Up in Smoke!

So immigration is not a place you want to spend much time. I don't care if you are talking about the American immigration or in any foreign country. It's just not a pleasant place. You have lines. lots of them. You have uncomfortable chairs and flickering neon lights. And you have hot, cranky, impatient foreigners mindlessly tapping their feet and staring off into space. The staff are sometimes friendly but often they are just disinterested and going through the motions. It's not a job I'd sign up for personally so I can empathize with the monotony. Well, this morning I found myself standing in those lines and waiting in those seats. They took my papers and informed me they'd be going on lunch (a two hour lunch!) so I should return after 1 pm. That's fine with me. I'd rather be doing other things too. So i left and had lunch with a patient in the hospital down the street. I had to transport her because of signs of hypertension. It was a nice lunch and she let me cuddle her cute little girl, Charmaine. When I returned, I waited as they came back from lunch and start my paperwork. But then, all of a sudden there was more flickering of the lights than normal. There was fluctuating power surges then POOF!!! one of the computers went up in smoke. The women screeched. The men ran to cut off the power and everybody in the lobby started for the doors. except me. I just walked closer for a better look. It was only a computer. :- ) I would have unplugged the computer and turned back on the power. it's an easy fix. But here they went the opposite direction. They closed down the office and asked everyone to come back another day... So I won't be renewing my immigration status today. Perhaps tomorrow. Assuming nothing else explodes while I'm there.