The Morning of Tuesday

8:00 AM, Immigration Office

Told to meet the office's personnel at 8 in the morning for visa processing and exactly eight I was there.  Mind you, I thought it was raining outside as when I arrived the building, I was very wet.  But digressing.

The person in charge from our office was there at 6:45 in the morning to line up but we were already like fifteen people behind the first applicant.  So I am guessing that the early birds came when I was still dreaming of ice cream back in my bedroom.

When I got Number 2 for queueing, I was ecstatic, as I am the second but my luck dissipated when passports upon passports were filed to oblivion as the deputy in-charge wasn't even there to sign the papers.  A match could actually burn the passports like a bonfire because of its sheer height.

There was a man pleading his case to the officer to let him do his business as he was wearing a tank top and shorts, add to that image a pair of rubber slippers. Do you ever think that doing business in Thailand is like visiting the beach at noon?  Nah, we also have what you call dress code, either very long or very short, he,he,he.

Later, it was mayhem, queque machines, all three, broken.

There were plenty of foreign people waiting patiently, for their turn to be called. Number 32, 33, 34!  Which sounds like numb-err tertee to, tertee tee, ther tee for! As even the automated number announcement machines were busted.

So we were given pieces of paper with a felt tip marked number on it, 35, sit down. 36, sit down. 37, sit down.  There were no more seats so saying sit down is pointless.  The hall is filled to the rafters, whatever it means!

I have to run to do some bathroom duties as I was afraid my name will be called.  In my haste, I entered the women's bathroom. Luckily I didn't see any 'pekpek'.  I was just reminded by the bathroom attendant that, 'this is girl toilet, not boy!'  I looked at her and apologized.  I could have retorted, how can you be so sure?  I even thought that this is it pansit, I will be deported because of loitering in the women's loo.

Anyway, I was called later and after all the other 'need to show your face' thingies, I had coffee and some donuts for my late morning snack.

And in the midst of all these madness, I was being courageous.  I opened my love and admiration to MY special someone.  And at 9:42 that morning, I became a new me, a happy me!