the passport nightmare

Just a week after I got home I thought I would work on getting a new passport since my old one only has 2 pages left.
First attempt after four and a half hour in line I was told that they would not rush a new passport without proof of travel. I tried to explain that it is a new contract for me, that the client buys the ticket etc etc,..but no go. The guy suggested that if I couldn't get either an itinerary or a ticket I should at least get a letter saying that I have to go.
Second attempt, yesterday monday, The line was expected to take about 6 hours and I had an appointment in 5 hours so I didn't stay.
Third attempt was today. I went there an hour before the offices even open and I was number 89. In the line up of course people talk. One kid two persons in front of me had a printed email saying that the company in the States "would like" to have him start on the 15 of February. I had a letter saying that I need to travel for work between February 10th and February 16th.
As he went through he got his passport rushed and came to talk to me to tell me "the woman didn't want to do it but the guy that came to relieve her, did it. Speak of lucky". So I knew it was a question of WHOM I talked to. ...And I got the young grumpy woman. She, of course, refused and weren't on and on about how she was trying to help but her hands were tied. And as much as I know that getting people upset never gets you what you want I did end up saying that "I would feel better if I didn't know that a young guy with a printed email saying that they would like him to start on February hadn't just gotten his passport rushed". She of course assumed that I was lying...why is it that they always assume you lie!?!? So she challenged me to tell her who did it. I told her "booth 4" she went there and instead of coming back (because I was right) she sent her manager. So back again to explaining the entire thing... We argued back and forth for nearly a half hour, then he said "I have to go talk to my manager" and came back agreeing to give me a rush passport for February 14th at 15:00hrs.

Of course I get home and there is an email saying that I will have to be in Johannesburg on February 20th, could I please send my passport number etc..

What a day!!