A passport to trouble?

The other day I found myself filling the forms for a new passport, as my current passport was nearing its expiry date. The first thing I noticed was the rule that the form should be filled in capital letters with either black or blue ball point pen. Writing in only capital letters have always been a problem for me, as I tend to slip into small letters even when I take great care to write in capital. Added to this problem is the fact that one has to write the answers to the question in the box provided there in the booklet. One has to leave a column blank after finishing one word and that is something I overlook while filling up the columns. I had to pay heavily for my aforesaid weakness, as I spoiled four forms while filling up the application for my passport. There was an intervening Saturday and Sunday on which days I could not get the new forms at the passport office and I had to postpone submitting my application until Wednesday.

The reason being that I could buy the application forms on Monday, but could not fill it up then and there itself, with my attendant complications. I brought the applications home and filled it, but did not take it to the passport office on Tuesday, as I felt Tuesday not auspicious enough for such ventures. Here I have to explain why I consider Tuesdays not auspicious enough. It was partly because of my habit of wearing my dress for two days, so Mondays , Wednesdays and Fridays I found myself wearing clean clothes and Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays I did not find myself fit to face anything new, as I was most of the time wearing the cloth of the day before. Slowly I used to change the shirts every day, but still retained the habit of wearing the same pants for minimum two days. So in my mind I refused to do anything afresh on those days in which I was wearing the cloth which I had already worn.

So by the time I took my application to the passport office, it turned out to be a Wednesday. There was quite a good number of people standing in the line at the passport office to get the tokens before being allowed to go inside the office. Once inside I waited patiently for my token to be called and when it was called after about one hour, I submitted the forms at the counter along with my valid passport. The officer accepted my application after scrutiny and also returned my passport after stamping it canceled. Last time when I renewed my passport, the old passport was not returned then and there, it was sent by post along with the fresh passport.

Now I am looking forward to receive my brand new passport, which is really a passport to a better and more organized place where I could spent the days in the company of my daughter and grandson.