It's 2006, Right?

OMG, seriously. The saga of B at the DMV needs telling. The following is not pretty, I hold no quips about that. However, I am a bit embarassed by, oh, I dunno, 98% of the whole thing. I'm telling you it was idocy at it's best, and it was not necessarily the DMVs ...

First things first, preliminary phone calls and internet searching. My telephone call went something like this, "I'm applying for," interrupted, "You need a passport and a social security card." "My card is overseas." "Then you need something from our website." "I have official school transcripts with my SS on it." "That's fine." Click. Seriously. I called again to see if I was in the computer and could be renewed over the phone. She would not even try. So I went to the DMV early monday morning. The webiste said they opened at 8 am, they opened at 7.

So, already, my morning did not start well. That, and I had to get Isabo (my sister) up early so she could drive me since you need a car to do your driver's test.
We had breakfast and headed over. The line was NOT out the door like it normally is, so that was good. I go up to the counter armed with my passport and offical school transcript, sealed and certified. I get my number, 49, they are on 11. Sweet. I send Isabo off to do stuff so she does nto have to hang out. 2 hours later I get called. Isabo is there, the car is there, I have all my materials. I'm good to go.

Or so I thought. The lady at the desk was very polite when she took my passport. Then she frowned at the envelope that said Johns Hopkins Univeristy. "What is this?" "It's proof of my SS# as it states on the website." "I'm sorry but we only accept the social security card." "Mine is over seas and your website said I could bring this in, as did the lady I spoke with on the phone." The nice lady walks away only to return with the head state trooper. Great.

"I'm sorry sir we cannot accept anything but your social sercurity card to verify your SS#" We went around and around about the fact that I'd been told that I was okay and that my transcript passed muster at the front when I got my number. I was turning to leave when it really set in that I needed to complain about the website and the fact that I'd waited 2 hours. So I complained.

"The only way for me to help you is for you to be in the computer. I have to type in your social and I can look up your info. For me to do that I need your social security card."

"That is too bad, I've had a texas DL before can you just check to see if I'm still in there?" Officer,"How long ago though, if your other DL expired likely this is a REALLY long time ago and I can't help you." I give the patient trooper my digits. A few Clickety Clicks later and she smirks. "I see. Your license only just expired in Sept 2005. You can just renew." WTF, are you serious (internal monologue) "Yes, that will be nice."

The poor lady who was helping me looks at the trooper in shock,"So we can help him, today, now?" "Ha, yes, just do a renewal." I'm trying not to pee myself and Isabo is absolutely fuming. When I relinquished my MD DL Isabo noticed that the date was Sept 5 2006. Isabo says to me, "You know that license what still okay, you had another year." The lady looks at it, "It's okay B, we will take care of you." In that omg what a dumb ass he doesn't know a cow from a chicken voice. I just about died. Isabo turns to me at this point and says, "Um, I'm drugged 90% of the time and even I KNOW YEAR IT IS." God she was pissed. But at least I have a Tx Driver's License now.

~B