If you don't pay the bribe, you pay the price in India.

I have a police problem and I need help.

On 11 December I applied to renew my passport at the Passport Seva Kendra, Raheja Tipco Plaza, Unit no. 2-b, Rani Sati Marg, Malad (East), Mumbai- 400097. My passport was water damaged. So I was applying to renew it. I didn't have a change in address. I didn't get married. I didn't have a change in my name. All that happened was it was damaged and a fresh one had to be issued. 

On 13 December my file was received by the Kurar police station. After visiting them every Sunday asking them when the office would come to verify my house address, the Kurar Police station finally sent a man home on 5 January after going to the police station and asking them why they were harassing me as I had to travel on 15 January (just as a pressure tactic). The man they sent to my place on 5 January asked me for a bribe for all his troubles of coming to my house and I told him to go away without giving him a bribe.

On 6 January, I went to Kurar police station again with the documents I was told to carry and this police officer Praveen Bhosale, Badge no 161367 verifying the documents tells me get your post graduate degree original certificate - I don't understand what it has to do with verifying my house and even if it was needed why wasn't I told about it earlier. This was the 5th time I was at the police station and I had to go home and come back again with my papers. Finally, I was able to submit all my documents after the verification.

Today is 16 January. It's been a week and a half since the document submission. I asked my dad to go to the police station on 15 January since it says on the passport website http://www.passportindia.gov.in/AppOnlineProject/locatePSK/locatePFCInp - the police still need to verify your address. The police officer Praveen Bhosale, Badge no 161367 says he has sent it to the Superintendent of Police's office last week. I checked the SP office website. They haven't received it.

I don't know what to do anymore. Is it because I didn't pay the bribe that I am being hassled? Is it because they think I have that much free time to keep going up and down to the police station as I have nothing better to do? Or is it because the Mumbai Police just don't care?

Please help.

Love - Don't leave me hanging. Again.

Love - Can you conquer it all?
Cause I sure don't believe we can have it all.

Rich in spirit
But ain't got two paise in my wallet
And you know what...
Life ain't that bad - got it?

I don't care... really
Oh wait - I do
Why you walkin around here
Tryin a play me for a fool

Just let your guard down man
Stop tryin so damn hard to be cool

I got mah eyes on you.
I got mah spies on you.

So,
Forget the war paint
Forget the strings
Forget the booze
Forget the facade

It's me. I'm me. And I'm real.

Deal with it.

Lights off.

We're done here.

Bitches.

~CBS.

Reflection

The light within her flickers thin

Diminishing, fading...

Melting whites... pinks... blues

All the hues, hanging loose.

Starlight, starbright

A fallen angel weeps herself to sleep each night

Cleanse her soul, hide the pain,

Let Love within her grow once again.

~CBS

The Act of Contrition

Oh my Lord, I'm heartily sorry for having offended thee,
And I detest my sins,
Because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell
But most of all, because they displease you, My Lord,
You who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace,
To confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life.

Amen.
P.s: When my nanima aka nana taught Chelson and me our prayers as kids, we learned them in a jiffy. Yet, somehow I could never get the Act of Contrition down pat. It took me 23 years and a frozen Canadian evening, where I spent time in Church and read by learning to believe in what I was reading. Thanks Uncle Nuno for taking me for the Wednesday Novena's and helping me learn a prayer which keeps me from harm and sin every single day.