I cannot belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve i have to do my driving test again !!! 20 years on from when i first sat it on the ever attractive roads of North Dublin, i discover i have to do it AGAIN !!!
Of course Soldier passes his first time with flying colours and proclaims it's a piece of cake.
I failed my Irish one first time all those years ago and it proved very traumatic at 19 years old, to have to sit it again. Now i have to go through the process all over, in a different country, on the other side of the road???!! Nightmare!
So i took myself and my forms down to the "DMV" (Dept. of Motor Vehicles... i think) Office. What a nice, nice place that is to spend time, with some lovely people working there. You only have to line up outside in the July heat for an hour or so before you get inside the door to get yourself a ticket, to sit in yet another line, on a hard plastic chair for another 2 hours............ at least ! There are lots of people complaining and moaning about the lines ranging in age from 15 years old (yes you can get a driving licence over here at age 15!) up to their 80's. Some of those old agers are on walking sticks and aching just shuffling around, it was so uncomfortable for them. In the corner of the cold, 70's style tiled room there is an ancient TV set playing just as ancient a re-run of Ricky Lake with the big 80's hair.
After 3 hours i eventually got my place at the counter with the lovely middle aged lady who just asked me questions like a robot and worked my paperwork at a snails pace. With my corporate background in Operations efficiencies and a brain that was surely washed with "do more with less and faster" type approach i felt like jumping the counter to take over and just speed her up. As i was thinking about all this, my belly rumbling with hunger and frustration starting to turn into rage as i watched her, she suddenly decides to strike up a conversation with her friend on counter 53 about her daughters wedding !!! OMG !!!! give me strength.
Anyway, eventually she took my mugshot and sent me on my way to complete the written part of the test. Luckily i passed and re-inserted myself into the line to get my actual driving test appointment (yes i have to go back!).
Overall, i came to the conclusion that civil service type people must be the same the world over. It was certainly a day i could have done a whole lot more with, but i guess the roads in Texas will be safer and if nothing else, it certainly satisfied one of my past-times of good people watching.
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