Tidbit of Americana

Here's a fun little fact for you- you need a Social Security card to renew your Driver's License. You need a current, non-expired Driver's License to get a Social Security card. Think on that for awhile.

Yeah. I lost my Social Security card. Actually, I believe that I have hidden it from myself. Very well, I might add. I do need to say that I have the Social Security cards for the other three members of my family, so I shouldn't be labeled irresponsible. Flighty maybe, but not irresponsible. Anyway- the card is not in my house. I know because I spent approximately eight hours last Wednesday looking for it. I dumped drawers, emptied cabinets, dug through files, even poured out trash. Uh-huh, it was a good day.

I was literally near tears. And here is the part where you can call me irresponsible. I needed the card because my license expired-
four months ago. I know, I know. Whatever.

So, I am in somewhat of a panic because I have finally realized that the license expired four months ago and I really need to renew it. But I can't without the card. So, after eight hours of searching I began to come to terms with the fact that I may need to get a replacement SS card. I begin to try to find the requirements for doing so. And that's when I discovered it. You must have a current Driver's license. Some words went through my mind at that point. Some bad words.

At this point it's a toss up from just giving up and hoping I never get stopped again or trying to find a solution. But, I figure that at some point having an expired license is going to be a problem. So, in a last ditch effort I call the DMV. And I politely ask if I need my SS card to renew my license. The girl who answered the phone was as sweet as cherry pie (there are benefits to the small town life, I cannot stress that enough) and she explained that I may or may not it would just depend on the computer. I decided to try it.

I now have in my possession a temporary license that is current and I still have no idea where my SS card is. Seems the DMV computer system believed I was who I said I was- what the heck that means I have no idea. But I took that temporary permit and drove straight to the tax assessor's office to pay for and pick up my registration that had only expired two months prior.

Oh yes, I am completely serious.