And This Is Progress?

Today’s challenge and needless run around town.  I needed to take my notary commission to be sworn in and filed.  Carefully, I read the letter which came to me from the Secretary of State (Arkansas).  It clearly says “Take all three copies to the circuit clerk in your county of residence.”  Simple enough.  I passed by the house, collected hubs and dogs because I certainly didn’t want to run out of gas all alone & drove down town to the courthouse.  I even dashed up the perilous steps into our center of law and order (the same steps that not so long ago – I plummeted down, leaving myself a virtual cripple in an ugly boot for quite some time.)  As I entered the hallowed halls I spy with my little ole’ eye a sign telling me the circuit clerks office has been moved – and bless their bones – there are ample directions. 

I navigate scary stairs again, jump into my waiting chariot and speed off to the circuit clerk’s office.  I enter this building where there are armed guards with X-Ray machines.  Guards instruct me to put my packet of papers in their little plastic tub and proceed through the magic booth.  **BEEEEEEP**

How embarrassing – obviously I have an iron kidney.  No, it is my ID badge from work that Mr. X-Ray takes offense to.  No problem – they pass me on through after instructing me that I must leave their little plastic tub behind.  I merrily proceed up 2 flights of stairs, enter the office, state my purpose only to hear “we don’t do that – you have to go to the county clerk’s office in the COURTHOUSE!!  Ummm, ‘scuse me but that is NOT what my letter from my honorable Secretary of State says……RIGHT HERE!  “Oh, we know, but our county is one of 2 counties in Arkansas that has to have this done by the county clerk.”

Back to the car, the hubs, the dogs AND the courthouse.  Back up wicked bad scary stairs to county clerks office.  Explaining my plight, they all have a good chuckle and proceed to take care of business.  “That will be a $20.00 filing fee.”  No problem as I whip out the trusty debit card.  Faces fall, “we don’t take debit cards….we’ll take a check.”  Hello….I kind of thought that was what a debit card was….a plastic check.  Back down stairs that are growing teeth and are starting to remember the fun of watching my round little self plunge to the bottom not so long ago.  Luckily I had a check book in my purse.

The trip up the treacherous stairs is slower this time as I could swear they are starting to teeter and tilt like those found in the carnival fun house.  I pays my money, I swears my little oath (and then some), I sign my little name and flee.  My last trip down was accomplished by clinging to the handrail like my life depended on it.  I’m pretty sure it did. 

P.S.  Dear Secretary of the State of Arkansas – if I ever meet you in public, I’m probably going to leave an imprint of my newly made notary seal on your honorable butt.

But I’m now official……..can I notarize that for you?

………….and how was YOUR danged day?  I would really like to know.