Second floor. Outside an exam venue.
Some candidates are sitting on seats in the corridor, waiting. Some lady cleaners are sitting on the staircase near the doors leading into the exam hall, chatting.
The soft sunlight beaming through the windows on the upper side of the wall, showing the dust dancing in them. "You can't take the exam without a passport. The instructions are clearly written on the website. I cannot let you in." The woman insists, in an angry and impatient tone.
He is furious. His muscles on his back were tightening. Even under his loose shirt, it is obvious. He is taking deeper breaths to maintain his cool.
It is useless.
He can no longer hold his voice low in rage and disappointment. Without continuing the conversation, or the request,or the explanation,or the demand, or the questioning.
He ends the words from his mouth, and between the woman. He turns away abruptly.
The air stirs from his sudden movement, from the dense tension before.
He rushes down to the white staircase on the left. His feet are hitting each stair step, carried by his occasionally painful legs.
He makes a right turn quickly on the staircase to the first floor. The quiet staircase is magnifying the sound of his rapid pace of his taps on each staircase.
It is almost noon. Still very sunny, hot. He is out of the hotel area and on the street.
He immediately pulls his phone out of his pocket and makes a call, to a girl. He tries to lighten his tone and mood by his smile in his words. He tells her what just happened. He smiles, anyway.
He does not stop but keeps on walking along his call on the phone, without turning his head back.
The sun is at the top of his head now. Sweats are on the roots of his hair and forehead, shimmering, like the sea in its best moment of a summer day. m the other side of the phone. He finally finishes, turns, and asks, "now, what is the place you said you will go?"
He finally stops in front of a truck by the pavement. He stands at the same point while having some grins on whatever he hears from the phone.
I, at last, standing opposite to him, smiling.
