Sarcastic

I don't think I am a particularly sarcastic person.  I try to see things from many points of view and basically my patience level is high (but watch out when I DO explode!)  Remember my post about Polite Red Tape?  That was 10 days ago.  And I STILL haven't gotten my passport!  It is a good thing I've got a month left before I go to the States.

When I called the passport office 10 days ago the lady on the phone politely explained that I had forgotten to send a self-addressed stamped envelope and you may recall that I politely apologized.  I was told that if I sent off the self-addressed stamped envelope that day, then I would receive my passport in a day or so, and I immediately went to the post office and sent the self-addressed registered envelope.  And here I have sat since then... 10 days and no passport.

"I will call the embassy this afternoon if the passport doesn't come in the mail."

But the embassy beat me to it and I got a message on my phone answering service.

"This is the American Embassy.  We have a passport ready to send back to you and we received your self-addressed registered envelope but it is 50 yen short (about 50 cents).  Please send us a 50 yen stamp and you will get your passport in a couple of days."

I thought about calling the embassy back and complaining or PLEADING with them to send me my passport.  Hey, can't they do this collect on delivery?  Doesn't it cost the embassy and me a lot more money to be calling and sending and resending etc?

But no...  I went back to the post office, stuffed a 50 yen stamp into an envelope and included a terse, sarcastic message.

"My name is Tanya Watanabe.  Somewhere in your office is my passport.  And somewhere in your office is my self-addressed stamped registered return envelope.  Please add this 50 yen stamp to the envelope as I would like to have my passport back."

I wasn't too polite this time...  (But not insulting right?)

Oh... and I went to apply for my drivers' license too a couple of days ago.  Remember, that first attempt didn't go so well either and I politely apologized for not reading the Department of Vehicles instructions properly.  This time I went to the DMV on time and filled out their application form.

"Excuse me Mrs. Watanabe.  You are going to have to submit to us a document of residency"

My mouth fell open.

"I was in here last week and was specifically told I did NOT need the document of residency which I had brought and which I do NOT have with me today!"

"Oh, that is because you have signed your name in Japanese.  Your name on your driver's license will be in English.  For a change of name you need to bring the document of residency."

"I have NOT changed my name.  You can use whatever name you'd like! Japanese or English! I just want to drive legally!"

I am getting good at being sarcastic.  So I filled out the application all over again and signed my name in "English" thereby NOT needing to submit a document of residency.

I am supposed to pick up my driver's license at the end of July... but I will not be in the country.

"Can you send it to me?"

"Oh no.  We can't send it to you unless you sign for it personally on delivery.  Please come and pick up your drivers' license when you return to Japan.  But remember... you won't be allowed to drive to the DMV office."

I am banging my head.