A Driver's Tale of Woe

 For those who are wondering and would like to hear a driver's license tale of woe, please lend me your ear...

Part of moving to a new state requires the official giving up of the old driver's license in order to obtain a new one. We decided to move in early June. By August 1, we were in our new home. (THAT story has already been told. If you are interested, just scroll down.) In addition to that, my license expired at the end of June. I contemplated just letting it stay lapsed until after the move (Why pay twice?), but in the end, we decided to use all available drivers to move, meaning I would need a current license. So I applied for my renewal on July 30.

From July 30, until this past week, an official receipt acted as my license. Last Monday, I realized my receipt was due to expire on Thursday. Thus my first dilemma. I had not yet received my official license, and I would be driving to a camping experience with my students on Wednesday. We were due to return on Friday, when I would no longer be able to legally drive. I called to see what was going on only to discover that my license had been returned because we were no longer residing at our old address. Apparently, the post office will not forward driver's licenses.

“Okay,” I thought, “no problem. I'll just have to explain what happened.” On Tuesday afternoon, I left work early to go and take the required written driver's test and apply for my new license. How hard could it be, right? Those tests are all about common sense, and I've been driving for years!

My next dilemma. I failed the test by being extra cautious with every question requiring an exact measurement of distance. I walked up to the desk thinking, “They must want me to hit bicyclists to have me driving that close!”

The gentleman behind the desk smiled and explained that I could take the test again tomorrow. As in Wednesday. As in the day we were leaving for our camping trip at 9:00 A.M.

I studied that night and at 8:00 the next morning, I was third in line at the testing center. By 8:15, I had passed the test with flying colors. I approached the desk only to learn that they would not be able to accept the receipt from my last state, and because of where my last state had punched through my license (obliterating the expiration date), they would need a certified copy of my driving record. I asked for a fax number. The man wished me luck but explained that in his experience, my last state wouldn't fax certified records. I would have to order a copy for a fee.

I was pissed. If they'd actually sent me my license, a license I had paid for, this wouldn't even be an issue. I called the number they gave me and explained my situation. I even asked for a refund. The woman was very nice and explained that she would fax a letter with the same information they were asking for in the certified driving record. She didn't know if they would accept it, but it was worth a try.

It was now 8:45, and I needed to get going. An entire classroom of students and parents were counting on me! So I called the other teacher who was going on the trip, and we quickly created a backup plan. She would ride to the camp with one of the parents and a group of kids and would ride back with me. In the event that the faxed letter didn't work, she would drive my car back on Friday.

Well...the letter worked! Still, it was a good thing we had a backup plan because as the man behind the counter stamped my paperwork, making everything official, he explained that their camera had stopped working, and he asked if I could come back later in the day.

Friday afternoon, exhausted and disheveled from camping for three days with over 20 kids, I smiled for the camera.

Addendum: I received my driver's license in the mail today.  My last name is spelled wrong.