So the Colorado Springs Humane Society closed it's doors this past week for good. Why, you may ask? Because the city decided not to renew it's contract with them. Why would they do that? Well, I heard on the radio that it was because of all the complaints the city had been getting about rude treatment by the Humane Society employees. I love it! You know there's businesses all around town now using that as an example... "Don't be rude to the customers... look what happened to the Humane Society."

If only it would work on the DMV.

Lately, the people I've encountered at the DMV have been somewhat pleasant & helpful but when I was trying to get my license... well, that's another story. It's THIS story, as a matter of fact!

I didn't get my license until I was 18. One reason for that was because of one woman at the DMV. I think her name was Laura... I can still see her in my mind - tall & skinny with long stringy brown hair, big glasses and a pinched look about her mouth like she was sucking on a lemon. She was the textbook definition of a DMV employee. Sarcastic, rude, uncaring, selfish... The first day I tried to take my driver's test, she cancelled on me after making me wait in the car for 30 minutes because her dog got loose.

The next time, she refused to drive in the Grand Prix with me because she said the seat belts weren't safe. I told her that they were safe, that we used them all the time and we were still around. Not to mention that she kept me waiting ANOTHER 30 minutes while she talked on the phone. We ended up having a screaming match over the roof of my car. I was 18 & fed up so I have an excuse... she should have been more professional in her dealing with an irate teenager, though.

I finally ended up with my license after a test with some lady that came down from the other DMV. I wonder if that Laura woman decided she wasn't dealing with me anymore. Fine with me, I passed.

A side note to my attempt to get my license... when I went down to apply for my learner's permit, I was wearing a sweatshirt with a picture of James Dean on it. The man that was getting my permit for me asked if I knew how James Dean died. "Car accident," I replied.

"That's right. And why did he have a car accident?"

"Ummm... speeding?"

"Yes. So let that be a lesson to you. Don't end up like James Dean."

A few years ago I saw an episode of History's Mysteries where the reenacted the car crash that killed James Dean and come to find out, he WASN'T speeding, the car that hit him was. I really wish I knew that then so I could have told that guy.

And just another side topic... speaking of James Dean... Collin & I were watching an interview with him last week where they were asking him about the racing he did and if he had anything to say to the young people who drove on the highway. "Yeah, drive slow. The life you save might be mine." How ironic, how sad.

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