“So the Lawtons stood in line for their tickets for nearly four hours. Tickets were generally issued until eleven a.m. which allowed enough people through to keep the department to which the people would go from there, busy for the remainder of the day. It was twenty minutes before eleven when the Lawtons reached the ticket wicket and asked for their tickets. As the amiable young counter man tore the tickets off the roll, the same hostile supervisor came barging in still another time. She snatched the tickets from the man’s hand before he had time to pass them on to the Lawtons. ‘There are no more tickets to be issued today,’ she snarled angrily. ‘We have reached our quota for today.’ The young man looked at her aghast, then at his watch, then at her again.
“‘It’s almost eleven o’clock,’ she growled in extreme hostility. ‘We have given out enough tickets for today. There is no more today,’ she said firmly in a near tantrum. The man put up his hand slightly in a gesture of resignation. The Lawtons walked away empty handed after nearly four hours in line.
“Out in the hallway of the building, Durwin asked a security officer what time in the morning did the line start to form. ‘Oh,’ he replied, ‘there are a few here at five thirty, and it starts to get heavy by six a.m. sometimes.’
“The Lawtons decided they would be there next morning at five thirty, which they were. There were a few people in line even at that time, but they were near the beginning of the line. This allowed them to approach the wicket for their tickets shortly after eight. They approached with much apprehension. The same supervisor was there, and she had spotted them in the line very early. Strangely enough, however, she did not continue with her glaring at them this time. In fact as she walked around she noticeably kept turning her back on them, which the Lawtons appreciated. Under great tension they finally approached the wicket and were very politely given tickets. The supervisor did not come near.
“The Lawtons thanked the man and left the area. ‘Thank heavens there was no clash with the supervisor this morning,’ remarked Canda with relief.
“‘It seems we are rid of her,’ said Durwin, ‘maybe we are well on our way now.’
“‘Don’t count on it.’ cautioned Canda.
“At the time Canda’s attitude seemed to Durwin to be a negative one considering the progress they had just made. Time would show that Canda’s caution was more than warranted. They were in for years of wrangling and abuse with this Immigration Department as it became more and more clear that belittlers were in control there, were well entrenched and were a law unto themselves.
“The Lawtons went directly to the other room located on another floor. Almost immediately and without incident they were able to present their tickets, have their names recorded, and then choose a seat from the hundred or more that filled the room. The seats were less than quarter filled when the Lawtons arrived there. Over the next three hours or so the room would fill up, the morning influx being faster than the processing. By eleven a.m. the influx would cease and by mid-afternoon everyone would be taken care of. That was how the system worked.
“There was a notice on the wall stating that once persons had presented their tickets and had their names recorded, they should not leave the room. If their names were called and they were not there to respond, they would lose their appointment for that day. There were wash rooms nearby to which one could go provided there was another to stay and hear the name called. There was another sign stating there was to be no food or drinks in the room. There was a water fountain in the hallway, which could be used by one while the other listened for the name.
“The Lawtons sat there from shortly after eight in the morning until after three in the afternoon. The room filled to capacity by eleven in the morning and became near empty by mid-afternoon. People were called in approximately the same order as they had been registered-all except the Lawtons, that is.
“By noon they began to suspect that something was wrong. The number of people in the room was thinning out. The Lawtons should have been through by now. Canda said to Durwin, ‘the battle axe downstairs is getting her way after all.’
“‘I believe you are right,’ said Durwin, ‘she was unconcerned about us downstairs this morning because she has fouled our procedure up here.’
“I’ll go to the counter and make inquiry,’ volunteered Canda.
“‘Good luck,’ said Durwin, with a hopeful smile.
“Canda approached a woman at the counter with her usual friendly smile and pleasant manner, explained that they had been in the room since shortly after eight and now it was afternoon. ‘Shouldn’t we be called in for our interview soon?’ she asked.
“‘We-1-1,’ said the woman in a smooth, cold manner, we are very busy here you know.’
“‘Yes, I can see that,’ replied Canda, ‘it’s no trouble to tell, but we have been here since shortly after eight. It’s now afternoon. Many people who came after we did are through and gone.’
“‘Oh, well’, she said, as she kept a calm, even more cold composure, there may be something special about your case. We’ll call you when we’re ready.’
“Canda returned and sat with Durwin. They noticed they were being watched when one of them went to the wash room or the water fountain. They felt sure that if two of them were to go out together their names would have been called, and they would have missed their appointment for the day. They were careful not to do this. Between Canda’s first inquiry and three o’clock they made two other inquiries. Each time they were put off with a cold and casual, ‘we’ll call you when we are ready for you.’
“‘By three fifteen the room was all but empty; only a handful of people left. Durwin and Canda decided to go to the counter together and be firm. They approached the same woman they had talked to earlier. Durwin spoke firmly, ‘We have sat here all day. We haven’t eaten since four o’clock this morning. It is near closing time. Don’t you think its time we had our interview?’
“She replied in a drawl as though unconcerned about the long arduous day, I’ll go and see if you can be seen now.’ She went through a door behind the counter and was gone for about ten minutes. Upon return she drawled coldly again, ‘You can’t be seen today. You’ll have to leave your papers with me, and you’ll be called in for an interview sometime within the next three months.’
“The Lawtons protested.
“‘That’s the word from the supervisor of the section,’ she said with a coldness that seemed devoid of any human feeling.
“‘Can we speak to the supervisor?’ they asked.
“‘The supervisor has no time to see anyone else today. You had better give me your papers. That is her instructions,’ came the firm reply.
“They handed her the new set of papers, making sure to keep the papers that admitted them for a year. Then they left the office.”
Collin paused in the story, “So you see the ‘conspiracy of sorts’ I mentioned earlier, was taking formation here in this government office. It isn’t that they sit down and plan together how to get you. It’s birds of a feather working together. They just pass the word along. And since they all have been playing the same game at times over the years, and know it well, they automatically join in putting you down.
“Durwin and Canda had been observing all morning the people and procedures in the room, as they also had done in the line up in the previous room
