Free Earplugs Anyone?

Today I had a pleasure to go to City Ward Office to fill some papers. It could have been a fantastic opportunity to see good old smoothly working Japanese bureaucracy in all peace and quiet. But it wasn't. I had the red-faced howler-screamer with me and he aired his lungs in full power everytime I tried to talk to someone. After huge effort almost everything was clear. Almost everything. Only that I have to go there again tomorrow. I guess I better start handing out earplugs as I enter the office again.