Some of you may remember my mishaps with France Telecom, back in autumn. In the end, we gave up, have no phone line and did not ask for these installation fees to be reimbursed. We bought a cordless phone which we never used for anything else but kitch kitchen decorating role.

Well, upon my returning from Singapore, I found a letter from a Huissier de Justice indicating that I had 24 hours to pay my phone bill (from posting date, hence 24 hrs prior to my receiving it, thus ingeniously crafting a system in which I would lose all chance to be legal). Failing that France Telecom would go ahead and press charges.

Needless to say that I was speechless. How could I possibly be charged for phone use when I had no phone in the first place since these idiots never managed to find the phone line that belonged to the house?

I called France Telecom who indicated that the case was now in the hands of some Tribunal (Justice Court) and that I had to talk to them directly. The tollfree number for customer service is available only from a landline, supreme irony of this story. I called the Justice guy, explained what the deal was and asking for a "arrangement a l'amiable". The lady that I had on the phone indicated that the lawyer was unavailable but from what she understood I was disputing the charges. So I had to write a letter to the laywer, Maitre So and So, to the attention of France Telecom. He will pass on the message and think about the most appropriate response.

I wrote the letter. I am waiting for a response.