Thursday, September 13, 2012

Damn Mind Vacancy

We belong to a homeschooling co-op, and parents are often asked to teach anything they feel qualified and comfortable teaching. We are an interest-based group, so we ask the kids what they want to learn, and try to match that subject up with a person willing to be the instructor.
My kids had asked for some time to have a Driver's Ed class, not with actual driving, but to learn the rules of the road. I volunteered to teach this class because a) it was my kid asking for it, and b) as a driver myself, I felt qualified to teach it.
I went to the DMV to get enough books for the students to each have one (no more than 10). The gentleman working there told me I couldn't take that many. I asked him where I could order the books in bulk. He said I couldn't, and to have all my students find the book in its online version, instead. I imagined all the kids on their laptops, connected to the internet during class, reading the driver's ed workbook via facebook. I thanked him, and took the one book I was allowed to have.
The next day, I returned, and took another book.
I figured since the class didn't begin until October, I could keep this up, and eventually have enough books for everyone.
Today I took my daughter Arden to take her permit test. They gave her a lengthy form to fill out while we waited. I told her she should go grab a few of the driver's ed books, to have a firm surface to write on. I sweetened the deal by telling her if she'd go grab the books, I'd fill out the form for her.
She handed me the form and the pen, I got to work filling it out while she sauntered over to the counter and grabbed the books for me.
"Do you owe child support?", "Are you wanted in this or any other state?", "Do you want to register to vote?", no... no... no... and finally  "Do you wish to be an organ donor?" YES!
The form completed, the books acquired, I had Arden sign at the bottom and go take the test.
She passed!
She was sent to wait in another section, where she (like so many before her) had an epiphany about the DMV. I received the following text, while she languished, "Honestly, the DMV wouldn't take so long if they had more people working."
Finally, they called her name, took her picture, sent her away to wait some more, called her back up with her permit.
She was looking at it and I pointed to the organ donor symbol. "Look! You're even an organ donor!"
"WHAT?! Why would they DO that? They can't just put that on there!"
"I did it. I checked that box on the form."
"I stole for you, even as you try to harvest my organs!?!"

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