DMV

Wayne and I have owned more than our share of cars, trucks & toys over the years. I am the type of person that buys a used Honda Accord for $2000 and keeps it forever. (Yes it still runs great at 236,000 miles) However, Wayne enjoys buying and selling several cars a year. Well, I'm not sure that he really enjoys selling them, but it is what he lovingly does to keep peace in the home.

Anyway, for whatever reason, I always seem to be the lucky one who gets to go to the DMV to register all of these vehicles. I could have earned a two year college degree from the hours I've spent waiting in line. One time, instead of getting coffee or lunch with a friend, we simply met at the DMV and chatted for an hour and a half while we waited in line, as she had some business also at the DMV. It is also very entertaining to eavesdrop and observe the fine human speciments that live near us.

Most recently, I have been to the DMV three separate times to register one vehicle. The car was sold to us by a public guardian, who had taken over the affairs of an elderly man who was no longer able. The first time I went to register the car, something was wrong with the way she signed the title. So I went back to the public guardian, who made the change for me. She rolled her eyes and told me that she does paperwork like this all the time, and every single time they want it done differently. So I went back to the DMV, where the next person who helped me scanned the documents until she could find another minute error: The elderly man's name included a suffix on the title, but not on the court order assigning him the public guardian. She helpfully gave me an affidavit that I would need to have the public guardian sign.

I am glad the public guardian was kind and helpful throughout all of this. I met the public guardian, who filled out the paper, had it notorized at the bank, and then I went to the DMV. When I got the DMV, I started to get Penelope out of the car, when I realized I couldn't find the papers. Not just the affidavit, but the title, court order, proof of insurance, bill of sale, and all of the other papers that the DMV requires. I looked everywhere in the car. My stomach fell somewhere between my knee and ankle. I had no idea where it went. I had driven straight from the bank to the DMV. I felt HORRIBLE. I called Wayne to tell him my dilemma. He was not very comforting, and told me, "Yeah, you BETTER find the papers."

So, having nothing else to do, I drove back to the bank. The bank and the DMV are in separate towns, so this is about eight or ten miles. I looked around the parking lot and landscaping. Then, I went in to explain how a frazzled new mom had lost a bunch of papers and did anyone happen to see them? As I walked in, a lady from behind the counter yells, "hey, that's the lady that had the papers signed!" And to my utter relief, another lady walkes up with all of the papers. "I found them in the parking lot....they have a few tire tracks on them." I was so glad to see those papers.

But this is not quite the end of the story. Back up to the DMV I hoped that in order to distract the DMV people, Penelope would either a) put on a super cute show, b) produce a powerfully gaseous bowel movement, or c) would have an ear piercing meltdown. When neither a), b) or c) happened, the lady looked over my papers. "Hmmm...well the court order doesn't uniquely specify her as his public guardian, just that he had one appointed. But, I guess I can make a copy of this and the certificate that shows this lady is actually a public guardian."

I actually got the car registered that day. One of the things that made me aggravated, was that I didn't give her the affidavit, and she never noticed the name difference. So my two trips to the bank, bothering the public guardian, and stressfully losing the papers, were all for nought.

I can't wait for Wayne to buy another car!