I do not wish the Department of Licensing upon anyone.
It has been almost eight years since I set foot in that place. I don't remember it taking an eternity to get something done.
Everyone complains about the DOL. One comedian joked that even in the future when we have teleportation and it takes one second to get somewhere, the DOL is still doing to take at least four seconds.
And it's true. You have to schedule two hours to do something that takes literally one minute.
I had to get my driver's abstract for work and after two hours of waiting through 30 numbers, the woman simply printed out a piece of paper and sent me on my way. Seriously?? I waited for that?
For some reason, I expected some big spectacular production. I imagined them taking me in the back where there was this big obstacle course, handing me a glass of water and telling me to jump from ledge to ledge without spilling a drop (Golden Boy reference).
The waiting area is much like sitting inside an airport. There's even the same colored blue chairs. I expected to see gate signs. When the electronic voice called out the next number "Now... serving... number... 1...5...3...." I thought it would add "Last call for flight number..."
As I sat there, ready to rip open my skull and throw my brain at somebody just for the sake of some entertainment, I couldn't help but notice a lot of people's bratty kids. I'm not a parent and I know when I become one I will make my fair share of mistakes. But that doesn't mean I don't know right from wrong.
A mother and her friend were gabbing away while her son crawled on the floor, licking chairs and hitting the legs of other people's chairs. One old man who needed a walker to help him move around, politely smiled at the boy and asked him to stop shaking his chair. The mother turned around, ushered her son back over to her, all the while glaring at the old man as if he had done something wrong.
All I'm saying is that if your child is a dick, there's no reason to blame other people. Kids will be kids, so laugh it off and take some constructive criticism - don't condemn others for filling you in on this so-called secret.
Sometimes it's older kids that are a prick. One older woman who walked very slowly, had her son help her inside the DOL. The woman handed her purse to her son and got up and ask one of the clerks a question. As she peered back towards her son to possibly help her ask something, she noticed her son had gotten up and left, leaving her purse on the floor. The woman's face was shocked, then embarrassed, then she quickly grabbed her things and left. I felt horrible for her.
At one point, it looked as if the room was clearing out. A guy walked in, looked at all of the open seats... then chose to sit by me. He reeked of cologne, sitting by me and staring at the number on my slip of paper as if he were going to snatch it out of my hands.
The guy had some paperwork in his hands for his driver's license, and he kept smacking it with hand as if he was going to shout out "Eureka!" I tried avoiding eye contact with him.
Now I understand why people hate the DOL. It's like a much slowed down version of the post office - where people never stop coming in. I joke that I have to work on a lot of holidays because the news never stops... but I'm lucky I'm not stuck inside the DOL where time literally stops.