Maturing

Some might call it aging, some call it getting older...I just keep referring to it as maturing. I had a "maturing" moment yesterday.

I had to gather documents that prove I live where I say I live...unbelieveable the red tape involved when your kid plays All Star baseball. First, I had to get my drivers license renewed. It was due this year, but not until August. Since my new address (and at least 3 others) was just on a sticker on the back of my license, I was told this would not be "official" enough to prove that we lived in the baseball boundary lines. So, off I went, bright and early yesterday morning to the DMV. (Funny, the DMV doesn't ask for any proof that you live where you say you live.)

I think a prerequisite of working at the DMV is to be grouchy. I was there when the door opened, so it can't just be that they were tired of dealing with people...there were only a handful in front of me. I stepped up to the counter and a very grumpy man asked me to repeat my new address FOUR times. Then he asked if I wore contacts or glasses. I answered no and he repeated the question. I answered no again, and again he repeated the question. On the third time he repeated the question I wanted to YELL "Do you wear hearing aides?" But I tried to be patient and again said that I don't wear glasses or contacts. At that point, I had to put my forehead on the little box and read line 6. I squinted, tried to focus, then looked up at him and said, "I could read line 5." He didn't smile...simply said loudly and rudely, "Can you read line 6 or not?"

I began reading, "3, 15, 12..."

"One number at a time." he stated (again louder than he needed to...after all, we were checking out my sight, not MY hearing)

Slowly, I read again, "3, 15, 12..."

"One number at a time." he bellowed again.

Again, I read, "3, 15, 12..."

"ONE NUMBER AT A TIME" he shouted, yet again.

I looked up at him, trying to remain patient, and said that maybe I was misunderstanding what he wanted me to be reading. I kept my voice quiet, hoping he would do the same, but no, he looked at me like I was an idiot and yelled, "THERE ARE NO DOUBLE DIGITS. READ ONE NUMBER AT A TIME"

When I finished reading ONE NUMBER AT A TIME across the row and looked up, he very loudly said, "You'll be wearing glasses or contacts next time you come in here."

Ouch.