When my driver’s license renewal notice came in the mail I did not even bother to open it until several days before my birthday, figuring that I could just renew the license on-line before the end of the month like I did last time. But then I read the letter and my stomach did a flip: I had to renew in person because I needed to have a new photograph taken. I read further and my stomach did another flip: my license expired on my birthday, not at the end of the month.
I immediately went on-line with the DMV to make an appointment to take my test and saw that there were no appointments available for weeks. I had heard horror stories about not having an appointment and waiting in line for an entire day so now I was in a state of near panic. Today was Tuesday, my birthday was Thursday and since I was scheduled to leave on a business trip early Friday morning I was afraid that the TSA would not let me board the plane with an expired license.
As I usually do, I immediately imagined the worst-case scenario: I worried that now I would have to cancel my business trip. This meant that I would lose my job and have to sell the house and move west of I-95. Most of my worst case scenarios involve living west of I-95.
I called my middle sister and see if she had any advice since she had just renewed her license the previous month. She is one of those people who renews her driver’s license far in advance and inspects her hurricane shutters every May. I dialed, told her my story and waited expectantly.
I didn’t have to wait long for the lecture about the perils of procrastination. I knew better than to interrupt, but 10 minutes later when she was winding down I cleared my throat. “Are you done?” I asked. She said she was. I could have totally messed with her head and told her how much she reminded me of Mom when she lectured me but that would be cruel, and besides I needed her help. So all I said next was, “Feel better?” She said she did. “So what should I do?” I asked.
“Well,” she said, businesslike now, “you’ll never be able to make an appointment at this late date, so you need to just go to the DMV early tomorrow morning and wait.” I did not like this answer. “Better plan on making a day of it,” she said with satisfaction, “it’s what happens when you put things off.”
“You sound just like Mom,” I said cruelly, and hung up, pleased that even though I would spend a day at the DMV that I had had the last word.
I went back on-line, verified that there were no appointments available at any DMV office in the tri-county area for weeks and dejectedly printed the checklist of documents I needed (birth certificate, proof of residency. ) I began to clear my schedule for the next day.
Just then my sister called back. “I went on-line again and I guess there was a cancellation because there was an opening for today at 2:00 so I booked it for you,” she said. “Can you make it?” It was only 12:30. “Of course I can,” I said, feeling bad that I compared her to Mom. “Thanks so much.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, adding, “And just remember: Mom was always right.” And she hung up, pleased, no doubt, that she had had the last word.