary system glitch with the bank. Still, the realization that I'm not completely broke (not counting educational loans, of course) put me in a good mood for the rest of the day.