Thirty minutes and twelve badly preserved words later, her number was called. Closing the book she handed her things to Sean, stood and proceeded to the counter. The dour looking woman took her paper work and began to input it into the computer system. Dana stood quietly as the woman did her job, silently annoyed at the inefficiency of the entire process.
When the slightly jaundiced, myopic woman finally finished her typing, she asked Dana to step back to the line and look straight at her camera. Doing as she is asked, Dana held still while the woman jockeyed the camera until it was pointing almost straight down.
“There we go. Ok smile.”
Dana did nothing of the sort. She simply stood there, her features blank of any expression whatsoever. The woman sighed and took the picture. There was the sound of a camera clicking, but she knew that was only for her benefit. It was not a necessary function of the camera. How silly humans were that they needed the reassurance of a sound to know the job had been done.
The woman, Katrina, by her name tag, took out a square foil packet and ripped it open. The smell of alcohol burned Dana’s nose as Katrina wiped down a black box with the little towel.
“Ok step up here and look into the box there.”
Dana did so, and read the line of tiny letters at the bottom of the page. Then her fingerprints were taken, as was her signature.
“Ok, we’re all done here. You just follow that red line there. If you pass all your tests you’ll leave here with a brand new license in your hand.”
The woman said it like it was a million dollars and not a cheap piece of imprinted plastic. Dana gave her a curt nod and strode down the linoleum, making a turn when indicated by the red tape she was asked to follow. The sad little line ended at a door marked “Written Test.” Pushing through the door, she stepped into a room that had six individual test cubicles on three of its walls, the final wall was taken up by a miniature version of the counter in the outer room.
Another Step in the Thousand Miles
Bao had deemed her proficient, Dana was not entirely convinced. Still she drove the sleek little black car, loaned to her by Rupert, with Sean her regular driver, in the passenger seat, to the municipal district. He stared out the window and muttered softly to himself, and she had long since decided he did not like being driven and that his frail human mind was quite incapable of letting go of control when deemed necessary. She didn't blame him; after all she still only held a learner's permit.
Sean breathed a sigh of what she supposed was relief, when she pulled into one of the parking places along the Square. She'd been hear only once before to obtain the permit, and was glad she would not need to come often after this day. The large tree in the center gave her chills and when she'd stood beneath it several months ago, a goose had walked over her grave. The foreboding she felt from the ancient tree unsettled her and she had no desire to be near it often.
Shaking the thoughts away, she alighted from the car, her hand gently in Sean’s. She thanked him and headed up the six steps into the building that housed the Department of Transportation. She followed the signs, Sean shadowing her by two steps, to the third floor. Then entire floor was the driver’s license office and she was greeted upon exiting the elevator, by a bored looking girl behind a desk.
They exchanged pleasantries, and Dana informed her of what she wanted. The girl handed her a clip board and seven papers, with a sigh she took them along with a number and proceeded to a grouping of metal folding chairs. Sean took her coat, and settled in next to her. Dana was instantly bored with the entire process as she began to fill in her information. It took nearly ten minutes to fill in all of the papers.
Finally free of the paperwork, she tucked the clipboard down next to her leg, and pulled a small spiral notebook, pencil and a slim battered volume from the attaché case on the floor by her foot. A small amount of dust drifted up off the pages as she opened the book to the thin plastic marker inside. She flipped the notebook open to the page she needed and continued the painstaking translation of ancient Sanskrit into Gaelic, as for her that was her native tongue.
Dana
15 years ago
Dana
15 years ago
"Help you?" The young man behind the counter, his face an angry red relief map of pox marks and acne, popped a piece of chewing gum as he stared at her.
It was obvious what she was here for, but she supposed he wanted verbal confirmation. "I'd like to take my test."
He looked down at her, his eyes doing incredibly inappropriate things to her body. She rolled her eyes as she suppressed the urge to jump the counter and scare respect into the boy.
"Here." Dana stepped forward to take the plastic laminated paper he held out. She though better about it when the grungy light from the overhead floresents played across a myriad of fingerprints and smudges of God only knew what. Her hand went to the pocket of her suit jacket and pulled out the handkerceif there.
She took the thing, the pale blue silk protecting her fingers.
"Take the first booth there. You have two hours to complete the exam once you click start. If you can not complete the test in the allotted time, it is considered a failure and you will need to wait the requisite two weeks to return and try again. Good luck."
