social security
now first of all, i realize that my last few posts have been fairly negative, so i decided to make sure the next one was upbeat and happy about life. but… i had quite an experience today.
the day started quite well- the sun was out, i was up sort of on time, and had a morning cup of coffee and bowl of yummy cereal. wil was off for the day to help his friend david move, while i prepared to run a few errands. upon walking out the door, the postal man caught me before getting into my car to hand me my mail (he probably didn’t know where the box was amidst the trash in the front!). there in the stack of envelopes was the certified copy of our marriage license! woohoo! i can finally prove to everyone that my name is kristen hansen!
i decided to add to my errand list a stop to the social security office to do a quick name change and request a replacement card. boy was i wrong when i thought the word “quick.”
after driving into nashville and almost getting lost in search for the office, i parked and walked in. uh oh…the place was cram packed with people…old people, young people, babies and lots of people that didn’t speak english. i stepped over to the number machine and watched as it spit out the number “96.” not soon after finding a spot against a wall, i heard on the overhead “number 53? number 53, window 4 please.” are you kidding me?!?!?!?! i drove all the way out here to wait 43 numbers to be called before me!!! knowing i wouldn’t have the time or energy to try again another day, i decided to wait it out…
TWO HOURS LATER…i walked up to the window to do the 5 minute procedure of handing over my paperwork.
but the best part of the two hour wait? oh let me tell you, it was an exciting time. it started when the security guard in the back yelled at everyone for talking, and threatened the group that whoever spoke or gestured next would be thrown out. yikes! not soon after, a man in a motorized wheelchair with one eye tried to start talking to me…i didn’t want to be rude, but i also didn’t want to lose my chance of waiting for my number to be called and be thrown out! luckily, he decided to drive away to get a drink of water (probably due to my nonsocial attitude). about an hour into the wait, i nabbed a seat. not soon after a woman who did not understand the idea of “personal space” sat next to me and i was about pushed off my seat, a few times. she went out to her car a bit later and came in, letting her friend know that she thought someone stole stuff out of her car. due to the no-talking rule, the security guard and the woman began to argue about who knows what, as the f-word flew between every other word…i couldn’t quite decipher what they were yelling as they “took it outside”! another yikes!
the adventure was the last thing i planned on today; and it somewhat spoiled my afternoon. except for one fact: i am now legally recognized by the u.s. as kristen hansen! nothing can get me down after that!
dena: i can see why you waited to change yours; don’t go through what i did and just mail the application in instead!
