In the surprise of the century, I had a particularly trying experience at the DMV this week. My driver's license needs to be renewed this year, and the fact that this renewal coincides with the new federal ID requirements is icing on the cake.
Let me also say quickly that the staff at the Dickson, TN Department of Safety and Homeland Security were very nice and worked diligently with everyone there. Which brings me to the issue: everyone was there. It was standing room only when I arrived, and it was standing room only when I (finally) left. But in the wait, something interesting happened.
There wasn't anyone working the "front desk" that day, which meant we all were left to tap away at the electronic check-in system, hoping our answers were right. Sometimes it spit out a ticket, sometimes it didn't. There were stacks of all kinds of forms on the desk, but no one knew which one, if any, to fill out for what they needed. There was no direction.
But in the chaos, humanity kicked in. As a collective, we can overhear people being turned away for not having the right documents or the right application when they get to the counter. I feel for these people. Hours of waiting only to find out they'll have to come back. The importance of the front desk person was evident, so we all did it. As a group of people, we slowly learned- only through overhearing- the required forms. We became the front desk person. A new person would join our struggle and we would educate them on what they needed and which applications to fill out. If we were in doubt, we filled out some extra ones. (I think technically by the time I got to the counter I could have applied to carry a gun.) But still, people stopped being turned away. And when those that were helping the most got their ticket called, the next people stepped in and continued helping.
It's a small thing, but it was wonderful to experience. Not as much as I might have enjoyed having a front desk person, but still. There are some big things to give thanks for this year. NaCoMe has more than its fair share. But there are also the small things. And sometimes those small things are big for some people. In a situation where it would have been completely acceptable to sit idly by, these people helped strangers. For that and so much else, I’m thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Ryan "Flash" Moore, Director