He leered at her again, and with another eye roll Dana turned on her heel, and took a seat at the indicated cubicle. She carefully read the paper the lech had given her, it was an outline of how to use the computer system, as well as the rules regarding taking the test and the implications that come along with failing the test.
Once finished, she place the sheet beneath her seat so she wouldn't rub against it. Her desire to not touch the little gray mouse sitting atop the desk, kept her sitting still for a moment. Even knowing it didn't do much good, she used the handkerchief to wipe down the offending plastic. It help her mental faculties that she'd at least tried.
It took less than an hour to complete the hundred question exam. Clicking the submit button, Dana stood and walked toward the door.
"Hey wait!"
Lifting an eyebrow, Dana turned back to the speckle-faced boy. "Yes?"
"You have to take the print out of your results with you."
Ah, right the painful inefficiency of the bureaucratic system. With a small sigh, she crossed the room, and took the paper he held out for her.
"Now you need to go back the way you came and then follow the blue line once it intersects with the red one. Have a good day."
That small bit of politeness surprised her, and Dana nodded politely in response. With paper in hand, she headed back toward the main room, but turned away from it when she came to the blue line. This line took her to another door, this one marked "Driving Test Waiting Area."
Pushing inside, she found Sean sprawled in one of the industrial blue plastic chairs.
It was obvious what she was here for, but she supposed he wanted verbal confirmation. "I'd like to take my test."
He looked down at her, his eyes doing incredibly inappropriate things to her body. She rolled her eyes as she suppressed the urge to jump the counter and scare respect into the boy.
"Here." Dana stepped forward to take the plastic laminated paper he held out. She though better about it when the grungy light from the overhead floresents played across a myriad of fingerprints and smudges of God only knew what. Her hand went to the pocket of her suit jacket and pulled out the handkerceif there.
She took the thing, the pale blue silk protecting her fingers.
"Take the first booth there. You have two hours to complete the exam once you click start. If you can not complete the test in the allotted time, it is considered a failure and you will need to wait the requisite two weeks to return and try again. Good luck."
He leered at her again, and with another eye roll Dana turned on her heel, and took a seat at the indicated cubicle. She carefully read the paper the lech had given her, it was an outline of how to use the computer system, as well as the rules regarding taking the test and the implications that come along with failing the test.
Once finished, she place the sheet beneath her seat so she wouldn't rub against it. Her desire to not touch the little gray mouse sitting atop the desk, kept her sitting still for a moment. Even knowing it didn't do much good, she used the handkerchief to wipe down the offending plastic. It help her mental faculties that she'd at least tried.
It took less than an hour to complete the hundred question exam. Clicking the submit button, Dana stood and walked toward the door.
"Hey wait!"
Lifting an eyebrow, Dana turned back to the speckle-faced boy. "Yes?"
"You have to take the print out of your results with you."
Ah, right the painful inefficiency of the bureaucratic system. With a small sigh, she crossed the room, and took the paper he held out for her.
"Now you need to go back the way you came and then follow the blue line once it intersects with the red one. Have a good day."
That small bit of politeness surprised her, and Dana nodded politely in response. With paper in hand, she headed back toward the main room, but turned away from it when she came to the blue line. This line took her to another door, this one marked "Driving Test Waiting Area."
Pushing inside, she found Sean sprawled in one of the industrial blue plastic chairs.
Dana
14 years ago
Crossing the room, Dana picked up a clipboard from a small round table, and wrote her name on the next available line, below two other names that had not been crossed out. They, of course, corresponded to the two other people in the room. She took a moment to read through the instructions printed on a large poster above the small table.
Sighing at the need for such basic instruction, sign your name, have a seat, wait to be called, give your test scores to the instructor, Dana crossed the room again to sit next to Sean. As she leaned over him to rummage in her attaché she spoke quietly.
"How'd you end up in here?"
He chuckled, but it was soft and low and never left his throat, nor did his eyes leave the screen of his smart phone, as he spoke under his breath. "After you left, I kept getting looks from Desk-Girl and being the good guy I am. I spoke with her and asked her where I could meet my girlfriend after her test was over."
Dana gave a soft snort, and opened the novel she'd removed from the case to the soft green weighted ribbon she'd marked her place with. Placing the ribbon in her lap she began to read about Scheherazade and her adventures. This particular book romanticized the legend, the one she was slowly translating tells a more...sordid tale and is most likely closer to the truth.
Only a few lines into the chapter, the door opposite the one Dana had entered through opened and a small balding man entered. He picked up the clipboard and called her name. "Day-nah Oh-seal-leaf?"
