My birthday is just 18 days from now. My license expires on the same date. Recently the State of Utah redesigned the process of renewing a driver’s license. Today, I was the victim of that redesign.
I’m NOT a happy camper.
Li’l Man and I first went to the office of Vital Statistics to get my birth certificate. We were there at 9 am and had to wait ten minutes for someone to appear behind the counter. From that point, it was relatively painless. In less than five minutes I had my birth certificate in hand, and we headed off to the Driver’s License Division.
Here’s where it gets ugly.
Li’l Man and I went in and filled out the application. We stood in line.
I’d like to note here that the cubicles where you fill out the form are on either side of the line you have to stand in to get to the first checkpoint. This makes for some frustration in trying to access the cubicles and then get back out to fall into the back of the line.
Form filled out we progress to the first checkpoint. The woman greets me and asks what I am there to do today?
“License Renewal.”
She asks for my current driver’s license. Check.
She asks for my social security card. Check
She asks for proof of address. I give her our power bill. Check. I need TWO proof of addresses.
I reach into my purse and come out with a coupon addressed to me with my current address, and she says she’ll see if that will work?
She returns.
Nope. Doesn’t it doesn’t have a date on it.
Okie Dokie.
We are now out of the line and going back to the car, hoping that there is something in the glove compartment in MY name with the current address. I find a letter from the State of Utah. I look it over. It has a date of December 19, 2009.
Li’l Man and I get back in the line, which has grown since we left. We stand. We are patient.
We reach the checkpoint.
The man greets me and asks what I am there to do today?
“License Renewal.”
He asks for my current driver’s license. Check.
He asks for my social security card. Check
He asks for proof of address. I give him our power bill AND the letter from the State of Utah.
He tells me he cannot accept the State of Utah letter because it is too far back.
“Are you serious?” I ask…giving him the benefit of the doubt.
“Unfortunately, we cannot accept it do you have anything else?”
At this point, my blood is boiling. The line behind me is HUGE. I explain, very kindly, that I have been licensed in the State of Utah since 1985. I have never held a license anywhere else. I have all of the documentation that proves I am legal AND obviously from December 19, 2009, to March 17, 2010 (the date on my power bill) I have held residence at the same address.
He refuses to let me pass his checkpoint.
Li’l Man and I leave and return home to find another bill in MY name. We return to an even longer line.
We reach the checkpoint. They let us progress.
I wait for a man behind the counter to finish his PERSONAL phone call. He hands me a number and tells me to have a seat until my name is called.
I don’t make it to sitting down because the guy at the next counter is ready to take my picture.
Let me just make it known that due to one German in my ancestry I look like a big meanie. It’s the crease between my brows. I have resting bitch face. I’ve dealt with this issue my entire life.
So with the German blood running through me, I’m still sick and miserable AND the absolute frustration it took to get through the line I’m rocking the look of witchdom!
I really don’t have a double chin. My face is not a bloated John Candy.
But thanks to the necessity of a license to drive…I will forever be remembered by this picture…
I am SO not a happy camper!