the bureaucratic labyrinth

so i had a car accident last week ... no it was not serious ... at all ... i just hit a guy's car from behind ... unfortunately he had a 4x4 ... it's unfortunate because that means his bumper is higher than usual ... so when i hit him ... instead of just having a small bumper to bumper ... we had a bumper to hood ... and hoods don't absorb hits as well as bumpers ... they crumple up ... but seeing as how i wasn't going fast at all ... the damage was limited to the hood ... photos here and here ... ended up replacing it ... the hood not the car ... but that's not what i want to talk about ... the guy insisted we bring the police because he wants his insurance to cover the damage to his car ... which was so minimal ... i was like fine ... so police comes ... guy asks me for my registration and insurance ... i give them to him ... he's like you don't have copies ... ummm no ... well then i'll have to take the originals you can collect them from the "muroor" on saturday ... oh yeah this was wednesday night ... i was on my way to pick up my friend ... that fucker needs to learn how to drive and get a car already ... but i digress ... so he takes the originals ... fucking great ... well i didn't go collect them on saturday ... or sunday ... i went today ... first getting to the muroor was frightening ... i'm still fresh out of an accident and feeling a bit jittery ... and goddamn the traffic on the way there ... it is in malaz ... for those who don't know it gets kind of crowded there ... but i got there safely ilhamdulila ... now i know that dealing with government is a kafkaesque experience so i know what to expect ... but it never ceases to frustrate me and make me dream of immigrating the fuck out of here ... i walk into the building ... after getting past all the street peddlers who ask you if you need help doing your insurance or renewing your registration ... i walk in and i have no clue where to go ... i walk into an office and explain to the guy my situation ... he says go upstairs ... to the "7asib il alee" ... ok ... i go upstairs ... ask some dude where is the 7asib il alee that they speak of ... he gestures to a room ... i go in and get in line ... when it's my turn the guy asks me for the license plate ... now license plates here are three letters and four numbers ... the new ones are like that anyway ... and i just got a new one ... i don't remember it ... i know my old one ... but the new one ... uhhh ... i remembered the letters ... but the numbers ... 57 ... the last two i could not remember for the life of me ... i was like FUCK ... had to go back down and out the building and walk to my car ... which was parked far away because damn the place is crowded ... got the license plate in my head ... ok walk back upstairs ... get in line again ... recite the license plate ... he gives me a piece of paper and says go to the next counter ... ok ... getting somewhere ... to the next counter ... the guy's like you need to go to maktab raqam wa7ad ... where the fuck is that ... nobody knows ... i go downstairs ... maktab 2 .. 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... up to 9 ... but where is 1 ... i asked a dude ... he's like it's upstairs ... of course ... so i go upstairs and find it ... walk in ... the guy at the counter has some paperwork apparently ... he makes me wait about ten minutes ... while he finishes his work ... never once looking at me ... finally he takes the paper from me ... he asks me did anyone get hurt ... no ... did anyone flee the scene ... no ... so why are you here ... i don't know the guy told me to come here ... no go back ... ok ... i go back ... hey man you told me go to maktab 1 and he told me to go back to you ... give me the paper ... he asks me some questions ... gives me a paper to photocopy ... of course the photocopy place is not even in the same building ... it's outside ... and it costs a riyal ... small price to pay i guess ... go down and get the copy ... come back ... hand him the copy ... he hands me my registration and insurance and tells me goodbye ... i light a cigarette as i walk back to my car ... take a long drag ... and slowly exhale ... i did it ... oh and at work today ... i made several copies of my registration and my insurance ... you know ... just in case ...