Social Services

Today I went to the DC Department of Health to procure birth certificates for my twins. Although the rest of the modern world knows better than to step foot in a government agency and orders these simple documents online, I thought I would spare myself the additional time and make the visit.

So, as in all things social service related, the lines were crazy. And nonsensical, stretching across the office as people tried to fill out their forms and hold on to their young ones. Then, a woman next to me, undoubtedly my age or older, whipped out her cellphone (ignoring the signs stating all phones were banned). After a few seconds she spoke loud enough for us all to hear her, because she obviously didn't have any tact.

"Ma, was you married to my father when you had me? Oh, so you never did get married. Not to Naya's dad either. I am trying to get my birth certificate. Here, in DC. Oh, I wasn't born in DC? Where I got to go then...?"

I am not making this up. It actually made me sad, she didn't even know that she should have known. And she didn't even know to lower her voice.

Once she walked past an African woman who had been filling out the form for the longest tapped me on the shoulder. "I was in line in front of you," she challenged. I grinned a little, thankful for my early thirties calm, a few years ago she and I would have had it out. But I graciously stepped back and let her lying self cut the line. 30 minutes later she tried to convince the clerk that her expired visitor visa was a valid government issued document to receive her daughters birth certificate. It was enjoyable to watch her get bounced out on her ear.

Another clerk had a sign on the wall that read - "I can only please one person a day, and today is not looking good for you. Tomorrow is looking even worse." and next to that sign she penned another one saying, "and I touched the hem of His garment and was made whole." She should be fired for so many reasons. Her attitude was just wrong wrong wrong and the Holier than thou wrong!

But, to tell the truth, the place was better some other I have experienced. I just find the entire experience dehumanizing, every single time, no matter which government it is (state or federal - have you tried to get something done at SSA lately). To pass the time I enjoyed my latest Donna Hill novel and relaxed. And tried to forget that I was sitting in a government building waiting over an hour for a birth certificate.