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Civil servant maze
Dec. 22nd, 2006 04:11 pmThis morning, I headed out to the Social Security Office to get RXX's SSN, since someone is late getting me my old tax returns and similar documents, a further refused to tell me his SSN without (another) court order. After a half hour drive, I parked, walked a block, and sat in a well run waiting room. It had a very cool computerized waiting list with different queues for different services, meaning I didn't have to wait for the benefit claim appeals just to order a new SSN card. After about a 15 minute wait, I order the card and copy down the SSN. The civil service guy was pleasant and competent. The kids were calm and played a word game with me. Parking $3, SSN card FREE.
We drove a half hour back, then filled out the Passport request form. It was a slick online thing, and the process went smoothly. It printed out correctly the first time.
Next off to the UPS store (<5 min drive) to get passport photos. We were waited on within about 10 minutes, and payed $17.25. The kids needed a small break to oggle the Wii next door.
From there to the Post Office. Apparently the expired passport won't do for ID, so I was back off to the Vital Papers office at 70 Hedding Street to get a Birth Certificate. Moi was getting restless, so we stopped for lunch on the way.
Another 30 minute drive, four laundry quarters go into metered parking. The place was awesomely efficient, and for $17 I could have a Birth Certificate printed on pretty paper right there and then. Better yet, there was a passport window a few doors down. I signed up on the passport list and the pleasant lady told me she couldn't take cash. I'd have to go to a post office to get a money order.
Instead I went to a Post Office to get the passport done, but it didn't have a passport office. So another big drive and I'm back to the original post office, where for only $171.25 she was able to take care of everything.
All the civil servants were civil, and competent to boot. That's a good thing, because the sheer number of different places to go to made this harrowing in spite of the good service. Bad service would have made the day into a nightmare.
We drove a half hour back, then filled out the Passport request form. It was a slick online thing, and the process went smoothly. It printed out correctly the first time.
Next off to the UPS store (<5 min drive) to get passport photos. We were waited on within about 10 minutes, and payed $17.25. The kids needed a small break to oggle the Wii next door.
From there to the Post Office. Apparently the expired passport won't do for ID, so I was back off to the Vital Papers office at 70 Hedding Street to get a Birth Certificate. Moi was getting restless, so we stopped for lunch on the way.
Another 30 minute drive, four laundry quarters go into metered parking. The place was awesomely efficient, and for $17 I could have a Birth Certificate printed on pretty paper right there and then. Better yet, there was a passport window a few doors down. I signed up on the passport list and the pleasant lady told me she couldn't take cash. I'd have to go to a post office to get a money order.
Instead I went to a Post Office to get the passport done, but it didn't have a passport office. So another big drive and I'm back to the original post office, where for only $171.25 she was able to take care of everything.
All the civil servants were civil, and competent to boot. That's a good thing, because the sheer number of different places to go to made this harrowing in spite of the good service. Bad service would have made the day into a nightmare.
