Story of the Envelope

I think I promised another story about the "interview" we had at the Greek embassy for our Greece visa. Hubby and I went for the interview with enough paperwork to boggle the mind of any mere mortal. We lost our way when we were kind of close to the embassy and we got there slightly late. Thankfully they let us in and here is a transcript of the interview:

(MBTC-Man Behind the Counter)

Hubby: Hello, we would like to visit Greece from so and so time

MBTC: Why you want to visit Greece?

Hubby: We have heard it’s a great place and we would like to spend our first wedding anniversary there.

MBTC: huh, where are the documents?

Hubby: Here are mine, and these are my wife's.
(He takes a cursory look at it and puts all our docs in one of the envelopes provided)

Hubby: Here is the envelope for her documents.

MBTC: We will put it together in one

Hubby (to me): There is a waste of envelope

Me (silent till then): It’s not a waste. We can use it for something else.
(Suddenly a light bulb goes off for him)

MBTC: The stamps on one envelope won't be enough for sending two documents

Hubby: No, I enquired at the post office and they said this is good enough for upto so many pounds and this is definitely less.

MBTC: Are you sure?

Hubby: I am perfectly sure

MBTC: The reason is people say that and then we end up paying the postage.

Hubby: I am sure, I asked the PO people myself.
(MBTC is visibly unhappy.)

Me: Yeah, that sounds right, and since both are coming to the same address, we can save the stamps on the other one

MBTC: But you are sure right? Because people...
(He calls another person to verify that he IS indeed telling us the truth. He speaks to him in rapid Greek. The other person tells us the same thing, but is more inclined to believe us)

MBTC: Well if you are SURE...
(and gives a sigh that nearly blows off all the papers in his desk)

Hubby: We are sure, but we can leave the other one if you want
(hubby is tired of the conversation)

Me: Thats ok
(and we say thank you and leave)

We got the passports back in 1 week with the visas stamped on it. Hubby had to go and get it from the consulate. The person who had interviewed us was there. He gives hubby his passport and "the girl's"??? passport in his hands. I got a visa for 15 days and hubby gets for a month.

Moral of the story: DO NOT come between a Greek and his Envelope.