All told it was two hours and forty minutes out of my day.  Five reps of financial services companies – four Canadian and one Belgian.  Their responses varied from “I can’t help you” to a fellow who did handsprings of service for 1:45.

What I want to do is sell my shares in a corporation.  I need the money.  Who would have thought that financial transactions between Canada and my new home of Belgium would be so difficult?  Clearly not me.

My brain isn’t the precise, analytical type.  And it’s not particularly adept with finance and computers.  Oh well.  This was the task at hand so I got to it.

I was told that I needed to do this, that and the other thing for the result to be produced.  Then I was informed that the result no longer can be produced because I’ve moved to Belgium.  Or that forms 23F, 18C and X needed to be completed.  And phone us back if you don’t understand some of the questions that require answers.

The last fellow was golden.  I started thinking “This actually can be done.”  He was so patient with my misunderstandings, my slowness of mind.  And determined that together we would jump through the hoops that international transactions placed before us.  At the end I thanked him with all my remaining energy.   Perhaps two weeks from now, the money will be in my account.

I’m sitting here pooped … and proud of me.  I’ve been wading in foreign waters, far from home.  I am humbled by my foibles.  So often in the world of daily tasks, I don’t know what to do.  Happily saviours are willing to step forward.  One of them is named Brian.

We need each other, you and me