Dispatch from the Minnesota DMV

My paper for Friday was done and out, and by 10:30 yesterday morning I was ready for class and my presentation at St. Thomas today. Having checked off those tasks, I headed out for a long-dreaded trip to the DMV, to get a car registered here in Minnesota.

In Detroit, the DMV was the 8th Circle of Hell. It was like an emergency room without the medical attention-- lots of sick and damaged people waiting endlessly as their conditions worsened. It was only slightly better in Waco, where at least hey were reasonably efficient.

Rather than heading home to Edina's DMV, I slogged down to the office at Chicago and Lake in Minneapolis, which is located across the street from Chicago Liquor (which looks to have all the friendliness one might expect at a Chicago liquor store-- or at least the burglar bars).

The DMV is in a basement, so I went down and got in a short line to check in. Actually, there were only a few people in front of me and a few behind, and it moved so quickly that I had little time for eavesdropping. Still, I could pick up some things... the couple behind me spoke to one another in Spanish, and the woman in front of me was from Eritrea, and had her Uncle there to translate. Suddenly, the place was becoming more interesting. The translating uncle had the most beautiful voice, like velvet, and it was better in Tigrinya, as he explained things to his niece. They were registering a truck, it seemed, and the clerk nodded and smiled, and drew it on a bit of paper, and they all laughed and that was done.

I got a number and a form, and as I finished the form my number was called. I went to the counter and three minutes later I was done-- much of that consumed by my trying to locate my checkbook.

Then I walked upstairs, into the Midtown Global Market. Crikeys! That place has everything-- provided that what you are looking for is books in Swedish or Mexican candy marked "Not for sale in the USA"-- which is exactly the kind of thing I usually am looking for.

Suffice it to say, come to my house this halloween if what you are after is cucumber-flavored lollipops or tamarind gum!