.Greetings from Wichita, Kansas! We bemoan the high price of gasoline yet it costs much more in some countries. A week ago we filled up a rent car in England at 1.329 British Pounds per liter which converts to 9.92 US Dollars per gallon.  Last Friday we filled up in Montreal for 1.289 Canadian Dollars per liter which equates to 4.83 US Dollars per gallon ... and we're still paying for it. I'll explain. Montreal is in Quebec. Quebec's official language is French.  Since I know very little French, I ignored all the French words on the gas pump.  I stuck my credit card in the reader. The pump's video screen displayed a bunch of French words and the option of either "Oui" or "Non". I do know "Oui" means "yes" and "Non" means "no", but I had no earthly idea what question it was actually asking. I chose "Non". The pump canceled the transaction! "Non" must be the wrong answer.  I started over.  When it got to "Oui" or "Non" again, I chose "Oui". A brand NEW screen of French words came up, and again it asked "Oui" or "Non". I just don't like to say "Oui" when I have no idea what the question is.  I chose "Non". The pump canceled the transaction again! So I started over. Meanwhile, the credit card company thinks all this starting and stopping is suspicious.  Their fraud department puts a hold on my card, and soon it won't read at all. I had to go inside the gas station and pay with a different card. Fast forward to today. Ever time I use that same non-French-speaking card, the cell phone rings almost immediately. It's the credit card company. They want to make sure I authorized the purchase.  I might just cancel the card and get a new one, but perhaps this new card feature will come in handy one day.  In the future I might not have as many friends.  Do you ever get lonely? Do you ever wish the phone would ring?  Do you ever want to talk to someone, and it doesn't really matter who? If I ever get that feeling, I can charge something to that particular credit card and the phone will ring immediately! It's such a comfort to know you can talk to a real live caring person any time day or night! Oops, gotta run, the phone's ringing! All the best, Nasser and Jeanna Shukayr Harlingen, Texas www.NShukayr.com PS - we're looking for a few good student callers for upcoming caller schools. They can be brand-new never-called-before might-wanna-try-it people, all the way up to call-every-week club callers.  If you know anyone who fits that description, ask 'em to go to the website www.nshukayr.com and click around until they find info about the Reno Nevada caller school in November 2008 and/or the Livingston Texas caller school in June 2009!. Thanks! To Subscribe:  If you were forwarded this newsletter and would like your own copy, subscribe at http://www.nshukayr.com/newsletter.htm or send an e-mail to subscribe@nshukayr.com