As my most recent occupation is collecting papers I went first and foremost for the one harder to get (in terms of time). Here’s how it went:
I was very lucky I knew the number of the room where to go as there was no one what so ever that I could ask (I know because I looked around trying to find someone to ask where exactly that number is - after a while I started wandering the corridors by myself).
Now, on finding my door I discovered I was lucky enough not to have a long queue in front of me like some of the other rooms had :) On waiting near it I noticed that on the door it was a sign saying “Enter 2 people at once”, 2 being underlined. While I asked myself why did they accentuate the two, perhaps people only entered one at the time and that was bothering them because they kept expecting for more? This didn’t seem likely but neither did the exact opposite, people entering in large groups in a single office. I couldn’t decide which was it but I thought I won’t take any chances so when the person in front of me entered so did I.
And I found myself in an average sized room divided in two by the fearsome glass wall behind the clerks stood and where 75% of the customer’s side was barred. There was only one working office and about 1.5 x 1.5 m of space where the people came to ask for papers could stay. Ooops, I thought, and I asked: “Shall I get out?” as I really didn’t think the rule on the door was still applying. The clerk gave me a totally empty look and so I continued “The sign on the door said that two people were to enter at once”. At which she looked at me and said in a very condescending tone: “Did I say anything to you?” (I cannot describe that tone, it felt like I was slapped on the face, I swear I felt my eyes become larger with incredulity)(while my mind was busy wondering - did she mean “Did I say anything to you? You mustn’t be here so I have nothing to say to you. Out!” or did she mean “Did I say anything to you? No and that means you can stay else I would have told you so in a very unpleasant way.” - I decided upon the latter and I stayed).
Then came my turn, “I’m here for this-and-this paper”, and she gave me a form to fill in and I just had to ask for a pen as I don’t carry one with me (even though I know I should, especially when I go out to fill some forms, I just didn’t think about it). “I don’t think I have one” she said. Luckily, just when I was envisioning myself standing in a corner and waiting for more equipped people so that I could beg them to give me a pen, she found one - and just when I thanked her she said “But make sure you bring it back” on her very pleasant tone. Ha, ha. I do understand that she probably lost a lot of pens over time because people never bothered to return them but the tone, the tone!! After all not only I don’t think I look like a pen stealer but the pen was a very cheap one not to mention they are not hers they are the state’s and technically bought with my money too, so there!
Luckily after filling in the form I gave it to her and after saying “gotoroomfiveafterfifteendays” she turned to one of the two people that had entered when the person in front of me had exited (so I wasn’t the only one following the instruction on the door after all :P ). Now I really and truly hope I understood correctly what she had said - this time the tone was both condescending and very fast - but I guess we’ll see in 15 days, wouldn’t we? I do know I should have shoved the next customer aside (bar the fact he was a huge man) and ask her to repeat more clearly but I just didn’t have the nerve.
Looking at it on the bright side this means my next clerk encounter is in no less than 15 days. Which is a very encouraging though as I feared I should face more sets today, being the last day and all :P
Original post: here.
Andreea is a 26 year-old software developer in Timisoara.