(This was written last June for my Writers Workshop. Considering there are only a few more days left to comply, I thought it extremely timely, and deserving of your immediate attention!)

Not only were these trips an exercise in patience (never my long suit) but this post may also prove to be very educational for the reader.

  Before phoning for an appointment with the NYS DMV, I carefully read the instructions, gathered all the required documents, and then called for an appointment. All the required documents that is, except my Social Security card, which I had lost years ago. I kept meaning to apply for a new one, but circumstances, too boring to relate, kept me from schlepping down to the other end of the world (Lower Manhattan) to the SS Administration office. Fully confident and reassured by the list of documents needed, including the correct tax forms to bring if you lost your SS Card (Aha! I’m not the only one), I trekked uptown to Harlem to the closest DMV office.

   Despite my pointing out that the DMV website listed a Federal Tax form with my Social Security number and current address would suffice in place of a lost SS card and polite as I was, the supervisor of the Harlem DMV said I had read it wrong (even though I was showing her the printout in black and white). “No matter what the website says, you have to have your card or your 1099”. How do you argue with the DMV supervisor when your lying eyes are obviously to blame?

  I am nothing if not persistent so I let a few months go by and decided to try again. This time, however, I was not going to believe the website. Instead, I called the DMV (that’s another story for another time), got the list of documents needed, compared it to the website, and decided to bring everything on both lists just in case.

   I had filled out the application form at home, triple and quadruple checking every line and box, and showed up early for my second appointment. The gentleman at the door smiled, thanked me for my efficiency, and checked me in, a very promising start. Within five minutes, my number appeared on the 30 screens hanging over the service windows, and I received a text to go to window #7. Exuding positivity, I pulled out the 15 or so documents I had brought, but was quickly informed that this window was only to take my photo. Photo taken (“No, you can’t see it, but you look fine”), so with a smile on my fine-looking face, I went back to my seat in the huge waiting room.

  Glancing around, I couldn’t help but notice a man standing at one of the windows who kept bending down and putting his head almost through the opening at the bottom of the Plexiglas screen which covered each of the stations. Odd, I thought, and it held my attention off and on for the next fifteen minutes or so.  The man left and my number showed again, this time directing me to the window the bending down man had just vacated. Mind you, my hearing is excellent, I can even hear the ding of the elevator bell down the hall through the closed door of my apartment. Exuding positivity once again I smiled and pulled out my reams of papers. I could tell the agent was talking because I could see his lips moving, but he was barely whispering. Now I understood why the man before me was bent over double with his ear pressed to the opening. I, too, had to put my head almost through the opening to hear him. Since his hand was outstretched, I assumed he was asking me for my application and papers, so I handed him everything I had brought, consisting of

1. My unexpired NYS Driver’s License, with my photo
2. My current, also unexpired, passport, also with my photo
3. This time (AHA), my 1099 tax form from the SS Administration
4. My most current bank statement
5. My 2023 Federal Tax return
6. My 2023 State Tax return
7. And finally, ME, standing in front of him with the same face that appeared on my Driver’s License and my Passport

      “Oh no,” he whispered, “no Social Security Card?”!

   Finally, 35 minutes later, after conferring with his supervisor and the two of them studying each page (I swear the supervisor recognized me from my last attempt and therefore dragged her approval out as long as possible), he scanned every page of every document, processed my $47.00 fee, and I was free to go with the warning that my application could still be rejected because I didn’t have that little blue and white card.

   Success! Three weeks later my enhanced driver’s license arrived with a photo of me looking a lot less than “fine” but no friend or family member will ever ask to see my photo I.D.

   A few weeks later I was flying to Detroit. I have CLEAR, a much faster way to get through airport security. With CLEAR, the agent looks at your boarding pass, scans your eyes or fingerprints, and escorts you to the person who is checking driver’s licenses… or so I thought and I couldn’t wait to show off my hard-earned Enhanced driver’s license. After breezing through the first step and with my license in hand, I stepped up to the window. “Go right through,” the agent said. “Wait” I replied,” don’t you want to see my license?” “We have a new system now; your information and CLEAR photo (which FYI, is definitely not “fine”) are on file” she replied. “Once you show your boarding pass, there is no need to show your driver’s license anymore”. “But wait,” I said again, “I just got my new enhanced driver’s license. Can’t I just show it to you?” I asked, waving it in front of her face.  With an indulgent smile, she said, “Maybe next time,” and waved me through.

I will eventually get over the disappointment, but I’m sure you will agree, it was all very unfair.