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Thursday, October 15, 2009

One of my issues in trying to become a legal responsible resident of Pennsylvania includes getting a proper drivers' license.  Granted my Florida one doesn't expire until 2010, however per Commonwealth rules, you must have a new license within 60 days of establishing residency.  Easy Peasy - right?  WRONG!  The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania doesn't make it so simple as turning in your new license and showing your lease/bill/etc. to show you live here - they also demand your Social Security Card be shown.  Ummmm... however, much like the title to my car, the SS Card is MISSING!  I'm sure I'll find it when I've gotten my replacement but I haven't seen it in years since I moved to Orlando. *sigh*

The only way to get the replacement card is to make a visit to my local SSA Office closest to my address.  The one that the SSA sent me to was in the heart of Germantown.  For those of you that aren't familiar with the Philly landscape, Germantown is not a favorable area - my gal Suz is a police officer in that district and the stories she tells me "Oh we had a stabbing/There was a shooting/Oh I have to testify at a murder trial" blah blah blah.  You get the picture.  Suz is in court almost every day and at night she's patrolling the streets of Germantown.  Needless to say, when I was looking for an apartment, Suz was the one to yay or nay a place.

So, my dad joked that I should go earlier in the morning because "the riff raff are still sleeping".  Sure - not a problem.  I figured it would be simple and that would be it.  4 hours later, my viewpoint on society has changed.  I'm now convinced that I need to channel my inner Suze Orman and save for my retirement because I am convinced there will be NOTHING for me when I retire.  The conversations I heard were such perfect blog fodder that I figured you might enjoy/shake your head or start praying for society as a whole...

I'm convinced that a day at the SSA is like a prison lunchroom with people trading tips on how to best the system.  Now, before we get "political", let me just say that I have friends who have been on the system and have used it to help when they were in a tough spot and now they are on their own.  That's not the point of this post.  I fully support the system for those that need it. 

However, I was privy to a conversation to two women who were quite loud and that I have never been so thankful to hear my number called so I could leave them without telling both of them to "grow the eff up".  One of the woman, a badly bottled blonde, couldn't have been more than 26.  She would only work 15 hours a week so she couldn't lose her SSA benefits.  According to her, she's bi-polar and couldn't work more than 15 hours because of that.  To make it even more "head shake worthy", she wouldn't accept responsibility for losing her prior job because she was caught SMOKING CRACK when she should have been teaching.  She was a headstart teacher in Northeast Philly.  Ummmmm..  The other woman is "diabetic" and she couldn't work because she had diabetes therefore she needed a SSA check while her boyfriend who wasn't her husband had a good paying job.  Are you effin' kiddin' me?  Seriously.  There was a woman to the right of me who decided she would just change her baby's diaper in full view of everyone where the baby let out a howl and a half because, well it was COLD.  There were people who go there daily and it was like a lunchroom catch up with everyone.  There were retired veterans who actually NEEDED benefits that people wouldn't move to let them sit.  The sense of entitlement that was around the room just pissed me the hell off.  And when my number was called out of order to get my replacement card, I heard people chattering behind me going "That ain't fair.  They should call my number."  I almost turned around to tell her "Bitch PLEASE - I'm here for a replacement card - NOT TO MILK THE SYSTEM like your funky azz".  And the people that work there - there was one woman who needed to be "retrained" as she copped major attitude with everyone, kept taking breaks and I'm convinced she was on the internet or something as she would wait before taking another person - no initiative.  There were 4 windows and only two open.  Boy was I thankful that after the 3.5 hour that they opened up a third window.

I do believe that there are people who are disabled and need SSA benefits.  However, I don't feel that bipolar, depression and diabetes counts as reasons to not work.  If you take your meds, there is hope, right?  I can say that never again will I ever go to the SSA Germantown office and, quite frankly, I'm now convinced that society has "issues."

Labels: Moving In Stilettos, Philly, Random Mess, Wha Da Hell

Posted by Lys :: 1:38 PM :: 1 comments

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