Yesterday was my birthday and it was a great day. Except for two hours of hell. I'll post the hell part first.
My driver's license expired this year on my birthday. Last time, I renewed online, but you can only do that every other time. So this year I had to go to the driver's license place. On my birthday. Abby wanted to get her permit too, so I picked her up from school so that she could share the joy. I had called ahead and thought I had everything we'd need to get her permit. PPPPFFFFFF!!!
When we got there, there were only 5 people in front of us. There were two women working the desks and neither one looked too thrilled to be there. One had a sign up behind her desk that said "The Crab is in". Great.
One guy was already sitting at the desk in front of her and apparently had taken the written test. Crabby told him that he had to get 24 out of 30 right to pass. She told him he got 9 right. He asked her if he passed. Sheesh!! She handed his papers at him and told him no, but he could come back tomorrow and try again. He looked at her like she had two heads and left.
The next guy sat down. She told him that his license was suspended because he had several outstanding tickets, then named about 9 counties that he had gotten tickets in. She told him he would have to take care of the tickets before he could get his license renewed. I wanted to dissolve into the floor with embarrassment for him. He just said, Uh, OK and left.
There was a little bitty Asian women in front of us. She had a little boy with her who looked to be about 3. Everytime anyone would say anything, he would repeat it over and over. Crabby said "who's next?" He said, "who's next, who's next, who's next, who's next, who's next" and on and on until his mother leaned down and rattled off something in Chinese and he hushed until he heard something else he liked. Crabby said, "You ready?" The little parrot said, "you ready, you ready, you ready, you ready, you ready?" I thought I would lose my mind.
Then Crabby let all of us know that one of their coworkers had been in the hospital for 4 days so they were shorthanded and she had to run out and do a road test with someone and would be back shortly and we should just be patient. After she left Abby said, "am I going to have to drive with her?" Her hands started dripping. I reminded her she was just taking the written test.
Finally, it was our turn. My renewal took about 2 minutes. But, of course, we didn't have what we needed for Abby to get her permit. We had birth certificate, social security card, proof of school enrollment. But we didn't have the application form with Eden's and my notarized signatures. But we could come back tomorrow and try again, she said. Like I could just grab Eden, run in Walmart and buy a notary public.
In the meantime I had to get my picture made. That photo showed all the joy I felt at the news that I would have to come back to that hellhole any time soon. Then we had to go sit in a waiting room with 14 other people who were waiting for their license. When someone's license would pop out of the machine Crabby or her coworker would call out "HENRY!" or "TAMIKA!" or "LISA!" at the top of her lungs.
By the time we left I needed a shower and a nap.
But the rest of the day was great! My Aunt Sharon called me at 6:30 (a.m.) and sang Happy Birthday, my parents sent me an ecard with an egift good at any store on the planet (seriously, 350 stores), my brother called, and I got many Happy Birthday emails. Laura called me today.
And my friends are so great. I got flowers and a cake from Lee, a journal, pink cupcakes with butterflies and a right brain/left brain note pad from Sallie and perfume and some shimmer powder from Toni. Betsy brought me 3 precious ceramic crosses that were made by Logan Chew at the Mustard Seed in Jackson. Mona gave me the most perfect bird feeder and took me to lunch.
Leslie and John got my rubber matting I wanted for around the hot tub. Then she and Abby fixed supper for me and Eden and all the kids were here, except for Baker. Holley was sick and he didn't want to leave her. I missed them, but they want to take me out to eat one night.
My driver's license expired this year on my birthday. Last time, I renewed online, but you can only do that every other time. So this year I had to go to the driver's license place. On my birthday. Abby wanted to get her permit too, so I picked her up from school so that she could share the joy. I had called ahead and thought I had everything we'd need to get her permit. PPPPFFFFFF!!!
When we got there, there were only 5 people in front of us. There were two women working the desks and neither one looked too thrilled to be there. One had a sign up behind her desk that said "The Crab is in". Great.
One guy was already sitting at the desk in front of her and apparently had taken the written test. Crabby told him that he had to get 24 out of 30 right to pass. She told him he got 9 right. He asked her if he passed. Sheesh!! She handed his papers at him and told him no, but he could come back tomorrow and try again. He looked at her like she had two heads and left.
The next guy sat down. She told him that his license was suspended because he had several outstanding tickets, then named about 9 counties that he had gotten tickets in. She told him he would have to take care of the tickets before he could get his license renewed. I wanted to dissolve into the floor with embarrassment for him. He just said, Uh, OK and left.
There was a little bitty Asian women in front of us. She had a little boy with her who looked to be about 3. Everytime anyone would say anything, he would repeat it over and over. Crabby said "who's next?" He said, "who's next, who's next, who's next, who's next, who's next" and on and on until his mother leaned down and rattled off something in Chinese and he hushed until he heard something else he liked. Crabby said, "You ready?" The little parrot said, "you ready, you ready, you ready, you ready, you ready?" I thought I would lose my mind.
Then Crabby let all of us know that one of their coworkers had been in the hospital for 4 days so they were shorthanded and she had to run out and do a road test with someone and would be back shortly and we should just be patient. After she left Abby said, "am I going to have to drive with her?" Her hands started dripping. I reminded her she was just taking the written test.
Finally, it was our turn. My renewal took about 2 minutes. But, of course, we didn't have what we needed for Abby to get her permit. We had birth certificate, social security card, proof of school enrollment. But we didn't have the application form with Eden's and my notarized signatures. But we could come back tomorrow and try again, she said. Like I could just grab Eden, run in Walmart and buy a notary public.
In the meantime I had to get my picture made. That photo showed all the joy I felt at the news that I would have to come back to that hellhole any time soon. Then we had to go sit in a waiting room with 14 other people who were waiting for their license. When someone's license would pop out of the machine Crabby or her coworker would call out "HENRY!" or "TAMIKA!" or "LISA!" at the top of her lungs.
By the time we left I needed a shower and a nap.
But the rest of the day was great! My Aunt Sharon called me at 6:30 (a.m.) and sang Happy Birthday, my parents sent me an ecard with an egift good at any store on the planet (seriously, 350 stores), my brother called, and I got many Happy Birthday emails. Laura called me today.
And my friends are so great. I got flowers and a cake from Lee, a journal, pink cupcakes with butterflies and a right brain/left brain note pad from Sallie and perfume and some shimmer powder from Toni. Betsy brought me 3 precious ceramic crosses that were made by Logan Chew at the Mustard Seed in Jackson. Mona gave me the most perfect bird feeder and took me to lunch.
Leslie and John got my rubber matting I wanted for around the hot tub. Then she and Abby fixed supper for me and Eden and all the kids were here, except for Baker. Holley was sick and he didn't want to leave her. I missed them, but they want to take me out to eat one night.
It was such a good day and I feel very, very blessed.
Here are some pictures from my day.
Toni
Logan's Crosses
Lee
Presh (Sallie)
My Bird Feeder
Abby Danced, while
Leslie and Beau got their Guitar Hero Fix
Great story! I can just see you and Eden going to Walmart to get a notary public. Funny!
ReplyDeleteWe're going back again this morning to try again for the permit. Pray for me!
ReplyDelete