No Pass To Passport

Because the U.S. administration requires that Canadians crossing their border must have a passport, the passport office in Ottawa is inundates with applications. If you mail your application in, it could take up to nine weeks to get a passport. That's the notice they've put on their web site. But if you bring the application in person to one of their offices, you will save some time, though they can't tell you how much. The Boy needs to be in Chicago April 16.

Yesterday, in the passport office line up, I overheard one of the service agents say to someone, applications received in person today will be mailed out March 27. So that's three weeks.

Only, you have to line up for half an hour to get your application form and documents screened before they give you a number so you can wait two hours to be served. I made it to the first check point. I was turned back. The Boy hadn't signed one of three areas on the application that required a signature. Bah.

There were three screeners at the reception desk. I said to one of them - When's the best time to come back to shorten the wait? All three of them turned their heads to look at me, then they burst out laughing. Guffawing, actually.

It makes no difference - one of them said, in a resigned tone of defeat.

Come at 7:15 - said another. I couldn't tell if he jerking me around.

But you open at 8:00 - I said.

Come at 7:15 and you may be one of the first - he said with tired eyes cast in the space just behind me. Then he buried his face in his hands and rubbed his head.

In the elevator back down to the street, the man in the line up ahead of me said - You have to come back too? He was breathing hard and sweat was running down his face. I thought he was going to have a heart attack in the elevator. I too was feeling kind of faint, and tired, maybe defeated. They were infectious up in that passport office.

So I stepped into a snack bar for tea and a muffin and phoned The Man to complain. How long will The Boy have to suffer the wrath of mom over this? he asked. No wrath. Because this is just life unfolding. This frustration will pass.

I am working up the energy to go to the passport office again today. The passport application, support documents and signatures are in order. Will I be worthy of being served today?