It was August 1992. I had been in school at N.C. State for about two months, allegedly studying computer science but really spending time in the computer labs downloading commercial software like IBM’s OS/2 operating system. One day I saw a posting on the university’s job board for a part-time computer operator at State Employees Credit Union. The pay was pretty good and I knew the credit union would have some interesting “big iron,” so I went for an interview and was soon hired.

The job entailed monitoring the credit union’s statewide network of ATMs in case … what … I don’t know. I’m not sure we were trained much on how to identify or fix problems, though we could reset an ATM machine if a member called in to report a jam or malfunction. Rumor had it that the prior pair of ATM operators had used their positions to embezzle $250,000 from the credit union. I never found out if that was true or not but I do know that the display in front of us listed every transaction as it took place and included bank account balances, too. Having been bonded before from a prior job selling jewelry and being fresh from holding a security clearance, there was no question about my trustworthiness.
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