Wow, really? Swallowing her annoyance, Dana stood and crossed to the man, taking in his badly fitting cream colored sweater vest, light blue dress shirt, green patterned tie, khaki chinos, bad shoes and very large glasses. She handed him the paper with her scores printed on it. He took it and put a small check mark next to her name. "Thank you, Ms. Oh-seal-leaf."
"Oh Kay-lee-guh." She smiled to soften her tone a bit.
"Oh, right well, you'll be called to take your test shortly."
"Thank you." As she crossed back to her chair, he called the first uncrossed name, as he marked his pen through it. The teen boy that matched it stood, wiped his hands on his jeans and walked from the room with the little man.
Feeling the eyes of the young girl also in the room, following her, Dana sat next to Sean and leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her, his question unspoken. "I'm annoyed with the little girl's staring. I can't decide if she's watching me or you or the two of us."
"Ah." Her eyes went back to her book, as she felt his head move back up. It wasn't long before she felt laughter shake Sean's shoulder.
"She's watching you. You should have seen how big her eyes got when you crossed your legs and all that lovely pale thigh was revealed." Dana snickered softly, made herself comfortable in the ugly plastic chair, and went back to her book. The child was harmless and Dana had no interest in encouraging her or engaging in contact.
Fortunately Dana was not subjected to her stare for much longer, as another dour looking woman opened the door and called the child's name. The woman made Dana wonder if working in the sad little building sucked the joy from these humans, and if so, why did they continue to waste their short little lives in such a place?
Sighing at the need for such basic instruction, sign your name, have a seat, wait to be called, give your test scores to the instructor, Dana crossed the room again to sit next to Sean. As she leaned over him to rummage in her attaché she spoke quietly.
"How'd you end up in here?"
He chuckled, but it was soft and low and never left his throat, nor did his eyes leave the screen of his smart phone, as he spoke under his breath. "After you left, I kept getting looks from Desk-Girl and being the good guy I am. I spoke with her and asked her where I could meet my girlfriend after her test was over."
Dana gave a soft snort, and opened the novel she'd removed from the case to the soft green weighted ribbon she'd marked her place with. Placing the ribbon in her lap she began to read about Scheherazade and her adventures. This particular book romanticized the legend, the one she was slowly translating tells a more...sordid tale and is most likely closer to the truth.
Only a few lines into the chapter, the door opposite the one Dana had entered through opened and a small balding man entered. He picked up the clipboard and called her name. "Day-nah Oh-seal-leaf?"
Wow, really? Swallowing her annoyance, Dana stood and crossed to the man, taking in his badly fitting cream colored sweater vest, light blue dress shirt, green patterned tie, khaki chinos, bad shoes and very large glasses. She handed him the paper with her scores printed on it. He took it and put a small check mark next to her name. "Thank you, Ms. Oh-seal-leaf."
"Oh Kay-lee-guh." She smiled to soften her tone a bit.
"Oh, right well, you'll be called to take your test shortly."
"Thank you." As she crossed back to her chair, he called the first uncrossed name, as he marked his pen through it. The teen boy that matched it stood, wiped his hands on his jeans and walked from the room with the little man.
Feeling the eyes of the young girl also in the room, following her, Dana sat next to Sean and leaned her head on his shoulder. He looked down at her, his question unspoken. "I'm annoyed with the little girl's staring. I can't decide if she's watching me or you or the two of us."
"Ah." Her eyes went back to her book, as she felt his head move back up. It wasn't long before she felt laughter shake Sean's shoulder.
"She's watching you. You should have seen how big her eyes got when you crossed your legs and all that lovely pale thigh was revealed." Dana snickered softly, made herself comfortable in the ugly plastic chair, and went back to her book. The child was harmless and Dana had no interest in encouraging her or engaging in contact.
Fortunately Dana was not subjected to her stare for much longer, as another dour looking woman opened the door and called the child's name. The woman made Dana wonder if working in the sad little building sucked the joy from these humans, and if so, why did they continue to waste their short little lives in such a place?
Dana
14 years ago
The door opened a third time and Dana slipped her book mark between the two pages she was reading. The man that stepped through the door was a tall, dark skinned twin to the first man...well sort of. He wore the same "uniform" of button up shirt, sweater vest and chinos, but he had a much better fit, color pallet and shoes, not to mention his skin was a color of brown almost black, and shined purple when the florescent lights struck his bald head as he turned.
He picked up the clipboard and read the name there and chuckled. "Mind pronouncing it for me?"
