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10 juli 2006
YPSIDIXIT renewed her stolen driver's license today. I got to the Sec. of State at 8:30 a.m. but they weren't open till 9, so I took a leisurely bike-tour of Fountain Square Plaza, noting a heretofore undiscovered dialysis center, a Radio Shack going out of business and offering stuff at up to 80% off, and a nail center with weird arrays of hand mannequins. Once they opened, Y. was asked why she was there. I had with me a bulging bag of every possible official paper that said I was me. My mortgage. My marriage license. My divorce judgement. Insurance papers. Utility bills. A thousand and one weighty documents. Oh, and an old expired driver's license.
"That's all you need," said the clerk.
That's all I need? A tiny faded card licensing me to do what I never do, drive? That's more authoritative than the mortgage I saved for years to obtain and signed a trillion papers for, involving financial consultants, lending agencies, and a thousand other people? More authoritative than the state-sanctioned marriage license? Than the court's most solemn and formal divorce decree?
Guess so. Y. pondered the fact that the most authoritative single item proving her identity was a plastic card saying I'm cool to drive. When our very identities are proven on the basis of a car-related trinket, the magnitude of driving in this culture hits home.
Y. biked home as usual.
Posted by ypsidixit at 10 juli 2006 22:33
Comments
Biked part of the way home, that is. I got a ride from a fellow Kempf House board member after tonight's productive meeting in which we chose a new logo, discussed renovation updates and the newsletter, and got a lot done. I don't think i've ever been involved with a group of people I like more. When two-hour board meetings are fun, and filled with laughter, you know the group chemistry is right.
Posted by: Laura at 10 juli 2006 22:52