Chapter 2 : I said too much...

...or be careful who you get irate with on the phone.


Edit: Chapter 1 below this post.

So last Thursday I thought it was time to bite the bullet and go and take my written drivers test.
After a bit of digging around I discovered where the St Charles test station was, mapped it out and got ready to set out.

I thought it best to call them first to make absolutely sure I was not going to be turned away for not taking something I needed to show them.
I had my Passport, my work permit, marriage certificate, a utility bill, SS# and birth certificate.

I call the office and explain I am not a US citizen, but I have a work permit and a SS#, what else do I need to show them to get a learner permit?
The lady on the other end of the line asked what my visa status was, I don't know? I said I did not know but I had been for my immigration interview on Tuesday ( more about that in chapter 3) and I was just waiting now to hear the outcome.

Apparently the state of Missouri do not issue Driver licenses or permits without knowing the visa status of the applicant.

What ? I have a work permit but I cannot get a DL to be able to drive to a job?
In total she asked me 4 times if I had a work permit- Umm Did I not just say I had one when I first spoke to you ?

By this time I was getting a little irate ( not rude but certainly irate)
She said she would put me on hold ( note the word hold) and get her supervisor to speak to me.
A few seconds later another lady came on the line and asked if she could help me.

I was not sure if it was just another staff member who had picked up the call ( seeing it on hold or something) so I said I had been speaking to a lady and she was putting me on hold for the supervisor.
She said ( quite cuttingly I thought) That she was the supervisor and first lady had just handed her the phone to speak to me.

Okay so I am dumb, but she did not say she was handing the phone over she said she was putting me on bloody hold.

So anyway I start from the beginning again, she said the best thing I could do would be take all my documents and all my immigration notices down there with me so they could see them.

By this time I was totally stressed out and starting to see the whole thing as another waste of time.
We left the house with me ranting about what was the point of having a stupid work permit if I could not drive to a job. I have still not seen a single bus around here.

We arrive and I walk in , only to see ALL the staff are State Highway patrol women S%#t!
I want to turn around and go home, but being as WP is with me and is not known for his patience at the best of times I bite the bullet and walk up to the counter....

Of course they are going to know its me, how many English people do they get in there in a day!
So using my most pleasant voice I hand over all my many papers and documents...
She looks in my passport and asks where my visa is ( I think it not a good idea to tell her I have no clue- More in chapter 3) instead I tell her they took it from me at my immigration interview on Tuesday.

She seems to buy that and starts taking all my information, points to the computers and says I am on number 5.

So I sit down and begin the test. Question 1 - correct.
Question 2- incorrect. Damn I totally misread the question, got too blasé and checked I was sure.
I began to panic- its going to be all down hill from here...

But as it was that was the only question I got wrong and I passed with 95%!

So then they test my eyes, road signs-Bit of a sticky moment when I cannot remember the STOP sign- (I thought it was a trick question because the word "stop" was not on the picture they showed me) It eventually dawned on me though....

Ask me if I want to take the actual test today ( no -I haven't parallel parked in like 8 yrs and the tiny space between the orange cones has freaked me out!) send me next door to the license bureau....

I wait my turn and then go up to the desk.
She explains to me that they can only give me a paper permit today as they have to send the original off to Immigration for them to check that I am eligible for a license.

Fine.

BUT it usually takes them around 60 days to process the request and then send me the actual license direct through the mail!

ALSO I can take the drivers test before I get the actual license back BUT because I wont have the actual license I cannot upgrade it to the real drivers license... I hope you are keeping up with me here?
So I can pass my test but I still cannot drive unaccompanied until I get the actual first license to swap it in for the actual real driver license.

Grrrrrr

So I have driven WP's bro to the gym a few times and he and I went to Walmart over the weekend (none highway).
I haven't done the dreaded parallel park yet though....

So look out people.

hee.


I have just realised that I should have started with chapter 3 because now chapter 2 will be above chapter 1- oh well you will have to read upwards if you want to read it in order.

Now I have to rest before chapter 3.

;)