Fun with DMV Folks

Hilary Swank was fantastic in "Million Dollar Baby" with Clint Eastwood. It's one of my favorite movies. But neither the movie nor Hilary Swank have anything to do with my story about a recent experience I had at the Las Vegas Department of Motor Vehicles. I had to go there before my last birthday to get a new license. Every ten years you have to go there in person to get a new picture taken for your license. So I did. I paid them eight dollars and they told me I'd get my new license in the mail in a week to ten days. After almost a month waiting for it to arrive, I called to see what was up. A guy told me there was a problem with the picture and I would have to go back to the DMV and redo things. I was overjoyed. I could think of nothing better to do than to go back and redo something I already did at the DMV. When I got there they were nice enough to expedite me through the waiting list and I got to visit with Ray at booth #7. As I completed the paperwork Ray said, "Eight dollars." I said, I already paid for this. Ray said, "you left without getting your picture taken last time." I said, "No, I got my picture taken. Apparently your equipment malfunctioned." Ray, whose shirt buttons strained against a large belly said, "It says here you didn't get your picture taken." But I did, and reluctantly I dropped my credit card on the counter for Ray and asked, "Where do I file a complaint?" He told me and I went over. Ray went over to the supervisor too when he saw I wasn't kidding about a complaint. You have to stand by a waist-high swinging door that's just beyond two desks occupied by large, unattractive women. I don't know what Ray said to her, but one came over to me and said, "You have to pay." Disgruntled, but determined I asked, "Who's your supervisor?" "He's out to lunch." "Is there a form I can submit?" She got me the form and then told me I could get reimbursed for five dollars. "But I paid eight dollars." She said, "You have to pay for the replacement card." "But I never got the card." The reply fell on deaf ears so I filled out the complaint form and brought it back to her. She gave me my receipt for five dollars. The DMV still is up three dollars on this raw deal. I wonder how many others have a similar story to tell. I wonder how much the DMV rakes in on their "broken cameras?" At least the sensual beauty of Hilary Swank gives me some solace.