...and it is the Social Security office in Austin, Texas. JESUS H. FREAKIN' CHRIST!!! I was there for 2 1/2 hours of my life today, just to get a social security card for The Geej. I showed up at 2pm thinking it would probably take me about 45 minutes. But when I walked in and saw the gazillion people ahead of me, I nearly pooped a brick. But I took my number (#738) and had a seat.
This office is located in the former main post office building, and we all know how well designed and attractive those are. Well let me set the scene for you: the Social Security office is basically a long, skinny room. I'd say it's 25' by 12'--not big. At one end, there's a "take a number machine." At the other end, there are 2 (yes, only 2) windows. The walls are empty. There are no forms to fill out. And the few signs that are there are just laserprinted papers taped to the walls. There are about 30 chairs but easily 60 people at any given time, so there are a lot of folks standing around in this very small room. There is no "Now Serving" sign that shows what number is up. Instead, the surly government employees behind windows #1 and #2 yell the numbers from behind bullet-proof glass (which, I'm sorry, is not a very helpful thing for those customers who might be deaf...hello? American With Disabilities Act anyone?). When I got there, they were on #671. And I was number 738. You do the math. Everyone seated around me was saying they'd been there for 2 hours...3 hours... It was fucking retarded. And just to spice things up, there was the obligitory insane person at the front of the room, yelling to herself, causing a scene, and making everyone uncomfortable.
When it was finally my turn (at 4:30), the guy who was helping me said in that resigned "Oh well" government employee lobotomized way that today "wasn't even very busy" and that "it's usually worse." This, and unjust wars, is what our hard-earned tax dollars pay for, my friends.
Have you ever been in a security line at the airport and had someone hand you a yellow card as you enter the line? And then, when you're done, you turn the card in? Well, they are monitoring how long it takes folks to go through the line, and adding/subtracting resources as needed. You think that this approach might be tried at the flippin' Austin, Texas Social Security office. But I guess that would make just too much sense.
But mission accomplished. The Geej will be getting her very own Social Security card in about 10 days. Soon after that, she can get a jobby job and start EARNING that formula she sucks down like a pig.
Just kidding. About the work, that is. I wasn't kidding about her sucking down formula. She loves the stuff...
2 comments:
Sounds like my experience at the American Embassy.
Did they have dudes with guns and not one but TWO security checks?
God Bless Amurca.
...I had the exact same experience at the SSA office in Oklahoma City. Only they HAD more windows...just unstaffed. Of course, it was my lunch hour...and the SSA employees' too. Which, of course, they took, even though they only work from 9-4. I want to work THERE.
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