Anyone who voluntarily waits outside the DMV in the cold and rain with her daughter must truly love her.
That’s how I felt yesterday when Paris decided, no matter the wait or the weather, she was going to get her address changed on her license.
There was a glitch, apparently a wrong number perhaps, that would not allow her to do it on-line once again from the comfort and warmth of her bed.
I told her I’d drive in with her and run errands while she accomplished her mission.
“I want to go to Sam’s with you,” she said, “please wait for me to finish and we can go…together?”
Parental strings are stronger than the apron strings children hang on to,
“OK,” I said.
It was a miserable day and at 10am the line was already 60 people deep outside the offices, most standing in the open where the rain was relentless; the awning only offered coverage to about 20 or so persons.
Neither of us had an umbrella so I suggested she don her hoodie, luckily she had Uggs (not her preferred flip-flops) on her feet and I left her to wait in the cold while I went to a couple of meetings I’d been putting off for weeks.
As I was leaving I noticed the lady in front of Paris had offered to share her umbrella and learned later that as the queue-ees gained coveted access to the awning’s shelter their umbies were passed back to those still exposed to the elements.
Community at its best.
I returned an hour and fifteen minutes later, thankfully she was at the door, and we waited another twenty minutes before making it inside where the hard plastic chairs were surprisingly comfortable in the welcome warmth!
An hour later we were at the counter where a very charming man helped us. He suggested she renew her license to save her coming back in person for ten years!
I nodded as I surveyed the roomful of people behind me and caught a glimpse outside of the never-ending line.
I fumbled in my wallet looking for my license hoping I could also get it renewed…
“Give it to me,” the kindly man said and held out his hand. He glanced at it, “no, yours doesn’t expire until 2023, it has to be within two years…”
“Worth a try,” I said with a shrug and he nodded with a smile.
“Good news though,” he continued, “we’re getting a new, massive building within two years so by the time you need to come in everything will be much, much better.”
“We hope,” I said unable to keep the skepticism from my voice.
Really…
who stands in line for three hours to have an unflattering photo taken that serves as the only authorized picture ID for the next umpteen years…?
…Today that would be we – my daughter and I – evidently!
As if we hadn’t had enough of bureaucracy we wandered down to the Department of Health and Human Services to apply for benefits.
We skipped our lunch,
which was a good thing for us in the end, and stepped into an empty vestibule, signed in and waited for the case workers to return from their lunches…
An hour later the waiting area was full with all those folk who had decided not to forego the noon meal.
Grumbling tummy notwithstanding Paris was called back first at many minutes past 2pm, I forgot to look at the clock, and we were on our way to Sam’s by 330pm.
“Are you still game?” I asked.
“Well ye….es!” she said, “I want samples!”
So off we went to a place with no lines.
Well hello there! My name is Vivienne McNeny.
I am an empty nester exploring life as a Boomer…you could say I'm happily Boomering along!
As a homeschooling Mum I have finally quit the job of role model and mentor to my four children. I do what I want to do, eat when I feel like it, enjoy life with my blue eyed cowboy and clean my house once a month or so whether it needs it or not!
In true English form I write about the emergence of my true identity now that I can no longer hide behind my children as their Mum.
No comments so far!
2019-02-23 04:44:26
You are so great to not only do that but to verbalize it so!
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