What it takes to get a bus pass..

Gregory and I are very fortunate to live in a complex that has decided to for the “eco-pass,” which is … a bus pass.

The way it works is that we each get a piece of paper with our names, the apt. complex name and a sticker with a pre-assigned number on it, which we must take to the bus station to get a photo ID taken. Sounds simple, right??

And you know where this Is going…

Anyhow, photos can only be taken between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm on Monday and Wednesday, which is great! Because who doesn’t have that flexible schedule that they can take whatever time off they need to get a photo taken for a bus pass!! ….I know, I know, I have a flexible schedule, and I am very HAPPY about it…I am just voicing a concern for the other 20 people who stood in line with me today who had to take “vacation” time for a frickin bus pass!....and yes, I work too, so I did have to work late tonight to get it all done.

It takes a lot to really get me pissed off (or a little, but it has got to be good)…and this has been stewing for about…3 weeks. 3 weeks ago, Gregory and I went for the first time to get bus a bus pass; we had the papers, stickers and ID’s. No problem, right?? Wrong! Gregory got his bus pass with no holdup, but my name was listed as Mrs. Menvielle (which I am) however, my latest drivers license was from TX (gag!) under Chernick as well as my passport (because I don’t want to get deported!!)…it is a long story, but it is really unreasonable for me to change my last name at the moment. Anyhow..I got DENIED a bus pass because my license did not match the name on the paper…

So...we persisted and got a new paper signed with Ms. CHERNICK and went to go stand in line today. When we got to the bus station we were behind ~6 people…no problem, maybe a 15 minute wait?? I was here with Gregory before, it takes 2 minutes to take a picture and print the card. So we wait…10 minutes, 20, 30, 40 min and 4 people have gone in….At that point in time, Gregory has to go to get back to work and I am a frozen, so I let him go and I continue to stand in line… there are only 2 more people in front of me…and over 20 behind (poor souls!)

20 minutes later I am in the warmth of a small cramped room with about 5 other people. One young lady is about to lose it, because the guy in charge of the “bus pass” was not sure if she was disabled “enough” to qualify for a discount. Apparently she is getting a bus pass on discount due to a mood disorder (she is ~ 20 years old with black hair, black fingernails, black clothing, fake black eyelashes…you get the idea..) and is with her “support” lady is with her and reassuring her that it was a good thing she took her “medication” today and they were going to see the doctor after getting the bus pass... oh Lord!

It quickly becomes apparent to me why this is taking so long…the person in charge of the photos/cards is so fat he can barely move without hyperventilating, he also cannot see (every word on the sheet we give him, he must squint at), and he cannot type (imagine chicken scratch typing when you have no clue where the letters are on the keyboard). I begin to lose frustration and see the humor in this…. This is reminded me of my old job…where if you wanted to boil water and need to fill out forms for weeks and then 2 months later the process is approved! (and I am serious about that!) It is what it is…and it makes me appreciate the job I have now.

So, I escaped with my bus pass and headed to the Boulder Book Store Café to spend the rest of my afternoon working with the hubby, certain that I would accomplish more in an afternoon working for him than I would have working 3 months at my old job….