Yesterday, for the first part of my day, I waited in line at the BMV. It was the location in Eaton, Ohio. My business with the BMV worker lasted roughly ten minutes. Yet, I was in line for 2 hours and 20 minutes, waiting for that interaction.
We have a nifty website here in Ohio for the BMV. Chock full of information. And if you have to go there? They give you an online opportunity to get “in line” before you leave your house. So I got on my computer and did just that. My number was D511. I can’t tell you the amount of joy that filled me while I was in my kitchen and had received a number. Truly. My instructions were to report to the “check-in” kiosk when I arrived at the Eaton location, and punch in my number, good as gold. How cunning. How efficient.
On my drive there, I was strangely high-spirited and bubbly. Never before had I felt such cheer on my way to the BMV, but I was checked in, for god’s sakes. I whistled happy tunes. And when I arrived and saw the line of people snaking through the lobby, I was neither downtrodden or deterred. I had a number. Now where in heaven’s name was the kiosk?
It took me a moment to locate the thing, which was IN the actual BMV office, behind a glass door. Which was locked. As I peered through, I noticed the kiosk also wore a nifty little sign that said, “OUT OF ORDER.” My optimism faded quickly, and by the time I walked to the end of the line I was crestfallen. Dejected. Not quite tearful, but close.
So I waited. I had no choice. You see, my birthday was April 29, and on that day, my driver’s license expired. I had 90 days to renew it and keep it in good standing. After that, they begin to penalize you for your tardiness, eventually making you take a driver’s test again. While I’m sure I could pass the test with flying colors (as I am able to drive at extremely high speeds, with great accuracy) I decided I would rather just renew it within the given amount of time. And July 29th is approaching fast.
As I stood in that long line, I kept repeating happy axioms.
All good things come to those who wait.
Patience is a virtue.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Time heals all wounds. And driver’s licenses.
Despite my best efforts to stay blissful, I became vexed. And the thing that irked me the most, was the people. Only 50% of us in line were wearing masks. All of us standing in a closed-in space, all of us breathing the same air, and only half wore masks.
I am so sick of people sniveling and whining about their “rights” in a pandemic state of America. They place the value and importance of their own lives, selfishly above the lives of others.
The woman directly in front of me did not have a mask on. When you get to the window — finally — they ask you a series of canned questions. Are you a resident of Ohio? Were you born in Ohio? Are you a registered voter, and if not, do you wish to become one?
Back to that mask-less lady. She was not a registered voter. She did not wish to become one. She only needed to renew the license to park her trailer, and she told them so. I kid you not.
I kid you not.
My blog used to be a happy, cheerful place. And I fear my irritability about all of this continues to eek in at the edges, eventually flooding the place.
So, to end today’s story on a high note.
I still believe there is a lot of good in this world.
I hope and pray that goodness will prevail, and that we can all recover from this.
And I can drive legally once again. To places, I will not be going until it is safe.
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“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”
― John F. Kennedy
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“In times of war, the law falls silent.
Silent enim leges inter arma”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
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