I had some passport woes.
Completely. freaked. me. out.
I need it for my resume.
Without a passport number I am not officially employable in Taji.

So yeah.

I kinda threw up in my mouth a little
when the call came through
explaining they need extra documentation
when I sent them at least ten original pieces
The original request had been six.

Friday afternoon I get this yucky call.
When I can basically do nothing more about it for the next two days.

Goodie!!!
I got to mindfuck myself aaaall weekend.
Not only did I have the opportunity to realize how much I wanted this job,
it occured to me that if they DID loose my file, that means they lost my birth certificate also in the file.

The one I need for a cruise
a cruise I'm leaving for in five days
as long as I have my birthcertificate for travel
well
or a #?&#!%*$ passport

gulp.
I think it is worked out now.
I spent some time on the phone, untying some knots.

You know--
pushing 1 for english and 2 for cusomer service
repeating the issue half a dozen times.
Firmly saying,
"Fine I'll wait on the line while you check that,
No, don't call me back, put me on hold and look into it NOW.
I'll wait.

Sidenote:
I'll wait and No, I can't hold

are two very important sentences to incorporate into your customer service arsenal. Those two statements can get some shit done, we wont' even go into their entertainment value. Muwhahaha.
Suffice to say,
I think they helped me because they saw that pain in the ass as far more finite than my phone calls weren't going to be.

Then in a little side bar to this whole passport odyssey to the Center of the Bureaucratic Universe:

I had to go to the DMV to work out my driver's license middle name/maiden name discrepancy. I have to explain the change and the need for the change and I remember being very relieved at how solicitious the clerk was.

Fastforward to Sunday:

"Honey, we need to tell your parents about Iraq before the kids squeal."

Fast forward to Sunday night:

"Mom knows about Iraq."

"Whah? I say, Which knucklehead squealed?!"

"She knows, he shrugged, the clerk at the DMV is in her choir. (MIL is the choir director). Clerk asked her how she felt about her daughter in law going to Iraq."


Oops.
Obviously, I didn't recognize the clerk.

Well.

Now they know.