"I'm afraid we don't have anyone of that name in our records."
tom
"Are you sure?"
The woman scanned the list again.
"Yes, I am very sure. Perhaps they have you on the books downstairs?"
"I was just down there, they sent me up here."
"Hmm, that is unusual." The woman scratched her chin with the end of her pen. "Well, I am sure it will all get cleared up soon." She smiled warmly and looked over his shoulder to the next person in the queue.
The person behind the man dithered awkwardly, waiting for him to move aside. He didn't.
After a moment, the woman smiled at him again, "I really am sorry, I'm just not allowed to let you in if you aren't on the list." She pointedly looked at the person behind who moved forward brusquely.
"What do I do now?" The man asked.
"There is a waiting room over there," she said without looking at him, gesturing vaguely to the right.
He turned around and saw a doorway with a faded sign above it. WAITING ROOM.
He entered and sat down on one of the wooden benches, looking around. There were a handful of others in there looking dejected and bored.
'What now?' He thought.