License and Registration, Please

• Do You Have Any Money?
• Naked Barbies!!
• Getting E-checked
• At the BMV with Barbie
• No Glasses, Just for Fun
• Do You Need My License For That?

Do You Have Any Money?

On Saturday, Keisha and I took Jennie to her English class at Sinclair Community College. After that, we took a drive to the Ohio E-check station. As we were pulling in, I noticed the fee was $19.50 and looked at Keisha, who is almost six years old, and remarked, "Hey, I don't have any money? Do YOU have any money?" :D

Naked Barbies!!

So, we drove home to get the checkbook. Keisha had to get her Barbie dolls. As we reconvened our journey, I glanced at Keisha and noticed that her dolls were naked. "Hey, Keisha! Your dolls don't have any clothes on!"

"I have them right here," she replied, reaching into her coat pocket. Later as we returned to the Ohio E-check station, I looked over at her, and she showed me that all the dolls now had their clothes on. Which was a good thing.

Getting E-checked

I explained, in my best 5-year old language that I could, what the folks at the E-check station were going to do. Then we got to watch. Fortunately, our 1997 Honda Civic passed the emissions test, and, after bloodletting the $19.50 we took our certificate and headed for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles(BMV) so that I could get my driver's license and our car's registration renewed. (In Ohio, you have to get these things done by your birthday. Mine is April 16th. Some of you may have already figured that out from my username.)

At the BMV with Barbie

I told Keisha that I was going to get my picture taken and that we were going to get a sticker for our car. She thought that was going to be cool. We walked inside and pulled a number from the "Take a Number" machine (for lack of a better description). I asked Keisha to confirm the number: "B09."

We sat down on one of the benches and waited, as the employees of the BMV called out numbers. "Daddy, wanna play Barbies?" Keisha asked.

"No, sweetheart, I don't. Thank you, though. You really should bring the Ken doll if you want me to play," I replied. Keisha played by herself and looked around. She saw an obese man across the room and told me about it.

"That man has a big belly, Daddy," she said.

"Yeah, well, people come in all sizes and types, sweetheart," I said. "Some people are big; others are little. Some people are young, and others are old."

"Like those people," she said looking across the aisle from us at the gray-haired couple.

"Yes, like those people," I said.

No Glasses, Just for Fun

Finally, someone from the BMV called out, "Number 9!" I got up and went to the counter, handing over my driver's license and registration info. "We need to do an eye exam, and we'll need you to remove your glasses first."

"But I can't see anything without them," I protested.

"Let's try it without them first, and then we'll try it with them on," the lady said. After asking me to read a certain line, I told her that all I saw was a blur. So she let me use my glasses. I passed the eye exam and went on to get my picture taken. Next to the place where you sit are some comic strips about getting your driver's license picture taken and a mirror. I sat down and smiled. She took my picture.

Do You Need My License For That?

Moments later, after I had certified that I have insurance and no medical condition that would keep me from piloting the space shuttle, it was time to pay the fee. I made out a check to "State of Ohio BMV" for $50 (:-O more bloodletting). I then asked the lady if she'd need to see my driver's license, since I was writing a check. "No, we know how to find you if there's a problem," the lady said in a slightly sinister voice. Comforting. Indeed.

After telling Keisha that she couldn't get her picture taken and to stay away from the eye exam machine, the lady handed me my new driver's license and registration information. Keisha and I walked back to the car, and I affixed the new sticker to our license plate.

All this done 11 days early! That's different for me. Now... where is that tax information?