In line at HDB

I made my monthly pilgrimage to HDB Area Office today, to pay them a part of the thousands of dollars I owe and will owe them, probably till the day I die. I was 12th in line (I always count how many people are ahead of me in a line, don't you?), when this older lady entered the office.

"Pay cash, must queue ah?", she asked, to the general public. As we all fought each other not to answer, she repeated her question, this time a little louder. Finally some guy took pity on her and replied, "Yes, I think so".

Happily, she takes her place in the line (No. 15) and then, confronts a new problem. She sees that some people have a queue number for counter services in hand. While standing in the cash payment queue. This confuses her.

"Pay cash, must take number ah?", she asks the air. Again, greeted by stony silence. After a few more times, one of them deigns to reply - wrongly.

"Yes, must take." Me - !!!

"No, pay cash no need," I reply. "Just queue." She thanks me and then proceeds to recount her confusion to me, starting from her first entrance into the office. I listen politely, making minimal eye contact.

Then, the lady behind me starts. "So this is the pay cash queue huh? So what, if I had an appointment? I have a letter, do I still stand here?"

Finally, I lose my patience. "Sorry, I don't work here," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "I only know what I am doing, which is making a cash payment. And here is where I do it. Any other questions, you have to ask the staff."

(Which, when I am being more bitchy, would have come out as 'Do I look like I work here!?!)

The lady looks affronted and leaves the queue to ask the staff, telling me !) to hold her place in case she has to come back. She doesn't.

25 minutes, it's my turn. I go to the counter, pay them, and leave.

Never has standing in line amused, befuddled and annoyed me so much. My resolve to be nicer is shot to pieces. (Sorry A and J, I have failed)