Sorry to leave my Catholic debate hanging, but I think that's enough for a while. Oh but fyi, I'm kinda skeptical to the claim by extreme Protestants that if you count the letters in the title of the Pope - Vicar of the Son of God or Vicarius Christi in Latin( like A =1 , B=2, etc) you'll get 666. I think that's too creative to be real though..eek.
Anyway just got my IC done, which means Inescapable Cruelty or identity card depending on how you look at it. Whatever it stands for, it means that I've offically pledged myself to the gahmen and all it's vices for the next majority of my life. The whole process of getting the dirty deed done was surreal and rather intriuging, if I may add.
The ICA(Immigrations and Checkpoint Authority) building is a deep, metallic and unfriendly grey. With aunties in coats and ah sohs in tuxes you know you'r e gonna get trouble. They man every counter, be it the IC making, passport making, photo taking, cake baking etc, and posses the uncanny ability to divert wannabe IC, passport makers and bakers away from their comfortable and cozy cubicle to the comfortable and cozy cubicle next to them. Damn when you're at ICA you inevitably feel like the newspaper wrapped gift at a crazed childrens' pass the parcel party. Went up to the first receptionist, "Hi Miss(I lie), I need to make my IC." "Eh boy where you documents? Show show." After ransaking my neatly filed stack of personal documents, she gasps and hyperventilates:- "EH AH BOY, how come you birth certificate photocopy one?" "Erm I can't find the original at present, but isnt this sufficeint to-" "Noah noah cannot one. You go to counter 2234 and extract your Berf certificate then come back here." As I turn to leave disgruntled, I over hear an indian man handing in an IC he found in the gents, however apparantly to no avail.
Indian Man: "I found this IC in the toilets, the staff at the ground floor told me to come up to the 2nd floor lost and found. But 2nd floor staff say come up her to IC department give you." I could tell that he lost a few kilos doing that Iron Man wild goose chase.
ICA Aging Agent: "Thank you sir..now If you will just go to counter:- Indian Man: "Huh now you want me to go another counter.." AA:"Yes, of course."
Shaking my head I made for counter 2234 to extract my birth certificate from the ICA archives. What, or who met me was this pudgy lady, who I thought would have wished to be off slim wrapping or playing mahjong rather than finding little boys' birth certificates.
"Wha you wan?" "I'm here to extract my birth certificate for my IC." "30 dollars." "What?" I asked incredously. "You never hear me say ah, I find BC must $30 one" Reluctantly handing over a fifty, I notice her give me a look that would have turned Medusa to stone. "Can't read ah boy, only use NETS or cash card lah" "Don't you mean you don't have change for a fifty?" "The ICA dun have change one la" *cue irritated look* "The Immigration and Checkpoint AUTHORITY of the government dosne't have change for a FIFTY?" I didnt know whether to cry or to laugh. Eventually I managed to change the fifty for 5 tens from a kind soul nearby, and as I was walking back to Ms IC lamenting the state of affairs of the gahmen, Ms Mahjong said "eh you got photocopy BC ah, actually can one oso."
Damn.
The actuall process of making an IC is quite an interesting one..really makes you feel like you're part of the system. The electronic/ink thumprints et al...hmmm..but still a fairwarning to those visiting...
beware the agents in the Institute of Crazed Authority...
Delivered at 9:35 PM;
KENNETH
Name:Slumber
Born:16th August
FANCIES
Him.K.anglo-chinese.music for the passionate.marvel.gunners.
Orange.debate.
long bus rides armed with an eye and a pod.74.
philosophizing.dystopia.
coffee.Rove.Health.Famary.
Buddies.
writing.1984.
expression.Italian food.
journeys.teh-peng.
stream of consciousness.
witty play on words.musing.
accents.the heartrands.performing.
being a closet connossieur.
a point of view.vigorous
interaction with spherical objects.
irony&pathos.yum.
JS.spirit.a girl that would smile