Several more people rounded the corner and filed in behind me. We exchanged the sympathetic ~What are you going to do smile and shrug ~ as they came in. The woman right behind me decided to use her time to phone a friend, oblivious to the large ~Please silence cell phones~ signs on the wall. And to boot, she is talking loudly. I tried to tune her out, but she was grating.
After listening to her whine session about her suffering for ten minutes, I pulled out my phone to text Don. ~14 people in front of me, line's not moving, ugh~
I slip my phone back into purse. The lady is still going on and on. It started with DMV, then their employees, onto the state of SC, Immigration laws and then the Mexican people standing in line taking up her American space.
Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, her phone a friend bowed out of the convo. So...what does she do? Yup..dials another friend and starts the same garb over. I was considering trading places with people behind her just to get out of earshot.
Is complaining contagious? Why did I send a text to Don? To let him know I was suffering? Lord help me if my weak mind and body think standing in line is suffering.
I am alive, I am not standing in line in a third world country for a potato or handful of rice. I am standing in line to turn in tags on a vehicle that died..so that I could have another vehicle that wouldn't die and when I left this line, I was going to go to Chick Fil A to get an ice cream cone.
What else have I complained about? Traffic, grocery store clerks, food at restaurant? I looked around at the pinched faces in line. Does everyone feel the same. Is complaining pervasive? Another lady has sympathized with the lady behind me and they are edging to the window to glare at the counter workers. Others are rolling their eyes. Are we all angry?
Can I find an oasis in the pity desert? Ahh..there's one. A mother with a son going to get his driving test. His face shows anticipation as he jingles car keys. Mom is nervously beaming.
Another lady is reading a book in line, yet another goes through her coupons.
I can go with that, make use of my time. Once it's gone it's gone, whether I am standing in a line at DMV or a concert. I know several people who would give a pinky finger to trade their real woes for my mundane suffering right now.
As if an answer to my resolve and dissipation of angst. A triage DMV employee came out to the front and started working the line. She takes my tag and tells me to leave. I heard a hmmphhh behind me from mad DMV #16, too bitter to see that she is now #15.
When I walked out of the door of the DMV, I felt somewhat lighter. Changing my outlook on the situation put a little spring in my step.
I climbed into the car, cut the A/C on, cranked the radio and picked up my list to cross off DMV.
Next on list... call cable company...Awww hell, that was short lived. But, Rome wasn't built in a day.
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