It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Albatera…I jumped up this morning and made myself coffee ..mopped and cleaned a bit…. Then time for my town hall appt: incredibly, my 4 th appt… I grab my worn out folder and passport in case they lost anything from my previous 3 appts… As well, anything can happen…I have a paper to pick up a paper…the famous “certificado ayuntamiento” that must be shown to the police in 10 days to get my ID…I have it in my hot little hands, ready Freddy I think… The lady says hola, and I hand her my paper -to-get a paper form..she starts looking me up…she grabs a huge folder…I see a  stack of certificates next to her. It looked like 100s of them… I must be in there I’m thinking,my certificate for sure…I watched as the lady sifted through them .. she stares at the stack, the computer, the stack, the computer, and mumbles something in Spanish…this is bad, when they start mumbling with “senorita”  I’m in for a problem…. She can’t find me..  I’m ready to walk behind the desk and help her… Another  employee gets up and miraculously finds my certificate in another pile on his desk . Phew now we are cooking Im thinking…but I breathed to soon ..but more mumbling… Now ..Here comes   a 3 Rd employee…and I pull my phone out, .. Google translate….then one employee says .. other people are not off…bla bla..I’m like wait: espero Yo fue aquí semana pasada…(I was her last week)  with the owner,  last time!… I speed-dial the owner…. He gets on and the man explained to him no Padrón for CHIFFON until other (previous renters) are off . As he’s the owner it’s his job to get them off the roster ..  or get the previous renters back in there to do it So….. another snag…..after much discussion with the owner, apparently the previous renters finally went in to get off the roster so I can be put on .. but but but, they don’t have their proper paperwork and are coming back.. oh holy Hell…. I then say my police appt for my ID is in 10 dias!!! And my Visa expires on Dec 31… Holy shit Batman..not getting that  Padrón is getting dangerously close to creating an emergency…
I want to say where are those ppl? Are they native Spaniards? Don’t they know how to do their paperwork right? they live here! I’m the foreigner! In broken English, the man said it’s ok, next week it will be solved. …..Really? On appt #5? Do you really think the previous renters will get it right this time?She hands me back my dog-eared worn paper to pick-up-a-paper form. .. So I’m handed another appt for next Monday…What can I do? Nothing. It’s too early to drink. I sit down at a cafe and order tostada with tuna and tomato, coffee… The church bells ring it’s noon ..I only hope the appts stop at 5… Not 12..Pray for me…

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