Of rude people and overseas journey

Been a very hectic last few days with work and a lot of running around, getting my visa done and meeting some grumpy people through the way. The other day I got stuck badly at work and it was 9PM by the time I remembered I had to get my visa papers in order with signatures from various hierarchies in the organization. Now typically these signatory characters are born on earth to play tough and pain the hell out of you. At 9PM, I panicked and went to my boss and told him about the miss. He happened to catch this woman at her telephone extension. He told me to run and get her signatures before she runs away. Because, typically, this lady from the said department is not quite the late-bird varieties like the unfortunate us. Her job is to go through list of people who want a transfer and arrange it by tormenting the hell out of them, to try finding work for people who are on bench and so forth. Why I needed signature for a visa form from this lady is beyond my simple brain to understand. But still, I quickly sprinted to my desk and called her to be sure she doesn’t escape through the stairs while I take the elevator.

Me: Hello. (At this stage, I did not know her name) Can I talk to anyone from ABCD department?
She: Yes. Speaking. *Never heard a more toneless voice before in my life*
Me: Hi, my name is RT. I actually had to get my EIF form signed so that I can submit the same along with my Visa papers at the Andheri Office tomorrow morning. Can I come to your desk for the same?
She: *in her toneless best* Come tomorrow. I am busy today.
Me: *Level 2 strategy. Bringing in a sycophantic tone*. Sorry it’s late in the evening. But I live in Andheri and I have to come all the way to Borivali tomorrow just for your signature and go back to the Andheri office to submit my papers. I have to be flying this weekend and I am short of time. It will take you only 2 minutes to sign this form.
She: *Tone level slightly higher* I am busy with something else and its late. Please come tomorrow. I cannot sign it without verifying.
Me: (rather disappointed) *cursing her dreary voice under my breath* Ok! What can I say? Thank you.

I trotted back to my boss’s desk again and narrated her curt demeanor. He called her and gave her some gyaan about how everybody works late and is pressured in life with some deadline or other and urged her to sign.

Then, I went to her desk. She was busy on the phone. I kept waiting. 5 min passed, 10 min passed. Then she snatched the form from my hands without looking up at me. She put her signature and wrote some gibberish stuff that I did not require any other approval from the other higher authority. But I decided to ask her nonetheless since I did not want to take chances. She just stared at her machine and it was for me to understand that no approval was required. What a rude woman I muttered while tracing back the way to my boss’s desk for his signature. And I was stunned by what he told me as the reason why she did not want to sign my paper today. It was, apparently, because she thought I was very rude on the phone. *I ask ya??? *
I am certain now that some people are born with kidneys in their cranium!!

Oh, and the visa is for a 3 week trip to Manchester. Traveling to Britland in the weekend if all goes well. :-)