223. COUNTDOWN!

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This past MONDAY, January 1st I sent the Ministry of Justice in Victoria PDF Copies of all my documents, stating I would send the Notarized 'hard-copy' on Thursday. So, yesterday morning, Thursday, January 4, I took my 2 Ferries to travel up to Courtenay on Vancouver Island, to have my AFFIDAVIT (the intro leading document), witnessed by a Notary Public with one of whom I had set up an appointment.

The AFFIDAVIT is the doc that tells the authorities who you are, what you are doing, why you are doing it, and that you have sworn the facts you've indicated are true, at least as far as you are concerned. A Notary Public, or Lawyer than makes you swear that and sign above your name; then puts her/his Office's stamp and signature on the 2 copies, one of which goes to the Registry in Victoria - for the Judge to use, the other to be served on the Minister of Justice (The Defense)

When I showed up for my appointment, I was met by the 'Notary Public' who asked to see my Affidavit. However, on perusing it she decided it was something "above her general duties, and thus wasn't able to lend me her services...". I might try the lawyers across the street to see if they could help me out...

So as I approached the lawyers' premises I suddenly realized I might be running in to a problem. What if none were willing to witness my Affidavit?  It got worse, when I was told, upon consultation, by the secretary with the lawyer in their office - they had no time for me today.
The secretary's kind gesture to contact several other legal offices resulted in the same reality: None had 'time' for the fella who "seemed to have done most of the work himself."

I then drove to the other side of town, several streets beyond the Court Building and tried a last law-office.
Initially it looked good, my driver's license and citizenship identity cards were scanned, and the secretary took one of my 2 copies in to the lawyer's office, then returned suggesting I have a seat.

Some ten minutes later, a clearly annoyed middle-aged lawyer, my document in hand, approached me. "What are you doing here?" he asked, referring to my file. "Isn't it self-evident?" I retorted.
"Well, it isn't going to work, and I want no part of it," he snapped, handing me my neatly indexed, earlier Staples-purchased black-covered file back. "Take it to the Court Registry; they'll witness it!" He turned around and walked off in a huff.

I inwardly thanked him, thinking: 'Wow,' why didn't I think of this? Since I had done exactly that some years ago... I now need to realize my braincells are diminishing on a daily basis, and that I have to accept that, at times, the obvious just does not come to the accommodating fore.

So I walked in to the Court building which, except for its Registry Office, was totally empty. I approached the counter. "Hi," I plunked both copies down nonchalantly, "I'd like you to witness my signature and Affidavit please." "Fourty dollars for each Affidavit," the clerk informed me.
"Just the one" I explained, "These are 2 copies, one for the Victoria Registry, the other for Defense!"
"Oh, alright," she said, found the last page of both docs, then spoke the required text to which I replied: "I do," and asked me to sign both copies above my name.

That done, she date stamped the front page of both, suggesting I sent the one holding the additional  stamp to the Registry Office: "So they won't charge you twice."
"Oh, okay," I muttered, as she walked to the cashier section. "That's fourty dollars, please."
"Can I use my debit card ?" I asked? "Of course" she replied. ... Then , 'BINGO' it was done!    

As I vacated the ominously quiet premises and walked back out in to the free world, I heaved a smiling sigh of relief, bought a pack of 4 large envelopes at the dollar store, gained some cash from the drive-in Credit Union cash machine, and ventured up to the post-office.  After addressing both envelopes, I entered and sealed each copy. Then for some $25.00 sent both envelopes by express post to Victoria.

AND, I just checked the tracing numbers on my Canada Post receipt, and am happy to announce: "Both envelopes have been delivered at their destination."

This means a lengthy, time consuming chapter has closed, and a most telling one is about to be rendered! How will they deal with me, and what will be the outcome?

Only TIME will tell....