Almost Like A Day In Hell . . At The DMV!

SHIP'S LOG:

When I got back from my journey South & back, I had about 8 months worth of mail awaiting me. Lots was garbage, some was bills that needed paying and there was all four letters from the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles), actually renewal notices for the registration of 1.) Abishag; 2.) The Dinghy; 3.) My P.O.S. Car; and 4.) My Driver's License. Well, I knew that since the renewal dates had passed ( all were twigged to one's birth month which meant May for me), it also meant a trip to the nearest office of the DMV. I had a choice, Norwich or Old Saybrook, and since I have been through both and Old Saybrook was definitely the less busy of the two, I went to Old Saybrook.

Now it is not to say that the Old Saybrook DMV was not busy, but rather less busy. So I brought along with me, not just the letters of renewal and my checkbook, but water, lunch and a Stephen King novel(How appropriate). When I arrived, the parking lot was almost full. I got a spot and a went in doors, air conditioned thank goodness, and got in line.There were two lines, one for licenses and one for everything else. In times past, the "everything else line" was patrolled by a little old man who, if you had business other than simply getting information and the proper forms, give you a numbered ticket. The clerks worked through the numbers like the attendants at a deli counter and when your number was called you went up and helped make the state safe and richer. Evidently, the economic turmoil in which the state finds itself has led to economy cutting and it cost the little old guy his job. SO I got in "the everything else line" and wended my way along. I is truly amazing just how slow the line moved, about as fast as a line that wasn't moving at all.

I got through at least 6 chapters of Stephen King when my turn came to face a clerk. She was not a happy person and my attempts to engage her in "happy banter" was a total failure. After six chapters of Stephen King, and a couple of hours of real time, this "sour apple looking" clerk heard my tale and simply hand me a sheet of paper and said, "We don't renew registrations in the office any more. You have to do it by mail. NEXT!"

Well, the first step of the process was done, or would be once I mailed in the registration and the check, so it was on to the license renewal. This would require the taking of my picture. Now it is possible that you can renew your driver's license by mail, they simply stick your old photo on the new license. (You can do this once.) You can also renew your license at AAA, but not if you are over the expiration date. Thus it was that i had to come to the DMV.

I put Stephen King aside and had lunch in line ( A grilled chicken sandwich and a Coke). While "the everything else line" was basically quiet and inactive, the license line was a flurry of activity. Bunches of teenagers were in it, all there for their driver's license test ( written and driving). They were studying their texts, they were querying their parents(mostly mothers), they were talking inanely with those they knew in line. It didn't seem possible but this line moved even more slowly than "the everything else line." I got through lunch and 10! chapters of Stephen King( OK, he doesn't have particular large chapters) when one of the clerks came around the counter and said, "Anyone here just looking to renew their driver's license?" We were taken off to another window where one by one, we turned in our old license, signed the new one, paid for it and then went to sit and wait to be called for our pictures. That took another hour or so and then another wait as the license was processed( or whatever it is they do with it) before it was handed over. I can say without fear of contradiction that my license has the absolutely worst photo I have ever seen of anyone not just me. It is truly awful and, of course, it can not be redone.

I got back to TYC about 4:30pm after a truly full day, topped off by the Red Sox losing to the Yankees. It seemed an appropriate ending to the day, some horrible fantasy that only Stephen King would concoct!