Italy, oh Italy!

A (shortened and censored) conversation between me and the Questura di Perugia (QdP, Italian equivalent of police office), on 11 February 2009, (15:03):

Me: Pronto, buona sera. Posso parlare con la signora XYZ?

Hello, good evening. May I speak with Mrs. XYZ?

QdP: Buona sera. Si, sono io.

Good evening. Yes, that's me.

Me: Aaah, signora, mi chiamo ABC. Chiamo per un'informazione.

My name is ABC. I'm calling for an information.

QdP: Vuoi sapere se il Suo permesso di soggiorno è pronto? Sei venuta qua ottobre, no?

You want to know if your Stay Permit is ready? You came here in October, didn't you?

Me: Eh, si, esatto.

That's right.

QdP: Allora, mi dica il numero dell'assicurata.

Tell me the number of your (insured) receipt.

Me: 06071795 xxxx

QdP: un momento... (click click and some shuffling at the background)

one moment...

Allora, signora ABC, il Suo è pronto da 15 dicembre. (alter-ego speaking to me: whaaaaat?!?! how is it possible?!?!?! When u most expect it, it never comes through. When you least expect it, they do it earlier...)

sooo, Mrs. ABC, yours is ready since 15 December.

Me: Ah si? (with some note of happiness mixed with i-can't-believe-it)

oh yes?

QdP: Si. Quando ho rivevuto il tuo documento, l'ho mandato subito a Roma. Ma mi raccomando, deve essere qua prestissimo perche ci sono 200 persone nella fila. Puo prenderlo solo martedi o mercoledi. (hmmm... means gotta go there next week... another train travel... *sigh*...)

Yes. When i received your document, i sent it to Rome right away. But I'm telling you, you must be here very early because there are 200 people in the line. You can take it only on tuesday or thursday.

Me: Benissimo.

Alright.

QdP: Poi, mi raccomando, si scada 20 aprile, quindi deve organizzare in modo giusto. (Hhrrrmmmfff... like i nevah!?!?! It's obviously not of my organization that it took you [r office] more than 1 year and half to get this thing done... *grumble grumble silently*)

Then don't forget, it expires on 20 April so you have to organize it properly.

Me: OK. (After all, by that time, i'll be already back in Indonesia, you inefficient worker! And look what you've done, i've been stuck here in with no chance of going abroad because of this stupid stay permit thing... able only to drool over my friends' trip all over Europe!)

Allora, grazie mille, Signora.

Ok, thanks a lot, Maam.

QdP: Di niente. Arrivederc... Arrivederla, buona sera!

It's nothing. See You again --polite form--, good evening!

There goes!

Finally, got my Stay Permit. After such a looooooooooong wait. After such a looooooooooooot of sacrifices (need i say them aloud?).

Italy (well, to be honest, not all of Italy, just a big part of it): u do things, blood and sweat work on it... but things don't come your way. Then out of the blue, when u least expect it (mostly when it's already too late), there it goes!

And all I can say is: manaccia la miseria!

This entry has been originally posted in my Facebook account earlier today.