I got a call this morning from the fraud detection unit at my friendly neighborhood bank. “We detected some unusual activity on your debit card,” the agent on the other end of the line explained to me. “Did you place an order for a pile of electronic parts and blinky lights, and pay way too much money for it?”

“Why, yes, in fact, I did,” I confirmed.

“Well, okay then,” she said. “It’s your money, I guess.”

“That’s right, it’s my money, and if I want to spend it on a pile of blinky lights, that’s what I’ll do with it. But thanks for checking.”

“It’s for your protection, sir,” she explained. “Good-bye.”

She really did say that last part. The rest of the conversation I kind of made up, but it’s “based on a true story,” as they say. I really did use my debit card to buy a pile of electronic parts and blinky lights from an internet vendor, but I thought that’s what a debit card was for.

I didn’t think it was too much money, though. The parts will eventually be assembled in a way that will control the temperature of the electric kettles I’ll use to make beer in the basement. Some people might think that’s not worth the expense, but they’re people who don’t drink beer, so they don’t count.