Government Offices

I spent my day off with Jeremy, trying to get his driver’s license and social security card. We have run into so many road blocks lately. We went about two weeks ago and accomplished absolutely nothing and we spent the whole day doing it.

We arrived at the courthouse to get his birth certificate. We have in hand a copy of his birth certificate, a copy of his social security card, plus his check stubs and they want a state issued ID. So we call his parole officer, she comes with the Master File identifying everything about this kid, shows her badge and they tell her the same thing. She is explaining she does this all the time. It just so happens the two people who know her are out of the office that day. So she is steaming and it is showing. The lady at the desk can tell she is steaming so she is determined to show her who is boss. She says, “I need an ID, your badge doesn’t mean anything, she turns her badge over and shows her ID..to no avail, the lady still won’t accept it.

Again she shows her badge and ID. No Go, she doesn’t care. We have plenty of legal notarized papers proving who this kid is, plus a copy of his birth certificate and social. She is not going to budge. Finally we figure out she will accept another piece of paper his parole officer has at her office, so Jeremy and I go get into the car and wait for her to go back to her office and get this info.

Once again she returns and we are able to finally pay the $23 to get his birth certificate. Upon receiving all of this, she makes me copies of everything she has, and off we go to Social Security again. Again we get a number and wait in line for an hour…to only be told NO GO! They still want a state issued ID. Again, I explain we have a copy of his Social and all these other items. So what, they don’t care. Finally she gives me a notarized letter to take to DPS and tells me they will give him an ID with that. So off we go to DPS, stand in line for an hour and a half, only to be told, this won’t work either, that the lady at Social Security doesn’t know what she is talking about. So….now what??

I called the Ranch where Jeremy lived for a year and a half and explain the situation. The superintendent tells me she will get a copy of his school records for me and she will call me right back. We waited in town for two hours, called back a couple of time and she kept telling us she would call us. Finally we gave up and went home, we had accomplished nothing... except getting his birth certificate.

The next day Jeremy has to return to work, I took the day and went to the Ranch to pick up his school records, then spent some time with his previous caseworker. So all of this will have to start all over another day. Why does life have to be so difficult when it could be so simple. I understand security since 9-11, but there is a limit when you have the documentation we do.