Friday, November 20, 2009

Finally! The End-Driving Permit Part 5 ( scroll down. start at part 1)





I finally went to pick up my driving permit. I had worked so hard for it. The wait at the dmv was the same. The computer voice droned out E23 and then H5, A22 in her robotic voice.
They were at G16 and I was G43! I was so sick of that place, I didn't even want to be in there.

I left and I went shopping at the Target next door. I planned to spend 25 minutes out. I spent forty five minutes shopping! Got slippers for every member of the family and picked up some really cute tops on the Mossino clearance rack. I overheard the workers gossiping to each other. There was a constant beeping sound from the walkie-talkies they all carried.

I saw a gay couple with a baby. The baby was in a car seat in the cart. They argued about if they should feed the baby in the car or at the cafe.

I was nervous that the dmv might have been close to my number and semi rushed back.
They were at G34. I sat next to a mom and son to my right, and an elderly man with shiny white hair to my left.
He immediately started to make small talk. He was perplexed about the way the numbers were coming up. He looked like he was in his fifties. He said, "I hope our health care doesn't get like this. Can you imagine?" I looked at the mostly unsmiling women behind their desks helping the customers. He went on to tell me about a woman in Russia who was in labor and the nurse on shift, whose shift was over, saw the head of the baby and left the woman because it was time for her to go home. The baby had the cord around her neck! "That's not the kind of health care I want." The guys said. I was so disturbed by the story. Was it even true?

I said, "I never heard that. Did that really happen? Who does that? I mean you would have to be crazy to leave a woman in labor like that!" I said. It could not be true.
"Yes, can you imagine what type of person she is? She has no morals." He said.
I really wanted to get to my book. I started to read.

He said, "I'm glad no one is coughing in here. I guess it's not flu season yet." Mind you swine flu was in full piggy effect.
"It actually is flu season."
"Oh is it. It's pretty packed in here." The chatty man said. I smiled politely.
"I'm F24 and there at F12, but they just said C47. I could not come up with a system like this. It is too smart for me." The man said.
I put the book down and took a deep breath.
The mother on my other side commented on the number system too. Her son said something to her and he pointed to a guy being helped by one of the drones. The mom consoled her son who was so distraught and offended at the way the guy up there chose to carry himself. He stared and shook his head as the young man went through the process of getting his pic taken.
I wondered why it mattered how the person lived their life. This kid seemed so terribly bothered by something that wasn't even his business.

I saw two men with tattoos on their faces. One guy was maybe in his early 40's, he had two hearts and the other, was a young man who had tear drops right below his eyes.

A man sitting behind me was talking on his phone.
"Do you give jobs to ex offenders?"
"OK good. I had spoken to someone who told me to give y'all a call."
"Uh, Can I speak to Rib?"
I guess Rib got on the phone because he started his shpeel.
He said, "My pee is clean. I work hard, I just need a chance."
I guess Rib gave him a chance because he said "OK 9:00. Should I tell them Rib sent me?"
"Thank you."

We all groaned when K1 was added in the mix. Towards the end of my wait the computer voice called G40, 41, 42 in succession. She called an F and then my number. This lady behind her desk didn't make eye contact and smiled, she was distracted by her pink pearly phone that she glanced at as she reached for a paper and picked up the phone and text-ed as we waited for the permit to print.

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