“It’s the rule you know”…

I was very happy when I entered the Aeroflot office the other day to buy my ticket for Geneva.
I expected the office to be overcrowded over lunch but I had the pleasant surprise to find it empty! I walked in directly to one of the desks…when suddenly a tall Vicking grabbed me and showed me a little machine I just had passed by in the entrance; he insisted I take a numbered ticket. “Why should I?” I was irritated, “the office is empty?”
He persisted so I played the game. I pulled a number, 657.
He then showed me the way in again and told me to wait pointing at a seat.
By now, the girls pretended to be very busy and energetically moved folders and typed on their keyboards. After a 5 minutes wait, the Vicking started to feel very embarrassed by my nasty looks and whispered to the girls they should finally stop pretending and push the button…
654
655
Girls stared at me, asking themselves probably why I didn’t come forward. The Vicking tried to glimpse at my number and told them to press the button again.
656
the whole situation felt so absurd but still, I couldn't do anything but play this ridiculous game
657
Finally the comedy came to an end and I could finally sit at the desk and buy my ticket.

Please, someone put me out of my misery! why oh why do they need to be so absurd?
Why does it have to be so beautifully & unnecessarely complicated!