3,000-euro-fountain-pen that is worth a royal story of bounced check

Translated from French by Luc Sâr

"I was almost judged and sentenced by a tribunal in France for a “bounced check” because I own 28,000 euros in a bank in Paris, and I sent a 3,000 euros check to this bank for the purchase of fountain pens!!!" By N. Sihanouk

One believes that it was a bizarre, crazy dream. However, it was real, a fact that was real!

“My” bank in Paris started to send me, to my address in Beijing, “serious” “papers” (not joke!!), accusing me of committing a “bounced check” crime, no more no less. This check of N. Sihanouk included the number and the letters indicating clearly: 3,000 euros (three thousand euros). And I owned 28,000 (twenty eight thousand euros) in this bank. How can this bank accuse me of “giving out” a “bounced check” (sic!!!) when this check was only drafted for an amount of 3,000 (three thousand) euros when I own 28,000 (twenty eight thousand) euros in this bank (Now, as of May 2009, I own 25,000 – twenty five thousand euros)??

Finally, the bank in Paris confesses that its “computer” made “a mistake” –(sic!) –. It (the bank) apologized to me (Norodom Sihanouk) in writing. My check was not and is not a bounced check!

(Signed) Norodom Sihanouk