the DPS office is its own level of hell

[threeplusfire]

I braved the horrors of the DPS office to get a new drivers license. The waiting was grueling, a large room with a television blaring Fox talk shows and plastic chairs locked together in rows. The crowd could have been cast in any number of movies. Cowgirl in an embroidered shirt and boots with a fringed purse, single mother in hipster pants chasing a toddler around, a couple large Hispanic family units, a father with his teenage daughter, shrieking child running up and down the length of the room, twenty year old guy with too much gel in his hair trying to pick up girls, belligerent older woman repeating the same questions over and over while waving a her hands around, two guys in leather jackets having a heated but quiet conversation... all under the tyranny of the board on the wall announcing numbers. When they saw 14 minute wait, they really mean 45 minutes.

But the man behind the counter was friendly and fast. I'll have a new picture on my license for the first time in ages. The one I have now was two pairs of glasses ago and before I started coloring my hair black. Still have the acne, though. But there's a new last name on that piece of ID, and that feels good.

Comments

[quietexpression.livejournal.com]

Awww .. that's so awesome! :)

[serpina.livejournal.com]

hey -- i guess today was the day for new licenses. but i'm wondering if the office that handled me is one that could have done your business. it was SO calm in there, it was amazing. it's on congress at 15th street. if you have to go to dps again, i recommend trying to go there. i had to wait five minutes.

now the social security office, on the other hand . . . /shudder

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Oi I should have definitely gone there instead. I went to the one on Lamar. Ech.

I have to go to the SS office this week. Fear!

[serpina.livejournal.com]

well, here are my tips with regard to ss: arrive early in the day, because they close at 4 and there's a 2/3:00 rush. appointments are available -- so see if you can make one and save yourself some time. but the good news is that my "long wait" there was about 40 minutes all told. in california, it would have been so, so, so much uglier.

good luck!

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know. oi! I hate government offices.

[holdmycoat.livejournal.com]

Well don't keep us in suspense whats the new last name?

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

You are such a dork, asking that question. I should have changed it to Dorkable Portabello.