Driven to the Brink

You're not having any fun here, that much anyone can tell.  You were up till 1:00 AM yesterday, even though you knew you had to be at the DMV by 8:00 AM.  You wanted to sleep, but decided watching Netflix for hours upon hours took higher precedence. So you spent your night watching various episodes you’ve already seen multiple times. Now you're exhausted and you know you only have years-old TV show quotes to show for it.

Despite everything working against you, including yourself, you actually managed to arrive at the DMV before 8:00.  It is now quarter past nine.  Of course, you haven't even talk to anyone at the counter yet.  At least you filled out all the forms right away.  You even got all the information right.  The pride you feel slowly begins to turn to shame as you realize how proud you were for spelling your own name correctly.  Now's the point where you realize how much this place stinks, both metaphorically and literally.

Red LED numbers blink on the sign up front, mocking you. You look down at the ticket in your hand, look back up at the sign, and try to hold in your frustration. You’re tired, and also now hungry, and would love to know why you thought it was a good idea to schedule your test at 8:00 AM.

You check your phone, which is vibrating. It was a missed call from your friend, the one who drove you to the DMV, asking when you would need to be picked up. You put the phone away. Your complete lack of a response you hope will be an adequate answer.

As the clock ticks on, all you think about is how stupid it was to let your license expire. You got the letter in the mail telling you it was time to renew, but you were overconfident that you would remember by yourself. Now you know not to be too confident with your own memory.

After what feels like multiple eternities of waiting, the LED lights finally blink your number. You stand up, your right leg half asleep, and walk slowly towards the counter. The clerk watches as you approach. He looks stoic but stereo-typically indignant.

The clerk looks over your paperwork for a few seconds. You stand as still as you can, afraid making any sudden movements would antagonize him. It doesn’t matter what you do though, because he looks up at you and asks where the rest of the forms are. You try to suppress your terror as you explain that these are the only forms you have. He looks at you like you’re an idiot, and explains that you are missing necessary papers for taking your test. You look dumbfounded as the clerk hands the papers back to you and informs you that you will need to make a new request for the missing forms, and reschedule for the test. The clerk gets up from his desk and you begin to slowly walk towards the exit. You look back at the front desk one last time, only to see the LED display quickly turn over to the number after yours.

You leave the DMV, walk over to a nearby bench and take a seat. You pull out your phone once more and call back your friend. No expression in your voice, you ask for a ride home and quickly hang up.