This actually has to do with a tiny piece of plastic that a great many of us carry around with us every day. When I moved back here almost 4 years ago, I didn't worry about getting a new driver's licence. Yes, mine had the wrong address on it. But it didn't matter. Not really. In the emotional state that I was in, I didn't even want to think about that. And on top of that, I didn't view this move as a permanent place of residence. I didn't know how long I was going to be here. So why go and change the address when in 6 months or a year I would be moving again.
Well about a year and a half ago, I decided that maybe it was time. They house, the address, listed on my licence didn't even exist anymore. I had been here for a long time and didn't know when I would be moving. So I should just go and do it.
I made the journey over to the courthouse. Now mind you, it is in a town that I never go to unless it is to the courthouse. I walk in with my one piece of mail as proof of address and figured it was a done deal. What could be hard about this. I had already gotten licence plates for my car. I was just changing the address on my driver's licence after all.
Well, I was wrong. I needed two pieces of mail to change my address. Fail #1. So I had to give up and go home. Of course I was in no hurry to go back. It didn't really matter after all.
Some time later I thought I have nothing better to do today, let's go and get my driver's licence. I drive back to the courthouse. This time I had two pieces of mail. And just a note here about the mail. It is a little hard for me to come by mail. I don't really get any mail. I don't have any bills. My bank statement I view online. So there isn't much actual mail with my name on it. Okay, here I am at the courthouse. Fail #2. My mail does not say "Lisa Montoya." One of them says, "Mrs. Montoya" and the other says "Montoya Family." So they send me home once again without my licence. The lady there tried to be helpful. She told me all of the things I could bring, bills, pay stubs.. None of which I have available to me. Then she offered this bit of advice, "Go ahead and send yourself something in the mail." As I drove home I considered this... Hmmm, really? I could send myself something to any person's address and just wait for the mailman to deliver it. Then grab it out of their box. HAHA.. I could live anywhere.
By now I am starting to think this is not really worth the effort. I mean having the correct address on a card that I only need if I get stopped by a police officer...
Here, I decided to give it a little time before I tried again. I knew eventually I would have to get it done. Okay, I have two pieces of mail with Lisa Montoya on them. I drive back to the courthouse only to be turned away once again. Fail #3. This time she told me that the police office wasn't there. Here, I need to be a little less of an introvert. I thought she mean he needed to be there for me to take the test. Which I didn't need to take. I was just changing the address on my licence. But I was starting to have a mental block about this whole task. I drove home thinking about it. And realized I should have asked her why when I was there. But of course I didn't.
Alrighty now, here comes June. I by now do need to not only change my address but renew it. My birthday is coming fast. And what do you know, in the mail, yes I said MAIL, comes my card reminding me to renew my licence. I am sorry to say I was a tad angry at the arrival of this card. Here I had been trying to inform these people of my "new address" for months. But I had not been able to do this. And yet SOMEHOW they did know my address. They sent it to me here. In anger I wondered if that card would be proof of address as they were the ones who sent it to me. hehe..
Well, as you might guess I was still not in a huge hurry to try this thing again. And then I thought, well, maybe I don't have to. They sent it to me here. Maybe I will try to just renew it on-line. That was a clearly stated option on the card I had received. And it would save me from having to drive over there a 4th time. And I wouldn't actually have to talk to a person. Sounded like a perfect plan to me. I got on-line and made this attempt. Fail #4. It seems that I could not do this on-line because I was also needing to change my address. Hmmm... but why or how had they sent me the card if I couldn't do it? One will never know.
So by now, it is the week before my birthday. And I am thinking what else can happen? I have the card they sent me. I have 6 pieces of mail with my name on them. Yes, I know I only needed 2. But 6 had to be better. So Monday I get into the car and drive to the courthouse. Fail #5. It seems that the police office has to be there for them to take my picture. I could drive to Fullerton today. Or St. Paul on Wednesday or Come back here on Friday. I chose not to go to Fullerton. I went home. hehe.. On the drive home, I wondered why we paid the people working in that office.. clearly they didn't actually have much to do.
So Wednesday I drove in to St. Paul. (Now the important note is that my birthday is on Friday.) I decided to take the kids to the pool in St. Paul, make it a bit more of a worthless drive just to get my licence. I dropped them off at the pool and told them I would be back soon (hopefully with my licence) I walked into the courthouse. Yes, the man was there. :( There were like 7 people in front of me. At least 3 of them were kids taking the test. He was going to have to take all of them out driving. THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST AN HOUR! I stood there for a moment and thought, "Who Cares!" I left and went to join the kids at the pool. Fail #6 I figured I would just drive in to GI in the morning and get my licence there. A huge metropolis like GI has more than one person working there and I would be able to get this finish. hehe... if not, I could always go back to the courthouse in Central City on Friday.
So Thursday morning I got up. I was in no hurry. I exercised. I showered. I drove to GI. SEVEN times. WOW! I had made seven attempts to get my driver's licence. And now less then 24 hours before my birthday I was still not in possession of a valid current licence. Surely it would happen today. hehe..
I didn't know which building to go to.. there were four. I asked someone. I was not leaving this place without my licence. I walked in. Even though there was no one in front of my the lady made me take a number. I almost laughed at this. I filled out the form. Pulled out my 6 pieces of mail. She barely looked at them. By this I mean she glanced at one of them. Took my picture and sent me to the treasurer. (now of course that isn't all that happened. While I was there I asked about what I needed to have and do as my son will be turning 15 in a couple of months and I will be back to get his learner's permit. Maybe that will only take one trip.) I walked upstairs. ALMOST there. My paper in hand. I give it to her along with my money. Then she gives me a copy..a temporary licence. They will mail me the real one in 20 days or so. Once again I nearly laughed. I had planned on leaving that place with a real new licence. But instead had a little piece of paper. But finally it was finished. I had my licence.
Well, as I was writing this, I decided that maybe this is a little bit like writing. Maybe I should take this as a sign of what I should be doing with my stories. None of which I have yet sent out to 7 different places in hopes of getting one published. Okay. So this is about writing. I need to go through my list. I have been getting a little tired of the rejection letters. So I have not been in a hurry to send things out like I had been six or eight months ago. Time to work.
Hey thanks. A teaser for my Linux blog "How Windows is like the government." hehe.. But you are right. It is time for me to focus on writing and submissions again.
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