I spent a lovely Saturday night at Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, playing poker with a few mates, one of whom we ended up naming Brianopolis.
I knew I had to catch the 4.30 ferry back from the gorgeousness, so I could pick up a specific photo for my visa documentation. They like their shots to be 2 inches square, and I wasn't allowed to wear that headdress i've been gadding about in. The shop closed at 7pm, or so I had been told.
As we approached the terminal, we all agreed that we needed to get a dose of down-home country by popping into Papa-D's Meat Pies, which is about two seconds away from the ferry. It was classic - Honours system, handwriting, microwave if you can't wait, all down the end of a lonely country lane. We picked up a chicken.
Turns out we just missed jumping into the 4.30 queue, so would have to wait to take the 6.30. This was not going to work. I had to get back to get the photo. So, I hopped out of the van, and continued on foot.
The ferry was late, the bus to downtown took about an hour, and I didn't have a watch on so was getting a little anxious about whether I would arrive in time. I glanced at a watch face across the seat, and saw that it was approaching 6.20 as I was approaching Granville. Phew! Perfect!
I rushed downstairs into the Mall, where I began to notice with impending dread that many of the shops had their little plastic roller doors well and truly closed. I skipped along, turned the corner to the photo store, and saw that it too had closed its doors for the night.
I panicked.
"But my visa appointment is TOMORROW MORNING. How the hell am I going to find another photo in time? What will everyone think of me? Can't even get a photo of herself!! I don't have my phone! I can't make it in time in the morning! My appointment's at 10!!!"
I suddenly felt as if I was in a movie. Standing outside the closed store running my fingers through my hair. Feeling like I was about to cry. (Did I mention I was tired, hungover and a wee bit pre-menstrual?)
Deciding that there wasn't anything I could do apart from damage at the store, I made my way to the bus. I'd had just about enough of public transport at that stage, so didn't relish the opportunity for more. I didn't have any change either, but luckily had kept my transfer from the ferry bus. I figured I might just make it on to a bus before that expired, otherwise i'd probably look into harikiri.
Got the bus. Good. Just sat there. Starting to sniffle a bit. Shit, shit shit! Bugger. Poo.
Got home. Blurted out situation to roomies. Roomies calming. Phone calls to potential photographic services. All closed. Take shoes off. Cigarette. Blow nose. Consider calling work people. Consider many things. Sniff.
One back up plan I came up with was to use a normal-sized photo that I remembered i'd had taken in Seattle a while back. I wasn't sure that this would work, and therefore was highly risky because really they can do whatever they want, and I have no control and could bugger everything up in one fell swoop but maybe it just might work because I don't have time to anything else.
I looked in my drawer for the photo and retrieved not one, but two 2 inch square photos of me.
Watch out for those small things, people.
(Photo by fubuki)