Book Me, Dano!
As someone whose made the Good Book his life’s occupation I’m still not sure when the fruit of patience ends and good old human resignation takes over. It’s a fine line….
A current example is our attempt obtain visas for Ecuador. Now, we need these visas, and need them soon. The consulate tells me that I must have a police record check done. I’m sent to the impressive Ministry of Exterior Relations building ( an hour downtown; I live in the suburbs) and there am told to go to a phone an push “0”. I do so obediently and explain to an operator that I need a police record check. She glibly tells me what I must do and I…oh yes I….having been through this many…oh yes many…times before ask if she is certain. She pauses, puts me on hold and then comes back to give me a number to call…maybe she isn’t so certain after all. I return home…about an hour away, in the suburbs, to call this number and do so many times. No one on the other end thinks that answering the phone is a good idea. So, I look online on how to do a police record check and am given a link to download the form. I do so but the link doesn’t work. I call the various listed numbers and they are either 1) not functioning or 2) are automated messages that have NOTHING to say about a police record check. Ah…I had an epiphany….I’ve just left saintly patience and am now going full throttle on human resignation.
Well, I can always go to the local police department near to find out more, or better yet, to find out something as up till now I haven’t found out anything. After all,I think to myself, I need a POLICE check and it is a POLICE department. I go there and they tell me to go to an office not too far away and all will be taken care of promptly. Now I….yes I…have been through this many….oh yes many….times before and decide to call first. Lo and behold my search gives me a phone number that not only works, but also has someone on the other end who answers. Hey, I’m back in patience-ville! I talk with a lady who tells me that her office does not do police checks; I mean, why should they? They do criminal checks. I’m told to go the main police office which is an hour and a half downtown (did I mention that live in the suburbs?) to accomplish this. I decide to call first as I….yes I…well, you get the idea. I find a number for the federal police, one that works and is considered answerable by those who answer. I am informed that police record checks are no longer done. Ah….resignation here I come……I’m told that I can have a criminal record check done. I take that as a consolation prize and kindly hang up after tossing out a few appropriate “thank-yous.” (note to the reader: You might be asking yourself what the difference is between a police record check and a criminal record check, since both did exist at one time. I think that your question is both valid and worth exploring and encourage you to do so….)
I call the Ecuadorian consulate back and explain to them that the Argentina police no longer do police record checks and, by golly, somebody ought to do something about that. I would, but since I’m trying to move to Ecuador I just don’t have the time…I’m booked! I detect resignation on the other end of the line so jump right in and tell the person that I can have a criminal record check done and would be more than happy to do so. Yes, I sensed a patience returning to the lady. There is a lot to be said for consolation prizes.
So, I’m on my way to get a criminal record check.
This should be easy….
A current example is our attempt obtain visas for Ecuador. Now, we need these visas, and need them soon. The consulate tells me that I must have a police record check done. I’m sent to the impressive Ministry of Exterior Relations building ( an hour downtown; I live in the suburbs) and there am told to go to a phone an push “0”. I do so obediently and explain to an operator that I need a police record check. She glibly tells me what I must do and I…oh yes I….having been through this many…oh yes many…times before ask if she is certain. She pauses, puts me on hold and then comes back to give me a number to call…maybe she isn’t so certain after all. I return home…about an hour away, in the suburbs, to call this number and do so many times. No one on the other end thinks that answering the phone is a good idea. So, I look online on how to do a police record check and am given a link to download the form. I do so but the link doesn’t work. I call the various listed numbers and they are either 1) not functioning or 2) are automated messages that have NOTHING to say about a police record check. Ah…I had an epiphany….I’ve just left saintly patience and am now going full throttle on human resignation.
Well, I can always go to the local police department near to find out more, or better yet, to find out something as up till now I haven’t found out anything. After all,I think to myself, I need a POLICE check and it is a POLICE department. I go there and they tell me to go to an office not too far away and all will be taken care of promptly. Now I….yes I…have been through this many….oh yes many….times before and decide to call first. Lo and behold my search gives me a phone number that not only works, but also has someone on the other end who answers. Hey, I’m back in patience-ville! I talk with a lady who tells me that her office does not do police checks; I mean, why should they? They do criminal checks. I’m told to go the main police office which is an hour and a half downtown (did I mention that live in the suburbs?) to accomplish this. I decide to call first as I….yes I…well, you get the idea. I find a number for the federal police, one that works and is considered answerable by those who answer. I am informed that police record checks are no longer done. Ah….resignation here I come……I’m told that I can have a criminal record check done. I take that as a consolation prize and kindly hang up after tossing out a few appropriate “thank-yous.” (note to the reader: You might be asking yourself what the difference is between a police record check and a criminal record check, since both did exist at one time. I think that your question is both valid and worth exploring and encourage you to do so….)
I call the Ecuadorian consulate back and explain to them that the Argentina police no longer do police record checks and, by golly, somebody ought to do something about that. I would, but since I’m trying to move to Ecuador I just don’t have the time…I’m booked! I detect resignation on the other end of the line so jump right in and tell the person that I can have a criminal record check done and would be more than happy to do so. Yes, I sensed a patience returning to the lady. There is a lot to be said for consolation prizes.
So, I’m on my way to get a criminal record check.
This should be easy….
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