July 9, 2009

I have spent the day working on making contacts for the marketing of my book. My second project was to get my vehicle inspected and the new license purchased and mounted. Now one might think that one of those projects would have been enough for one day. Not me, Mr. I can get it all done at one time. It was my over confident procrastination that got the license thing put on the front burner. I just knew that there was nothing wrong with the car I drive everyday so there was no reason to worry about the inspection. We all know Murphy, and he let me know to the tune of a $400.00 estimate that his law is always going to make ones life difficult. The second thing is that there are several things I needed to know to get my sales plan put into effect, things like how many books is a standard order,Does my cost have to be paid upfront? What promotional items are part of the publishers cost?

So bright and early I get on the phone to get the answers I need. My car is being worked on, I have a 3:00pm inspection appointment. The license office is open until 4:00 pm. I got it made. Mission accomplished!

No one is available to talk to me at the publishers, unusually high call volume, leave a message, the message says and some one will call you back. I get the same response from the other phone calls I needed to make. OK, I will leave my cell number and while I go after my car and wait for it to be inspected I will work off the cell phone. NO service. It seems that the largest wireless service in the country cannot make its equipment work with the equipment of their latest acquisition so my once very adaquate sevice will not work. No Signal.

The inspection was a relief, The mechanic was ready for me at my appointed time and 15 minutes later I was out the door, passed safty inspection paper work in hand! ( That mechanic was Mike at Bear Automotive in Kimberling City on Hwy 13, If you need one while your visiting go to them!) I was at the license office by 3:30pm, furthermore there was no one in line except the folks that were being helped. I was finally beating ole Murphy. Thats when the lady being waited on began to throw what I would call a moderate to severe temper tantrum. What ever her issues, they were not being treated with the answers she wanted to hear by the clerk at the license bureau. I stood watching the clock looking at the warning sign on the license bureau desk reading "ABSOLUTELY NO CELL PHONES" knowing that any minute the ever waiving no service signal would disappear from my phone and it would ring. I stood watching the the drama unfold as the clerks tried to explain that a person could not just put any name the customer wanted on her drivers license. If that were the case mine would have Zane Grey, or , may be even Louis Lamour. (Their books sell!) About that time I eyed the other clerk as she was finishing up whatever she was doing. I could see the wheels turning, it was almost 4:00, she was almost done for the day, She had one eye on the clock and the other on the back door. I stood there, paperwork in hand carefully calculating if I could get to her if she made for it.
The drama continued to escalate, I started to wonder just how much more would happen before the friendly Police arrived on the scene. My attention was directed to the wailing lady. who now was making accusations about the intellgence of the license bureau.....

The sound of the voice was so soft I almost didn't hear it, "Sir you are next." Immeadiately my feet made for the sound of the voice, my paperwork extended before me. She looked at it, smiled and said "This won't take long at all."Three minutes 45 seconds later I was gone, new license in hand. My last glance into the office caught my helpful clerk sneaking out that rear door.

Mike one, Murphy zero..............

Oh Yeah, everyone I called today was gone for the day by time I got back to my house phone.

Mike one....Murphy one...........Its a good day!