THE PASSPORT OFFICE

 A stream-of-consciousness blog post

NOTE: I recently went to the passport office with my family to renew my passport. I didn't have mobile data and thus no connection to the internet on my phone, so I was just sitting in the waiting area, observing the scenes around me. Everybody was masked and all safety precautions were followed. This is something I came up with while sitting there.

You might have heard that an airport is full of stories, but have you ever wondered how many stories might be hidden within the constant bustle of a passport office?

Why are these people here? What stories are they carrying?

A newlywed bride, hands painted in beautiful Mehendi and wrists covered in the ceremonial red bangles, sitting alone. 

Toddlers wobbling about on their tiny, unsteady feet- their shoes making loud squeaks with each step.

An elderly couple patiently standing in line.

A young couple sitting together and talking in low tones in the waiting area.

Teenagers standing around with their phones in hand, fingers racing across the keyboard as they remain completely immersed in their own bubble- unaware of the bustle around them.

Stylishly dressed young women striding from one waiting area to the other- paperwork in hand.

Harried-looking parents trying to keep track of their children, all the while balancing large folders in their arms.

Young men sitting alone, with their earphones in and their phones in hand- impatiently looking up at the display screen, waiting for their token number to flash.

Three friends chatting and giggling as they wait in line, not seeming to mind the long wait as long as they had each other's company.

A mother and daughter duo, both of their hair dyed blonde at the tips, talking animatedly to an employee.

Most people have their heads down, eyes on their phones, some typing, others watching. Is someone else in the crowd writing down their thoughts like I am? Are they wondering the same things as me?

Are they here to get new passports made for their children? Do they have to change something in their existing ones? Are they here to renew expired passports? Why? Are they travelling abroad? Why would they do so during such a critical time in this pandemic? Are they visiting family? Attending a friend's marriage? Or a funeral? 

These thoughts race in my mind as I look around, one question replaced by another before I can properly even think about it.

Disgruntled and tired employees spending their day repeating the same process over and over again with different people- some smiling and cheerful while others seemed cold and distant. Do they find their job as monotonous as it looks to me? Do they enjoy finding different stories in their various applicants? Or do they just mind their own business and go about the job?

The world around us moves forward ceaselessly- it's filled with thousands of people just like us (and those who aren't). This pandemic has made us feel isolated and completely alone for almost two years now but that isn't really the case. All of us are facing the same challenges in our stories, and this thought gives me an unexpected feeling of strength and reassurance. 

We are not alone in our struggles, and we never will be.