Handing her book to Sean, Dana chuckled. "Not in the least."
She introduced herself as Sean stood to help her into her coat. Taking her purse from the chair it had been placed upon, Dana crossed the room.
"James Mitchell." He extended his hand to her, they shook and he lead her through the door. On the other side of it was a row of coat hooks mounted to the wall and past those two sets of two wall mounted file holders. He put on his coat and took one a clipboard from one of the file holders.
"This way please."
They made their way down the hall to an elevator, took this to the first floor and went out to the car. The Square was nearly empty by this time of night, the government workers having all gone home, except for those assigned to the night shift. As they entered the car, a fluttering took up residence in Dana's abdomen. James began to ask her questions and as he spoke she took deep breaths, trying to quell the fluttering.
After a few moments of questions, Dana put the car into gear and they were off. She following his direction, and he scribbling on the papers on the clipboard. Fifteen turns, one u-turn, a round of parallel parking, and forty-five minutes later, Dana was returning the car to its original parking space.
James said little, as they exited the car and entered the building, as he continued to write and scribble and make marks on the papers he held. The fluttering that had settled as she'd gotten into the routine of driving, returned as they entered the elevator that would take them to the lobby of the driver's license office.
"Well Dana you passed your test. If you'll wait in the lobby, I have to go input this into the computer and as soon as that's done they'll give you your license."
Dana couldn't help herself, her face split into a bright smile. She enjoyed passing tests, whether they be self-imposed or required as this one had been. She'd done her best and had passed, she hoped Bao would be proud of her.
"Thank you Mr. Mitchell."
He returned her smile and held the door for her as it opened onto the waiting area she'd started this evening in. They parted ways, as she spotted Sean, once more sprawled in a chair. She had no idea how he managed to sprawl in the folding metal chairs, but he did and looked comfortable. He looked up from his little black phone and smiled at her.
"D'you pass?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "Of course."
He took the liberty of their association thus far and rubbed his hand across her back. Dana chose not to react to the familiarity and pulled the novel from her case once more.
Thirty minutes later she and Sean made their way from the building, a warm piece of plastic with her picture on it in Dana's wallet.
((OOC: Dana out, please lock up))
He picked up the clipboard and read the name there and chuckled. "Mind pronouncing it for me?"
Handing her book to Sean, Dana chuckled. "Not in the least."
She introduced herself as Sean stood to help her into her coat. Taking her purse from the chair it had been placed upon, Dana crossed the room.
"James Mitchell." He extended his hand to her, they shook and he lead her through the door. On the other side of it was a row of coat hooks mounted to the wall and past those two sets of two wall mounted file holders. He put on his coat and took one a clipboard from one of the file holders.
"This way please."
They made their way down the hall to an elevator, took this to the first floor and went out to the car. The Square was nearly empty by this time of night, the government workers having all gone home, except for those assigned to the night shift. As they entered the car, a fluttering took up residence in Dana's abdomen. James began to ask her questions and as he spoke she took deep breaths, trying to quell the fluttering.
After a few moments of questions, Dana put the car into gear and they were off. She following his direction, and he scribbling on the papers on the clipboard. Fifteen turns, one u-turn, a round of parallel parking, and forty-five minutes later, Dana was returning the car to its original parking space.
James said little, as they exited the car and entered the building, as he continued to write and scribble and make marks on the papers he held. The fluttering that had settled as she'd gotten into the routine of driving, returned as they entered the elevator that would take them to the lobby of the driver's license office.
"Well Dana you passed your test. If you'll wait in the lobby, I have to go input this into the computer and as soon as that's done they'll give you your license."
Dana couldn't help herself, her face split into a bright smile. She enjoyed passing tests, whether they be self-imposed or required as this one had been. She'd done her best and had passed, she hoped Bao would be proud of her.
"Thank you Mr. Mitchell."
He returned her smile and held the door for her as it opened onto the waiting area she'd started this evening in. They parted ways, as she spotted Sean, once more sprawled in a chair. She had no idea how he managed to sprawl in the folding metal chairs, but he did and looked comfortable. He looked up from his little black phone and smiled at her.
"D'you pass?"
She rolled her eyes at him. "Of course."
He took the liberty of their association thus far and rubbed his hand across her back. Dana chose not to react to the familiarity and pulled the novel from her case once more.
Thirty minutes later she and Sean made their way from the building, a warm piece of plastic with her picture on it in Dana's wallet.
((OOC: Dana out, please lock up))