Drive to DMV II

For the first part please follow the link Drive to DMV I

Mom: It is wonderful

Dad: It has been around 15 years since I visit Shankumugham beach. I came here last time when R was on 6th standard

Mom: This is the first time in our life we are out here in this beach on our own in our 32 year old married life!

Dad: Its time lets move

Dad started his blue painted chetak scooter, mom got on the pillion seat and they rode away…..
I think that was the scene yesterday at Shankumugham beach in Trivandrum.

I still think everything happens for the best and the sequence never ends. So we never know if it was the best or not. It all started with my second trip to the DMV. This time also I some how felt that, I will be back there again. As usual my feeling was changed to experience by the end of the day. Everything was perfect; I left a message to client about my half day leave and to the umbrella of managers around me who are shooting e-mails to me from all around the world from different time zones.

Mr Thangachan was rite at my apartments’ door when I reached there to get to the DMV office. As my driver guru M was busy picking his mom from India in Airport, Thangachan (T), friend of M came to pick me up and his car was test car. There was no need to stand in queue as I got my appointment for the road test in DMV. I walked in straight, filled in the form and give it. Took T’s car and got next to the test site. A DMV officer came to me and asked my name and the filled form. He stood in front of the car and asked

DMV Officer : Sound horn

Me : Poom pom

DMVO: Wiper

Me:wshhh wshhhh

DMVO: Right Indicator

Me: Tiick tick tick

DMVO: Left Indicator

Me: Tiick tick tick

DMVO walked to the back end of the car,

DMVO: Now put ur foot on the break pedal

I did it; he came forward and said,

DMVO: Can’t you listen to me?

Me: Yes, I mean no….

DMVO: So test will be disqualified.

Me: Whattttt ?

I was alarmed. I came out to find out what went wrong. DMVO said, the left break light is not working. Car is not fit to take a driving test. So come another day. I sat on the driver seat with disbelief. So again another day to DMV! Mr T called up my ‘M’. He apologized for the mistake, but at the end of the day, half day is wasted for me, him and Mr T!

As I expected some thing got screwed up, I didn’t loose my spirit. I made it a point that I will take this by Saturday, even it means standing in the queue and waiting for the whole day. So asked T to come with his car on Saturday early morning, this time with perfect break lights!


Drive to DMV- III

My friend in our client place had to give a learner's test. So we thought it would be easy if she can accompany me. So I will have company to stand in queue and she can have one trip less. Still the notions of screwing it up in DMV were there in my mind. We started on Saturday early morning, empty stomached. My friend was busy asking law and driving symbol questions and I was having butterflies in my stomach thinking what would go wrong today! Mr T was as cool as ever driving his car. By the time we reached there, the queue was about 30 people length. We stood in the queue and when we reached at the reception desk, the DMVO said,

DMVO: Road test token will be given only at 9:00 AM. Time is now 8:45. So you go to the end of the queue. If you are not in line, we cannot give. Please step aside.

Me: Ok

My friend went ahead with her form and filled and started her preparation for learners’ written test. I stood at the end of the queue again (around 30 ppl) by the time I reached the reception; it was 8:55 AM. So I let some five folks behind me to over take me so that I don’t have to stand at the end of the queue again. The trick worked and I arrived exactly at 9:00 AM at the reception. Got the first number token for my driving test! My friend was busy filling her form. We even got confused if a service address is the correct mailing address. We covered it up by filling the service address as well as the other address available.
I filled my form, took T’s the car and went to the test location. An elderly man greeted me and got into the car. The same ritual of Horn + Wiper+ Left indicator……went on. This time the break light worked. Then he asked me to pull over and do the parallel and reverse parking. Took me out for a ride around the park and check my lane switching and signal reading capability. He was pretty happy and he gave me a pass mark. I came out of the car grinning from ear to ear!

Went to the next counter, gave the test result and they gave me another token to wait for. My friend came out of the test centre with perfect marks smiling all the way. But she was not happy as the DMVO commented that the Indian license she had, looked like a fake one. My token number display came; I went and stood in front of the camera smiling. I really wanted to change the display picture from my learner’s permit which has a face “WHY ME”
The officer at the reception said:”Hey man, you look gud in this snap, I am not taking a snap, and I will give you your license in a moment”

If he had clicked his camera at that moment, he would have caught the most stupid face I can ever make, grinning to a camera where the camera man says, no picture today L
I came to my friend who was waiting for her token. Finally they called my name and give me my license. I was again grinning from ear to ear, even if a little sad looking at the ‘Y ME’ snap on the license.

We waited and waited for my friends’ token which was E227. E226 to E240 was called but not E227. We went thrice to the reception where they gave the same answer,
“Tokens are not in order”
Finally, one officer at the counter got a little kind and started processing my friends’ paper.

DMVO : U have Indian driving license

Friend ‘S’: Yes

DMVO : Please give

S: Here it is

DMVO : Go to the counter 6 and pay 20 dollars. They will take your snap and give you learner’s permit. Have a great day

S: But you kept my Indian driving license

DMVO: Yes, you can get it if you are leaving the state

S: What? That is my primary ID! Is this the processes?

There comes ME as stupid as ever and as much as it could be!

Me: (To the officer) But I have my Indian driving license with me (It was a copy of my Indian driving license)

DMVO: Can I have a look at it?

Me: Yes, please

DMVO: Please hand in your US license

Me: Here you go

DMVO vanishes inside the office and no signs of her for next two minutes. She comes back with a grim face asking

DMVO: Which counter you went in today in the morning?

Me: I don’t remember!

DMVO: You take a walk and find me the person you give the filled form to!

Me: Mam, please tell me what is this all about?

DMVO: Look, I am not threatening you but, according to this state law, having a US license and an out of state driving license is illegal. You have both with you now. I can call 911 and put you behind bars for fraud!

Her hand was on the extension phone!

Me: Errrr WHATTTT ?

DMVO: Get you original Indian driving license and surrender it in the office by next week or forget about this license.

Me: but mam, my ID, license eerrrr …..Look I didn’t I mean I don’t know all this!!!!

DMVO: Don’t waste my time, Get your Indian license original. Bye have a good day

Then it was all international calls in and out to India, to Japan to find out where exactly is my original Indian driving license, and bout the time required to get it to us. Fortunately my mom found it in my room at my home inside my personal file. Also T’s sister was traveling from Trivandrum to US. So everything fell in place to get my original Indian driving license from India to US in two days. T’s sister went to Shangumugham beach before getting into Trivandrum Airport. So mom and dad had to go there and hand over the license. So my Indian driving license is on the way from India to US. I will have another trip to DMVO mostly this week. I am still running high in spirits, I will get my US license …..But god knows what more is in store for me ……. nothing else but more stupidity. Here goes the next trip

My mom and dad went to a beach all by themselves after, err not after, for the first time in there married life of 32 years .....That is something beatiful :) ....you never know how things happen