Office Visit

Yesterday I had to go renew my driver's license.  I put it off as long as possible hoping that I would have moved away by the time it needed to be renewed and I could avoid one step and at least one extra payment.  No such luck.  Internship requires a license and I was happy to provide.

Incidentally, Why do people call it the DMV?  Here it's the Secretary of State's Office License Facility.  Or is that a Midwestern thang?

Started out with a very low point score as the sidewalk was covered in frozen slush.  There were many round large-ish salt chunk balls that were melting exactly nothing.  There's a job category in there someplace for the vast unemployed:  Slush Removal and Lifesaving Specialist.  Public servant types pay attention.

But then a guy actually came from behind his desk and held the door open as I hobbled to the entrance.  Extra points for that.  Slippery puddles between every rug.  Big deduction.  No lines at the check in desk and a very courteous receptionist.  Back in the positive point column.  I had to do an address change and one of the accepted documents was listed as a "cancelled check."  Does anybody even HAVE those any more?

Short wait time on the blue chairs til my number came up.  Sexy mechanical voice announcing, "Now serving B233 at counter 7".  Counter 7 was clear on the other side of the room and (Hero of the Day Award) one of the clerks beckons me to the next vision checking machine and says, "Mam, we'll take care of you right here."  I could have kissed him.  BIG bonus points.

Side note:  Crazy guy trying to get a CDL license arguing with the clerk to my left.  He asked the same question nine times!  She tried to explain that she couldn't answer it for him, he had to read it himself and choose the correct response.  Probably if he couldn't figure that out he shouldn't have a CDL license, eh???!!!  He was very cranky!

Paid the money.  Listened to a group of adolescent girls, who clearly should have been in school, argue about taking a road test with nary a legally aged adult in sight.  Which means they got there misusing their permits, right?  Had my picture taken and joked with the photographer that I'd like to look like Angelina on my new license.  Forget to ask what they do with all the old licenses.  What DO they do with them anyway?  Short wait in the brown chairs.  More plus column notations.

Exited by the entrance door to avoid the extra long haul to the exit door. Bonus.  Sidewalk still abysmal.  Deduction.  Teenage girls flirt with nephew in the parking lot.  Funny, but no points.  In and out of a government office in less than an hour?  Priceless!

Oh, here's my new picture.  What do you think?