Driving test (part 1)

I battled my way through the extraordinarily complex system to make a telephone booking at the Department of Motor Vehicles (I finally found out what DMV stood for - I'd imagined that the D had to be for Drivers, as it is in the UK). You have to type in, on the telephone the day and the time that you want an appointment. It then spends a while checking the system, and says that there are no appointments at that time. What it doesn't tell you is when the appointments actually are.

Anyway, my appointment was made, and I dutifully cycled there. There was nowhere to tie up my bike - how do they think people get there if they haven't got a driving licence? I went in, was given a form to fill out, and a ticket with my number on.

I had barely filled out the form, when my number was called. I went to the desk, and showed my social security card and UK driving licence. "Need passport and visa, or green card to prove permission to work" said the man. "But you can't get a SS card without permission to work" I protested. (I protested very gently, 'cos I've already learned with US bureaucracy there's no point protesting at all.) "Need passport and visa, or green card to prove permission to work" said the man. I said a cheery goodbye, got back on my bicycle and went to work.

I seemed to have lost one of my gloves on the way though.