My sister took the afternoon off to accompany me to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to renew my driver license which expired on my birthday last May.
Her office is only a few minutes away from her house. Once in a while she comes home during lunch break to watch Eat Bulaga.
She wanted to bring me to a Japanese restaurant but I suggested we just eat again the shrimp wanton soup she cooked for breakfast. Not contented, she cooked tofu with oyster sauce. and langgonisa.
After eating, we went to the DMV. According to Edmund, I have to take a written test, and according to Aileen, I have to take an actual driving test. Since I was not yet prepared to take the written exam because I haven’t reviewed, Edmund advised me to just go to the DMV office to observe.
E——- “Pumunta ka lang dun, magmanman ka”.
(Para akong spy.)
We got a copy of the driver’s manual. Aileen found a Tagalog version but the security guard told us that the test is in English.
There was a line just to get a number. While we were falling in line, Aileen and I observed (nagmanman talaga kami) the boards na merong ABC, ano bang tawag dun, yung nasa ophthalmologist and optometrist’s clinic? Pagmagpapagawa ng salamin? Basta yung merong letters na paliit na paliit pababa.
They have 14 windows and each has three sets of that board. A B C.
under each set, there are 5 lines of letter combinations. For example
A
1. C O P T L
2. B F P E T
and so on.
When it was my turn, the receptionist gave me a number, G129.
Aileen and I sat down at the very front row so we could read the board clearly. While waiting for my number to be called, the two of us read and tried to remember the letters.
Antok na antok ako. I was nervous I would flunk the vision test.
Nung malapit na ang turn ko kasi number #218 na, aba, tumigil, hindi na gumalaw yung number for 15 minutes. Napako sa 128.
Nawi-weewee na ako, I couldn’t leave my number could be next.
G129 window 8 please.
I paid $33 and surrendered my old license. I asked the officer if they’re going to keep my old license because I want to have it because I like my photo in there, no wrinkles yet (5 years ago).
He said he’s sure the new photo would look good too. He said “you are maganda.
Officer—- “Do you wear eye glasses or contact lenses?”
OMB——– “No”.
Officer—- “Can you read that?”
OMB——– “Of course!”
I saw him folding a piece of paper.
OMB——— “Is that my receipt?”
Officer—– “Cover one eye and read that…”
He returned my old license and gave me a receipt for the $33. He said I should have my birth year corrected. I should make it 1975 daw. Biniro ako.
Luckily I passed the vision test and unlike Edmund who was required to take the written test again, I didn’t take any written test. I was instructed to proceed straight to the camera section.
Naku, wala akong make-up, mag blush on nga ako.
OMB——– “Len, may salamin ka?”
Len——– “Wala”.
I put on a lot of blush on, para maganda sa photo.
Len——– “Atee, ang pula-pula na, ha ha ha”.
Siguradong pangit ang picture ko.
Yehey, I passed.
Naku Ms. Annie! I think you just gave us an idea as to what you’re birth year is 😉
when the renewal officer was joking with you…