Once upon a time, some hapless track-side reporter inquired as to the issue with NASCAR great Mark Martin's vehicle. I do not remember if there was a crash or what but it was obvious that something was wrong. I'm sure the reporter was looking for more gripping details of the conundrum, peppered with the names of Martin's sponsors rattled off at the top speed of an auctioneer. "Raybestosbrakes-Meinekemuffler-Tictac-Chev'alay"...anyone??? What he got was this: "It's broke." Yesterday, we made our fourth, as in the position after third (the one that doesn't get a medal at the Olympics), trip to the DMV to get Y1's driver's license. It's broke, people...and I don't give a flying fig about the incorrect conjugation. The computer system that I'm dealing with...it's broke.
The issue isn't the ladies at the DMV office. They've all been very kind and helpful. We're on a first name basis. They know who we are when we walk in the door. I'm thinking of adding them to the Christmas card list. They think I'm sweet and they think I'm patient and said as much. HAH...dear readers, what they're seeing ain't nuttin' but JESUS...do ya hear me???? They've been as helpful as they can be and therein lies the rub. They can't be any more helpful because of the limitations placed on them by the computer system they are using. All of this could have been tied up at visit number two, if all the red flags had been dropped at once. Instead, at visit #2, we got the issue with Y1's temporary license being expired...needed document from AL DMV...which contains info that is available, online, via some mysterious DMV data bank that The Great State (of confusion, double-talk and misinformation)Georgia has yet to access. Like since 1997 has yet to access. So, we return on visit #3 with our version of "the golden ticket" only to be told that Y1 has to have some alcohol-drug awareness certification. Never mind the fact that this is material covered in the driver's education class he had before we left B'ham...which was one of the requirements for obtaining his AL driver's LICENSE...not permit...LICENSE. There's no way around it...I tried. I emailed. I made phone calls. I received phone calls. So, we jumped through what we thought was the last hoop. And that, beloved is what we get for thinking.
We walked out of that DMV, sans Y1's license, because now, the system is telling us he has to have driver's education hours. Shall we review? HE'S ALREADY HAD IT...PASSED THE CLASS WITH AN "A"...LOGGED OVER 300 MILES AND CAME TO GEORGIA WITH A DRIVER'S LICENSE. I left with the number of some unknown supervisor of higher authority than any of the ladies in that office, who, BTW, are each as flummoxed with our difficulties as we are. Seriously, they might get a Christmas card. A basket of muffins, maybe. It was after 5pm when we left but I placed a call to DMV Doug. To his credit, he called me back at 7pm...well after business hours. I hate to admit that I am encouraged by our conversation as I don't want to be overly hopeful. DMV Doug agrees that this situation has gone pear shaped. He agrees that there is no reason for Y1 to repeat the coursework. A second conversation with DMV Doug is supposed to happen today and we'll see how it washes out.
First world problems, I know. Forgive me for being self indulgent on behalf of my kid, who by the way, proved himself to be more of a grown up than me.
The issue isn't the ladies at the DMV office. They've all been very kind and helpful. We're on a first name basis. They know who we are when we walk in the door. I'm thinking of adding them to the Christmas card list. They think I'm sweet and they think I'm patient and said as much. HAH...dear readers, what they're seeing ain't nuttin' but JESUS...do ya hear me???? They've been as helpful as they can be and therein lies the rub. They can't be any more helpful because of the limitations placed on them by the computer system they are using. All of this could have been tied up at visit number two, if all the red flags had been dropped at once. Instead, at visit #2, we got the issue with Y1's temporary license being expired...needed document from AL DMV...which contains info that is available, online, via some mysterious DMV data bank that The Great State (of confusion, double-talk and misinformation)Georgia has yet to access. Like since 1997 has yet to access. So, we return on visit #3 with our version of "the golden ticket" only to be told that Y1 has to have some alcohol-drug awareness certification. Never mind the fact that this is material covered in the driver's education class he had before we left B'ham...which was one of the requirements for obtaining his AL driver's LICENSE...not permit...LICENSE. There's no way around it...I tried. I emailed. I made phone calls. I received phone calls. So, we jumped through what we thought was the last hoop. And that, beloved is what we get for thinking.
We walked out of that DMV, sans Y1's license, because now, the system is telling us he has to have driver's education hours. Shall we review? HE'S ALREADY HAD IT...PASSED THE CLASS WITH AN "A"...LOGGED OVER 300 MILES AND CAME TO GEORGIA WITH A DRIVER'S LICENSE. I left with the number of some unknown supervisor of higher authority than any of the ladies in that office, who, BTW, are each as flummoxed with our difficulties as we are. Seriously, they might get a Christmas card. A basket of muffins, maybe. It was after 5pm when we left but I placed a call to DMV Doug. To his credit, he called me back at 7pm...well after business hours. I hate to admit that I am encouraged by our conversation as I don't want to be overly hopeful. DMV Doug agrees that this situation has gone pear shaped. He agrees that there is no reason for Y1 to repeat the coursework. A second conversation with DMV Doug is supposed to happen today and we'll see how it washes out.
First world problems, I know. Forgive me for being self indulgent on behalf of my kid, who by the way, proved himself to be more of a grown up than me.
He's like that guy from Krakhozia in "The Terminal."
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