Thank You, Downtown Redneck Central

Here in Redneck Central, we have to pay our tag fee on or before our birthday. I believe it is an unfair taxation, but so far the State is refusing to see things my way. Sigh.

As I did not have the money, I didn't renew mine when I should have, which meant I was, for a few days anyway, a scofflaw. Rebel! Fighting the good fight!

I borrowed the dough from Mum (poor Mum) and pottered over to the one remaining tag office in our county. This is a big county, and the satellite offices sure were nice. One of 'em was only a short jaunt from Casa de Crazy, and I was quite sorry to hear it had closed.

So off to the city I went, oddly childless as Someone elected to keep both spawn with him rather than subject anyone to Children at the Tag Office Hell.

The only remaining tag office is, it turns out, part of the courthouse complex where T and I got our D-I-V-O-R-C-E, so I knew where the parking deck was and didn't have to turn around and get lost a whole bunch. Score! The parking deck is (gasp) free. Yes, you read that right - a municipal parking deck that's free. And it's usually not very full. I got a terrific spot near the stairs and I didn't even have to run over any little old ladies for it!

The tag office was busy - they were calling for number fifteen when I walked in and I drew number forty one from the little number dispenser. Good thing I had my i('m not a)Phone with me - I put on the ear buds and listened to tunes while I waited and people-watched. Tag offices and DMVs are such splendid places to people-watch. I had several occasions to bless Someone's soul for keeping the children at home.

I was fined for renewing late, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been - I drive an old van and the trailer isn't considered very tax-worthy, I guess, so after handing over a handful of green and getting some bits of silver and a couple of stickers in return, I was done.

As soon as I got to Rosie the Mule, I redecorated the license plate. Now I'm tagged and legal again...yay...

Getting out of the parking deck was as easy as getting in - they have made the streets one-way so there's no turning against traffic.

I so appreciate when a city government acts the way it should - as though it is there to serve the people and not the other way around, don't you?