Three minutes

The Kid is taking driver's ed at school. Joy.

One of the requirements for this was that she present her Social Security card to the instructor. I'm not sure why this is necessary, but whatever. So I delved into our super-secretly located file where we have Important Things (not really) to pull the card.

It wasn't there.

Now, I'm not sure if we've managed to lose it in one of our moves, or if we just never got a card for her. So I called the SSA office and had the pleasure of talking with their computer to request a form for a new and/or replacement card. Let's just say that, yes, I talked to the computer, and no, I don't have enough room here to detail that conversation.

We got the form in short order and I filled it out. They need proof of who you are, and this is part of what's required:

We need ORIGINAL documents or copies certified by the custodian of the record. We will return your documents after we have seen them.

In other words, they want you to send them your passport, birth certificate, driver's license, or other Important Stuff. I think not.

It's not that I don't trust the government . . . . really. When I was going through The Process of becoming a priest, I had to send my diocesan office all sorts of stuff. There's a really big checklist. And they were always losing things that I had sent in. And these were people who were supposed to be watching over me through seminary. I'm not sending original documents to the SSA.

So I drove to Butte today.

All the way there I was having visions of the DMV -- long lines, grumpy people behind the counter. It must have been my lucky day. There was nobody in the office except the really bored security officer. The lady behind the counter was actually cheerful. And I was in and out in three minutes.