Dumm and Dummer (Tree)

Here is your chance to see the SEQUEL of the SEQUEL of Dumb and Dumber before they even think of making it.




















Given new rules (Can't we ever have enough of them?) I had told my credit card company (CCC hereafter) that I am spending some time in France. 
Then  I buy a train ticket. That works.  
Then I try to buy another train ticket. Nada.  
Then I try to buy a ferry ticket. Nada.












I call my CCC using Skype. Before the agent can say anything, I say "You work for a STOOOPID company. Find a BETTER JOB as soon as possible".  She doesn't comment on that ;-)  
Turns out they know that I am in France. 
But apparently there was a SUSPICIOUS transaction that caused them to BLOCK my credit card.  
BLOCK as in I am no longer able to USE IT! 

The woman on the phone asks me
 "While in France, do you recall having any dealings with a company called "SNCF" ?  

There is a pause of about 3 seconds.
tic...
toc...
tic...
please, Please, PLEASE don't let me EXPLODE




I just want to scream at her "Well OF COURSE I HAVE, I'm in FRIGGIN FRANCE, what DO YOU expect?

SNCF, or Service National de Chemin de Fer (literally: "National Service of the PATH' of IRON) is the French National Rail-road.


Giving you time to think about this .....


Given that Canada is a bilingual country with one of the official languages being French, that is just a SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.


Now you probably think "All's well that end's well".  Well, not quite!  

You see, by allowing me to continue to use my card they are making an EXCEPTION.

Because my card REALLY is no longer VALID.  
I have to get a NEW CARD on the day that I return to Vancouver.  
They are doing me a FAVOUR.  

And all because I used it to buy a ticket to travel on a French train in France.