The consular clerk clears his throat and goes through the papers with visible boredom.

"So, Mr. Capla, here we are again. Seventeenth time, I think? Yes, seventeenth. How sad, indeed, that your marriages never seem to last happily ever after. Also, your stories have a notorious property of holding less and less water each time."

"Miss Chang and I are truly in love, I swear by all that is holy."

"You don't say. Go ahead. Surprise me."