What?

I got a letter from the DMV a few days ago. It said that effective November 01, 2010, my license was reinstated. What . . . what.....WHAT??? There are so many things wrong with this, I don't know where to start.

They didn't make me take the test when I went to the DMV two weeks ago. I paid my $125 fine, and then another $25 to change my name back to the one on my birth certificate. I stood there in front of the DMV staffer who typed and typed into her computer. I got nervous. What if something went wrong? What if she told me, sorry, no dice? But she just printed out an interim license, had me sign it, and pointed me to where I could have my picture taken. And I almost blurted out, "Don't I have to take the test?" I had crammed for it the last couple of days. I had learned about crazy new driving stuff, like ten and two was no longer the preferred hand position on the steering wheel (it's now nine and three or even eight and four--eight and four? Seems like a lazy driver's hand position). I learned my lesson about offering unnecessary information at the pound, though, so I walked over to the photographer. Gave him a goofy smile. He flashed his camera and said I'd have my permanent license in about four weeks.

And that was it. 30 minutes, tops. I walked to the parking lot, where my kids and stepmother waited. Then we went to Judi's, where she handed me the car keys.