Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Adventures at the DMV

Late this afternoon I made a trip to Auto Club to renew my vehicle registration. I love how they offer DMV services to their members. So, in reality I was at Auto Club, but there for DMV stuff. I got there about 30 minutes before they closed and checked in with the receptionist. I was told to take a seat. I sat on one of the little couch-type things that can accommodate three people. Across from where I sat was a similar "couch" and between us, a coffee table full of maps of Europe for sale.

Across from me, sat two women. One was there alone and the other with her two small children. The mother had a toddler and an infant with her. Suddenly, without any type of cover, the mother started breast-feeding the infant, and the woman on the other side of the toddler did look over and seemed a bit uncomfortable with that. It really did feel like we were in a more "free" European type society, rather than our pro-baby (just don't breast feed it in public) society. While feeding the infant, the mother was talking to toddler about the guidebook of Japan that he was flipping through. The toddler was completely unfazed by the situation.

Many people were there and in line to sign in with the receptionist and he moved them through quickly. Suddenly there was a break and another woman came in. She was older. Had pretty crazy-messy hair and was walking with a walker. She had a bright blue purse hanging from the walker and was wearing scrubs and a jacket. Suddenly the lone woman across from me, and I, noticed the walker woman was not only wearing latex gloves on her hands, but also ziploc baggies on her feet. They were sticking out of her tennis shoes. At that point I began to look for the hidden camera, thinking this must be a "Candid Camera" moment. I couldn't detect one and no one approached me.

Shortly after "walker woman" conducted her business of getting guidebooks for British Columbia, Canada and San Gabriel, California, I was called to handle my business. It was truly interesting. As a people watcher, I wondered why I hadn't spent more time just hanging out there. Interesting indeed.

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