The Social Security Office Experience

After a year and a couple of months, I finally got around to officially changing my last name to Lane. I had done it right after we got married on my driver's license, just not my SS card. I now realize why I had been avoiding this annoying process, let me share...

Yesterday afternoon I left work early and headed to the SS office in Murray. I had my name change form all filled out along with my passport and marriage license. I was all set, naively thinking I would be in and out because I was so prepared. Ha! I was completely wrong. As I arrived, I found a parking spot right away and it was a pretty good one! Again, a misleading sign as to what was to come. I grabbed all of my documentation and confidently walked into the office. The first thing I noticed was how nasty and germ ridden the door handle was. It's just a pet peeve of mine, I hate touching door handles and gas pumps. This door handle was the worst I had ever seen, it was GROSS! As I walked in, I saw way more people than there were cars for, where did they all come from?? I stood in a small line and got a number, it was A196.

I looked around the room to see if there were any empty chairs. I have to give you a little background first... rewind to earlier this week. I tried a new aerobics class on Monday afternoon and could barely walk the next day, no joke, my legs wouldn't even stand me up out of my bed, they wouldn't straighten!!! That being said, I was also wearing the tallest pair of heels I own. So.. Just my luck, there was one chair left in the middle of one of the rows. I quickly claimed it and sat down.

The first number to be called after I had sat down was A175. Augh! That's 21 people in front of me and each person took at least 5 minutes! After about 1 minute of sitting, I noticed an overwhelming smell of filth and pee?? I thought maybe it was the chair I was sitting in, maybe somebody had an accident? ewww! Then I quickly realized it was the two men, I would say somewhere in their sixties or so, sitting next to me on the right. I was overwhelmed by the stench and tried to turn my head to the left, hoping for fresh air. Nope, still breathing it in, I couldn't help it and I gagged! That was it, I couldn't stay there any longer. I didn't want to hurt any feelings and be obvious that their hygiene was non-existent. I kinda felt bad, maybe they didn't have any money for water or could only afford it every now and then? I don't know?? I nonchalantly stood up, legs aching, and walked the the back of the room and pretended to read some boring form on applying for a social security number or something.

While standing and waiting, I started to notice all of the other people in the room and really noticed how different we all are. How vast the habits and standards from one person to the next. I made sure to give a little smile to everybody who looked at me, not one person smiled back! Not one, not even the little kids. Finally after about 45 minutes of waiting my number was called and I was able to complete my mission. This experience has made me a little more appreciative of who I've grown to be, and how fortunate I am. I have a great mother, an amazing husband, wonderful in-laws, darn good pets, and a really great job, with really great people. I am so thankful for the life I live and the good fortune I've been blessed with and worked hard for.