Defying The Law

Have you heard of La Ley de Falta Uno (The Law of One Thing Missing) whereby you can never ever complete a bureacratic transaction in one go? Yesterday I had one more proof that you can’t defy it. And I should know better.

Because even though everyone has fallen foul of the Law time and time again, Theresa (my co-author) and I may have been the first to actually formulate it as a law.

Yesterday I went to pick up a registered letter from Correos. The letter was addressed to my son, who is away, in Australia no less. Hacienda (the tax people) have been pursuing him and threatening to grab 48 euros they say is owing from 2007, and our tax lawyer is fighting them at every step. As I’m usually at home, I sign for the letters (and then take them to the lawyer). But this time I found a notification from Correos in my mailbox when I got back from UK. Off I went to Correos in c Aragó. But they wouldn’t give me the letter. My ID was not sufficient to ‘prove’ that I am Eduard’s mother, even though I have Spanish ID with my own maiden name (and so the second surname on my son’s ID is Collins), and we have the same address. Banging my hand on my forehead I realised I’d forgotten about authorisations for picking stuff up at Correos. So I had to go home and grab the power of attorney I have for both sons, and back to Correos. Then back home.

I calculated that just to pick up the letter I walked 28 Eixample blocks. Anyone mathematically inclined can check out the length of an Eixample block and tell me how many kilometres I did. Actually I did a bit extra, because I went home via Passeig de Gràcia in search of a copy of Catalonia Today, and then treated myself to a browse and a cut-price bag at Indigo.

But sometimes identity crises are not so easily solved, as I will explain next time.

You can read all about burocracia, Hacienda, Correos and apellidos (surnames) in In The Garlic.

Valerie Collins is co-author, with Theresa O’Shea, of In The Garlic: Your Informative, Fun Guide to Spain.