After a Sunday protest drew 1,000 demonstrators to the doorstep of the Consulate General of the Arab Republic of Egypt, bringing national attention to Houston, an air of silence surrounded the Galleria-area office on Monday.

The office, located on the 13th floor of the Capital One bank building at 5718 Westheimer Road, showed little signs of life: The waiting room was deserted, and two receptionists reported a quiet day. None of the office's employees were willing to give comment, but all were seemingly unaffected by the previous day's uproar. The consulate, whose affairs include issuing passports and visas, is not involved in the U.S. State Department's current effort to offer evacuation flights to Americans in Egypt.

Along with Capital One Bank and sundry oil and gas services companies, the Westheimer high-rise is also home to Emirates airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines and the Saudi Arabian Consulate General. Although the building underwent enhanced security measures following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, during a Monday visit, building employees returning from lunch were seen scanning the lobby's directory of offices, admittedly unaware until the uprising in Egypt of the consulate's presence in the building.

It remains to be seen whether the innocuous office building will continue to play a cameo role in Egyptian's current political turmoil and potential path to greater democracy.