Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Sigh...
Well, the dinner fell through Monday night because he ended up having to work late. He asked if I wanted to meet for a drink, but since he works near me & I wasn't really up to venturing out at 9pm; I invited him to stop by & have a drink here. I realized pretty quickly that he's not that great of a conversationalist if there aren't 5-6 other people around. Yes. He's one of those people that just feeds off of things said by other people. Doesn't really have any original thoughts of his own. And I'm no babysitter. I get bored when someone is just answering me with no elaboration & just saying, "Yes! I agree!" every time I make a statement. After a martini & 45 mins. of this; I developed an imaginary migraine. (Just in case he asks: I am prone to these.) And don't get all freaked out thinking I invited some stranger into my home. I've known him for a while. He's a friend of several of my friends. We've only ever talked while in a group. Hence; my surprise that he lacks one-on-one conversational skills. All I can say about the short time he was here is that one of my cat's liked him. But, she likes everyone that has "Idle Hand Syndrome". (People that have to be doing something with their hands all the time; like petting a cat.)
___________________
I re-newed my driver's license today. For those that have been keeping up; I re-newed because I had let it expire. I have a whole long story about why it expired; but, in a nut shell; I dropped the ball. Whatever. So, I got someone to work half day for me today so that I could take care of it. I'm flying out on Friday & I have to have a valid pic ID to get on the plane. The pressure is on.
I opt to go to the DMV office closest to where I work vs. where I live. Don't know why. No logic behind the decision. I get there about 10:15am. Not many people there. I went to the Info desk to get my number & the woman there tells me that I have to have proof of "Legal Presence". This is a new thing. I have to either have a Passport, Birth Certificate, or a certified copy of my Birth Certificate. Apparently, the actual license that I have issued by them is not proof enough of my existence. According to the Highway Department; the minute I let my license lapse; I ceased to exist. I have to prove myself all over again. Like when I was 17 and getting my very first DL. For a split second (given my nature) I want to debate the girl at the Info desk. And then in the next split second, I realize, she's just the girl at the Info desk. I can bitch all day & nothing will change. So I smile & say, "I'll be back in a little bit". I drive all the way back home (still rush hour. Rush hour here lasts for about 6 hours). I'm so organized; I have my original BC plus a certified copy of it in my hands in no time. (Still can't find my CD cases; but I pick & choose my organizational battles.)
I get back there & only have to wait about 15 minutes before my number is called. Only to be told that I still need more proof of who I am because my license doesn't count because it is EXPIRED. That would be my primary; the BC is considered secondary. (Just to catch you up: You need a VALID DL as proof of legal presence in order to get a new DL to replace the one that has expired. I only did shrooms that one time; but it felt alot like this.) She then gives me a list of things that I can pick & choose from to prove who I am. It lists marriage license, military ID, INS something or other; chit like that. I tell her, "I don't have any of these things. Never been married. Never been in the military. Never had to deal with the INS" (does my little bit of an accent mean NOTHING?). After I said that, she looks down at my DL (I know she's doing the math), looks up at me & says, "You've never been married?".
Again the split second thing. When I feel like I really need to say something. I need to explain to this complete stranger my theory on marriage, and how I've had 4 rings on my finger but could never do it? The curse of being a bartender. We're so used to people asking us about our personal lives & we just share for no other reason than getting a good tip. And I'm guessing this chick is not going to tip me. So I just say, "Are you not going to give me a DL because I haven't been married before?" I ask to speak to a manager.
You're thinking this story can't be any longer. It So Can.
I go to the manager's line. This is a line you have to stand in. There's no number system where you get to sit down til you're called. My back has been killing me; so by the time I'm summoned up; my back is screaming. I lean down on the counter and position my hips where I'm in the least pain. I tell the manager about my problem that I can't produce the proof they need. She appears to be going over my paper work & then looks up at me. "I'm not comfortable with how close you are to me." WHAT? I'm one out of 20 out of 200 in this room right now that has had a shower today. And I'm about 3 feet away from you. Well outside your 18" of personal space. And I told her that my back was killing me & this was the only position I was comfortable in. She changes her tune & is all of a sudden sympathetic & wants to tell me all about her back problems. Fuck me. I'm never going to win. For some reason; I thought I could get through all this without making a new unwanted best friend.
To Be Continued........
___________________
I re-newed my driver's license today. For those that have been keeping up; I re-newed because I had let it expire. I have a whole long story about why it expired; but, in a nut shell; I dropped the ball. Whatever. So, I got someone to work half day for me today so that I could take care of it. I'm flying out on Friday & I have to have a valid pic ID to get on the plane. The pressure is on.
I opt to go to the DMV office closest to where I work vs. where I live. Don't know why. No logic behind the decision. I get there about 10:15am. Not many people there. I went to the Info desk to get my number & the woman there tells me that I have to have proof of "Legal Presence". This is a new thing. I have to either have a Passport, Birth Certificate, or a certified copy of my Birth Certificate. Apparently, the actual license that I have issued by them is not proof enough of my existence. According to the Highway Department; the minute I let my license lapse; I ceased to exist. I have to prove myself all over again. Like when I was 17 and getting my very first DL. For a split second (given my nature) I want to debate the girl at the Info desk. And then in the next split second, I realize, she's just the girl at the Info desk. I can bitch all day & nothing will change. So I smile & say, "I'll be back in a little bit". I drive all the way back home (still rush hour. Rush hour here lasts for about 6 hours). I'm so organized; I have my original BC plus a certified copy of it in my hands in no time. (Still can't find my CD cases; but I pick & choose my organizational battles.)
I get back there & only have to wait about 15 minutes before my number is called. Only to be told that I still need more proof of who I am because my license doesn't count because it is EXPIRED. That would be my primary; the BC is considered secondary. (Just to catch you up: You need a VALID DL as proof of legal presence in order to get a new DL to replace the one that has expired. I only did shrooms that one time; but it felt alot like this.) She then gives me a list of things that I can pick & choose from to prove who I am. It lists marriage license, military ID, INS something or other; chit like that. I tell her, "I don't have any of these things. Never been married. Never been in the military. Never had to deal with the INS" (does my little bit of an accent mean NOTHING?). After I said that, she looks down at my DL (I know she's doing the math), looks up at me & says, "You've never been married?".
Again the split second thing. When I feel like I really need to say something. I need to explain to this complete stranger my theory on marriage, and how I've had 4 rings on my finger but could never do it? The curse of being a bartender. We're so used to people asking us about our personal lives & we just share for no other reason than getting a good tip. And I'm guessing this chick is not going to tip me. So I just say, "Are you not going to give me a DL because I haven't been married before?" I ask to speak to a manager.
You're thinking this story can't be any longer. It So Can.
I go to the manager's line. This is a line you have to stand in. There's no number system where you get to sit down til you're called. My back has been killing me; so by the time I'm summoned up; my back is screaming. I lean down on the counter and position my hips where I'm in the least pain. I tell the manager about my problem that I can't produce the proof they need. She appears to be going over my paper work & then looks up at me. "I'm not comfortable with how close you are to me." WHAT? I'm one out of 20 out of 200 in this room right now that has had a shower today. And I'm about 3 feet away from you. Well outside your 18" of personal space. And I told her that my back was killing me & this was the only position I was comfortable in. She changes her tune & is all of a sudden sympathetic & wants to tell me all about her back problems. Fuck me. I'm never going to win. For some reason; I thought I could get through all this without making a new unwanted best friend.
To Be Continued........
