A Red Letter Day? Art thinks so.....

Art and I have had this conversation over and over the last few months.

ART:  Just go in and get your Nebraska drivers license done. It is really simple to do. You won't have to 
take the test. They just take a new picture and give you the paperwork. Besides you need to 
register to vote. 


ME: I will soon. I don't have time today.

I didn't say ,but  Art probably knew, I was having a hard time giving up my Colorado License.
 It didn't help that in this small town they only do drivers licenses one day a week for 6 hours, with an hour out for lunch.Not like the big city were you can go 5 days a week though you might sit for 6 hours waiting.
This meant that I had to be available that one day a week, and I've been pretty busy the last few months on Thursdays.

 To give in felt like when you read the last page of a good book, or the end of an era. It would be the final nail in the coffin. Getting my Nebraska License would be admitting  out loud in color with an updated picture that I live in NEBRASKA...
Finally yesterday, I gave up. When it all came down. The desire to vote this election won out. I will not debate politics here, but will say I feel like this is one of the most important elections in my lifetime, and I've been here for a while, but I digress.

Yesterday we headed out early.
Art was all smiles. He finally had me in the car, it was Thursday, and we were headed to the right place.
I know he was thinking.
 This is the day. It will be official. She won't be able to move back to Colorado now.


The courthouse in Chase County is an ancient three floor brown brick building sitting in the middle of town, surrounded by tall very old and very green cotton wood trees.
Stuck down in a tiny basement room were two men waiting to EASILY issue my new license.

You need two forms of I.D., said one of the men. 
Since you have already done this you knew that right? I said to Art.
In his eagerness I was expecting him to pull out the needed paper work, but instead he looked dumbfounded. I started going through my purse looking for something with our address on it.
No luck....
Art pulled the checkbook from his pocket. One down one to go.
The car registration had our address on it. Two down, we were set.

I handed the man our proof of addresses and my Colorado license.
He looked at the license and he looked at me.
The Addresses will work out good, he said. But your license is expired so you will have to take the test. 

My turn to be dumbfounded.
What?? Are you sure? 
He handed it back to me. Sure enough it expired on my birthday this year.
Why didn't somebody tell me?
My next question seemed logical.
Do you think I can pass the test? I asked. 
People do, he said. 
Really?

Says here on my computer that you will need some I.D. Like a passport or birth certificate and  then you would need your marriage license. 
I don't know who I was maddest at. The computer who was telling me what I needed or myself for letting this happen. We needed to go home. Art was quiet on the way home. He knew better than to say what he was thinking. This could have been avoided if you had only done it sooner. 
Once home we didn't have enough time to get back and take a test before the mandatory lunch break. Did you know that sirens go off in small towns to remind people it is lunch time? Seriously.....

Might as well take the practice test on the computer while we wait, said Art. 
Good idea....
25 tests later it was finally time to go back.

I handed my passport to the man.
10 mins. later....
I can't seem to find your social security number, he said. 
I just smiled, and didn't say, Well its been the same for 63 years, instead I just calmly waited.
No sense getting upset at this point.
Finally 15 mins. later,  both men figured it out, and I was on to the test.
I aced it. perfect 100%.

At that point I could have cared less how I looked in the picture he took though I know from experience I probably will later. I was just glad to have that sucker in my hand.

Don't say it...I warned Art as we went out the door.
I won't baby leg, I'm proud of you. 
I guess its official. You are now a Nebraskan.
We both sighed.