a. insurance
b. inspection
c. registration and title
d. license
In that order. But, once you start down this road you pretty much have to finish right away. You can't very well be driving with your Texas inspection and your Massachusetts plates for too long, can you?
So I called the insurance company this morning, and thus it began. I had to select how much coverage I wanted for various things - where do you draw the line. I'd like to pay as little as possible now, and have you pay as much as possible later, because I have no money now, and will have none later. The woman politely told me insurance doesn't work like that. I told her it should. I don't think she disagreed. So, by noon I was set up with new insurance. And panicked - was I supposed to alert my credit union, the people who actually own my car (until I pay them back!)?
b. inspection
c. registration and title
d. license
On to step B. This one is a little trickier to execute, and to procrastinate from the task at hand I decided to once again call the city of Somerville. Dare I say, I may have made some progress - and after giving up the names and addresses of all my accomplices, my new best friend Diane said she would take care of it. Yee-Haw! Now, really on to step B: inspection. I had to head off to a state inspection site, with proof of ownership and insurance (see step A). I decided that I had seen a gas station with a carwash, and this was the first place I thought I should look. The gas station did not do state inspections, but did clean the clear sticky stuff off my car. I spotted a Jiffy Lube, no inspections. I spotted a Midas - which I boycotted (and will continue to do for the rest of my life!). The I spotted an Express Lube, with a sign for State Inspections. Bingo!
As I grab all of my papers, proof of registration, insurance, and identification, I suddenly realize - title? What about the TITLE? So I rummage through the glove box, hoping it's there, but thinking it's a really stupid place to store the cars title - in the car. And I panic. Where would it be. I think and search, and then a quick call to the credit union cleared it all up:
"Hi, I was just wondering, do you have my title or do I?"
"Oh, we have that."
"Thank you!"
On to inspection. His name is Rick, he was very polite. They inspected my car, gave me a coupon to come back for an oil change, and pointed me down the road three blocks to the Title office, where he told me to ask for Wanda.
c. registration and title
d. license
I arrived at the title office, where I would need to show proof of insurance, ownership, and inspection. Oh, and pay a bajillion dollars. Her name is Wanda, and she was very nice. She pulled out each piece of paper that she needed from my stack of papers and gave me forms to fill out. She went off to make photocopies and came back and said "Ok, that will be a bajillion dollars. Will you be using cash or a check?" And I stammered..."ummm, card? card???" She chuckled, that 'oh-darlin'-what-are-you-thinking' chuckle, and said "only cash or check!" So I gulped, and reached for my checkbook. My checkbook that I had left on my coffee table. So I blinked a few times, trying to figure out whether I could get a bajillion dollars from the ATM... I asked if I could go fetch my checkbook and come back. "Of course you can," said Wanda. So I went home, to grab my checkbook. And went back - to write a check. She then handed me a sticker for my window and new plates. And pointed me down the road about three blocks to the DMV - "once you pass the Whataburger, move over to your left...and then turn in the lot. But not bef
ore the Whataburger, wait until you pass it."d. license
I arrived at the DMV, where I had to show proof of insurance, ownership, registration, current drivers license and a social security card. The have this great little info desk, to ensure that everyone has all that they need. You fill out a form with them, and then you get to wait. I was there, number 295, and they were serving 268. So, I went outside to change my plates - thank god for the screwdriver I keep in my car. Finally my number was called. His name is Rob, and he was very polite. He pulled each piece of paper that he needed from my growing pile of papers. He handed me forms to sign. He gave me a vision test. He finger printed me. He made me raise my right hand and say "Yee-Haw!' Ok, not really. He made me raise my right hand and certify that I hadn't lied on my form and that I was not a criminal and it was legal for me to become a Texan. Then he laughed and said, I mean, if you have anything out on this license we'll find out right now anyway. Gulp, come on Diane...please have taken care of my Somerville mishap...I do NOT want to wait here again. So, Rob goes off to make some photocopies, and I decide to fill out my check in the mean time. I open the check book. to find.
I had used my last check at the Title office. Friggin' awesome.
I am surrounded by signs that say "Cash or Check only". Crap, ex-con wanted by Somerville. Crap, I can't pay for this. Crap, I'm becoming a Texan. think think think. I need to come up with $24. I have a twenty dollar bill. And then I remember, I have quarters. For laundry. I start counting; one, two, three, one dollar, one, two, three, two dollars...
Rob comes back, and I sweetly ask - this is just going to be $24, right? (one, two, three, three dollars...come on quarters!) And he says, "Yes, but there's been a problem, Rhode Island came back with something..." AHHHH! (one, two, three, FOUR DOLLARS). I basically dropped everything in my hands and shouted, "Rhode Island?" Rob just laughed and said, "kidding!" At which point I handed him a pile of quarters...and explained about the check. And he laughed through his apology of giving me a heart attack.
He handed me my temporary license, suggested I carry my passport with it should I want to do anything where my age may be questioned, and said "Welcome to Texas!"
Yee-haw!
No comments:
Post a Comment