Come to us 1st of November

Me: Excuse me, I want to produce my voting card.

Employee at Civil Affairs Section of my Police Station: Did you apply for it before?

Me: No. (Is he serious? Why would I apply for it more than once? And in Egypt?! I don't know anyone who applied for it EVER!)

Employee: First time ever?

Me: The voting card?!

Employee: Yes! Did you apply for it before?

Me: No! First time.

Employee: Ok. Come to us 1st of 11 [November].

Unconciously I give a face that would resemble this msn messenger smiley:

Something feels so fucking wrong.. and its TOO obvious that I take a moment to register what exactly is wrong with this picture..

Me: Uhh... the elections are in 9 [September].

Employee: Yeah I know but what can I do? Application for voting cards begins 1st of 11.

I remember a relative of mine taking a political science major mentioning something like that... "voting cards are issued only at certain periods.. but SUPPOSEDLY they are now issued automatically with birth.. at least for those who have been born in the 1980-something"

Me: Then what's this about voting cards being issued automatically?

The guy realizes it will be less tiring to explain than to try to give me the slip.

Employee: What's your name?

Me: [My Name] (Half expecting him to say ,"Sorry applicants beginning with that letter have to go to another Police Station". What's my name got to do with anything?)

Employee: When were you born? (Ok I realized I can't do much with your name.. maybe you're age is not in the 1980's so you don't have an automatically issued voting card yet and then you can go home and leave me to bum around in peace and flirt with the fat ugly ladies working with me?)

Me: [Year of Birth] (Sorry dude.. 1980's)

Employee: Where were you born? (Maybe you were born away from here so you can go wherever you came from and give THEM a hard time?)

Me: [Foreign Country] (Damn....)

Employee: Oh! You are born in [Foreign Country]... From where were you issued a birth certificate?

Me: (Oh fuck... no more fucked up procedures please.. and these fucked up silly questions) From [Foreign Country] ofcourse. (That's were I was born no?! Duuuh!)

Employee: Then we can't help you.



Me: I have an Egyptian Personal ID card.. Naturally I must have been issued a birth certificate here too!

Employee: When? and from which police station?

Me: (HOW THE FUCK WILL I KNOW?! I probably couldn't walk yet!) I dunno!

Employee: I am sorry but unless you have a birth certificate issued (1) from this police station (2) by 1986 then you will have to apply for a voting card in November.

Me: (losing hope... but I thought I'd ask what was needed anyway if you meet the requirements) Ok assuming that that is what I am... what papers are required?

Employee: Nothing just your Personal ID card and then we'll do a check up.

Me: Check-up? (I am kinda ignorant with government-sector-employee talk.. I thought some kind of physical check-up to make sure you are healthy enough to vote.. my mind goes far)

Employee: Ya.. we check that they are registered with us and all.

Me: Aha.... ("And all".. Whatever man.. I am totally lost.. I totally give up on this guy.. He wins.. Fuck the government)