I had to renew my license today.
I wore a cute scarf.
And pretty earrings.
And lipstick.
And somehow my head still looks like a watermelon in the picture.
But it's okay, because the girls at the Farmington license bureau made the experience enjoyable.
Gasp!
License Bureau (DMV) can be used in the same sentence as "enjoyable"?
It can in Farmington.
I'm not going to encourage negativity by explaining how I ended up at a license bureau that isn't in the town I live in (in fact, I didn't even know you could DO that until recently), but let's suffice it to say that the bureau I had previously done business with was not enjoyable.
That's why I felt it was important to acknowledge those running the business at the Farmington location.
When I first walked in three girls welcomed me and asked me if they could help me (in a tone that seemed as if they actually wanted to help me).
One of them oohed and ahhed over my boots.
(They are pretty cute.)
I thanked them for noticing and told them how cheap they were and that I got them at the teenie bopper store in the mall (which they found humorous).
While I was waiting my turn for my mugshot picture we all chatted to another woman who was waiting for her picture to be printed and then empathized with her when she saw the picture and complained that if she got pulled over the police officer would most likely give her a ticket just for being forced to look at the picture.
A man walked in and they greeted him with the same enthusiasm and smiles they had greeted me with.
One girl then directed him to wait in line and told him he would be directly after "Bootsie" and pointed to me.
He said, "Bootsie?" and then looked at my boots and smiled.
I said, "I've always wanted a nickname!"
And then we all laughed.
It was at this point that I began to feel like someone who had been raised in a dysfunctional family but didn't realize that it was dysfunctional until they went to dinner at a "proper" home and realized that it wasn't normal for family to throw mashed potatoes at each other across the dinner table or have ketchup drinking contests while the kids stuck straws up their noses.
In other words, I realized I'd been missing out on a friendlier, more helpful DMV.
It was my turn and the girls directed me back to yet another pleasant girl who also commented on my boots.
She tested my eyes, tested my knowledge of road signs and took my picture.
Two minutes later I had my new license in my hand.
All the girls in the office joined me in a group hug, we exchanged phone numbers, set up a date for a girls' night out and I skipped out the door while they all sang "so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye" from the Sound of Music.
There were tears in our eyes and love in our hearts.
Not really.
I thanked them and left.
And I was happy.
Except for the fact that in my photo ID my head looks like a watermelon.
B
PS--If you know someone at this particular DMV, please let them know that they are making the world (or my world, at least) a better place by their friendliness.
You can see the rest of this session here under "Kernan Family."
4 comments:
Hey Bootsie, I have an idea, how about you put your drivers license picture on your next blog! I would love to see it!
see Bootsie you are cute and blonde and a dynamo of personality. In addition to being a great photographer. Whose customers have a fun experience and memrable pictures...looking good all around.....
You do know that now you will never live down "bootsie"?
I have either no idea of what to say or to many:) Either way thanks for this, kicked my Monday right off!
Oh and ditto to Lunsford;)
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