Dancing at the Division of Motor Vehicles: How to Transform Drudgery into Joy

As the highway whisks me onward, I shake my head in despair. The DMV will be a zoo. It’s lunchtime...on a Friday...at the end of the month. Horrible. But I‘ve no choice. An hour ago, Bill found out he will be away on business all week. My license has to be renewed and I do not want to drag the boys along with me. Ugh.

As I’m griping to myself about the dreaded lines, sagging faces and stale air, I suddenly stop. Why am I playing the gloomy victim? There is power in our intentions. If I don’t want a rain dance; I’d better start imaging a sunny salsa. So, I ask my angels to help get the party started at the DMV.

Maybe I’ll meet some great people. We’ll talk and laugh and the time will fly. “Wow the line is moving so fast,” we’ll exclaim. “Just look at how efficient and friendly the employees are. See how quickly everything is getting processed. The DMV has never operated so beautifully!”

Then I pull into the parking lot, and my happy hula dashes on the pavement. The place is so packed that people are parking on the street. Yikes. I spy one parking place and zip in. I’m re-inspired as I head for the doors with a light heart. This is going to be good.

As a man and a woman bop in ahead of me, they kindly hold the door open. I thank them and we smile, mosey up to the same line and start to chat. Soon enough, we are joking and laughing about all the paperwork we had to gather to prove our identity. The boogie has begun.

While we are moving on down the first line, I glance over at the two women in charge. One is somber Sally who rarely looks up. The other is Joan Rivers who is animated and intent. I’d rather rumba with her. As my two new friends belly up to Sal’s bar, I mambo up to Joan.

“Hi!” I say with cheer.
“Well hello there, sweetheart! How are ya?” Joan asks.
“I’m great, thanks! This line is moving so quickly.”
“Just wait for the next line,” she warns, examining my papers with finesse.
“Well I can still hope!” I add with a laugh.

Joan is a hand-jive expert as she shuffles, clips and flips my dance cards. “Okay, babe, head on over to the next line and wait to be called.”
“Wow, you’re good - thank you so much!” I say as I leave.

Before I get very far, I hear a faint call. Then it gets loud. “JUL-I-A!” I turn to find Joan sashaying toward me. “Will you be paying with check, cash or credit?” she asks.
“Oh credit,” I answer, as Joan and I move toward the counter where everyone wants to be. “Okay, doll, wait right over there,” Joan says, as she points toward the crowd, “You’ll be called in a few.”

A few?

I sit down next to a pale looking soul and ask how long she’s been waiting. “Forty-five minutes,” she drones and looks away. By the time I decide to grab my book, I hear the loud speaker call, “JULIA GENOVESE, line five please.”

Huh?

Over at the counter, an employee with a disco smile asks for my Visa. As I’m chatting with another woman in the opposite conga line, the employee asks if I’d like the old photo or a new photo for my license. “This one is fine, thanks,” I say. A minute later, she hands me my Visa, my paperwork and my new license. I look up at her in shock. “Am I all done?” “Yup,” she says with pearly pride.

In a joyful daze, I quickly watusi out the double doors. It’s been only fifteen minutes since I walked in. How did that Time Warp happen? It was Joan. Amazing Joan. I feel as if she personally awarded me the Mirrorball Trophy.

I drive home in utter amazement. My intention worked. I asked for fun and an angel two-stepped in. Suddenly I realize I didn’t really thank Joan! I am a dance school drop-out, an ingrate!

At home I tell Bill about my DMV miracle. “Take one of your books to her,” he suggests. YES. I grab a book and bookmark and start to write an inscription. To my DMV angel? I don’t know how to address her so I leave space for her name and write the rest.

As I reenter the DMV, I see Joan waltzing behind security. I wait in front of the door and when she reemerges, I throw my arms wide and yell, “THANK YOU SO MUCH!” As we hug, I tell her that she gave me the most magical DMV experience ever! She whispers in my ear, “It’s a two hour wait today, sweetheart. I just couldn’t do it to you.” I am in awe - I hug and squeeze her and add, “You are a daydream come true.”

We say goodbye, but as my spirit pirouettes toward the door, I hear a faint but familiar call. “JUL-I-A!” my angel sings out. As I turn toward her brilliance, she throws a kiss and shouts with joy, “God Bless you!”

“God bless YOU!” I call back, and as I swirl outside into the sun, joy and gratitude samba within.

The highlight? When I’d found out Joan’s real name. It was perfect. Angela. Even at the DMV, angels are ready to dance.