By The Curmudgeon
Yes, after early retirement I moved to Spain in 2008 and became a waiter.
At the bank, the gestoría, hacienda, the doctor's, dentist, optician and pharmacy, and the worst of the lot, the policía nacional. Wherever I go, I always have to wait. I’m a waiter.
It happens at the airport too: at security, to board the plane and at passport control.
Before Covid-19, and during the lockdown and afterwards, when you had to get a dreaded cita previa, even for the most trivial of matters, you had to wait. The appointments were timed, but they still ran late so you were still a waiter.
Today I am sitting in the comisaría de policia waiting to make a denuncia. As I write, I’ve been a waiter for three quarters of an hour. I’ve been on my mobile phone, catching up with emails and looking at my WhatsApp and Facebook messages. I made and received several phone calls. But I’m running out of things to do.
Shall I go outside for a cigarette? I don’t smoke!
Go for a coffee? Nip to the loo? If I do, I’ll lose my place.
Oh, well, I’ll just have to sit and wait. I could twiddle my thumbs, but that’s not much fun.
***
Oh, at long last, movement! The people before me have left the “denuncias” office and have gone, so it must be my turn. I’ve now been a waiter for one hour and 20 minutes.
Another 20 minutes and my denuncia is done. Now I need a cita previa with Extranjería . Today is 23 January; the first available appointment is 14 February!
So, I’m back to being a waiter!
© The Curmudgeon
Tags: cita previa, comisaría, Covid-19, Curmudgeon, dentist, denuncia, doctor's, extranjería, gestoría, hacienda, optician, pharmacy, policia, policía nacional, waiter