Social Security Office - Take 2

Today I had to make a dreaded second visit to the Social Security Office in Brooklyn. They sent my first card to the wrong address...leaving the 'A' out of the street number on the postal envelope!

I know this doesn't sound like a story worthy of sharing with many of you, however to me, this experience felt like hell had made a special visit to Brooklyn.

When my card didn't turn up weeks after it should have, I made a phone call to enquire its where-abouts. I was told that nothing could be done over the phone, and I would have to go back to the Social Security Office.

Don't even for one minute underestimate what this trip meant, or even begin to pretend it could be so easy. Visiting Social Security requires a good 2.5-3hrs of your precious day. 2.5-3hrs of standing in a long line. One long line after the next. First you line up to get scanned in through security. This takes approximately 1.5hrs, with families and kids acting out and Mothers yelling profusely at them to "Shut-up, or we're leaving!" Good, I thought. Leave. Please, leave. Please let this line shorten just a little, and get your horrid kids out of my way.

After being scanned through security, there's false hope the line is done. But of course it's not done. You are then lead up an elevator to level fifteen to join another line. There's nowhere to sit, you're hungry, tired, hot, bothered, and the people around you are making you more frustrated than anything else.

The first time I had to come was not fun. It was 104 degrees outside (40 degrees celcius) and the industrial fans inside were only managing to blow out hot air. Of course, with impatient, disgruntled people lining up for hours, this also meant the constant huff, and puff snaking its way through the line.

The second trip was the worst of the two for me though. I was being punished by having the endure this long line, by the simple fact that they sent my card to the wrong address. Their mess up, not mine! When I arrived, I at least thought I would be fast tracked to a different line. "No Mam, you fill out that form again, you line up like everyone else." You are kidding......well no they weren't.

As I went up the elevator to the final line, two couples began a qualm about God, children, and at what age God deems people to be responsible for their own actions! One couple believed their one year son was responsible if he decided to murder another being, and the other couple believed you had to be thirteen before you were in control of murdering someone. It got really heated, with many bystanders in the line joining in on the conversation. At some point, the conversation became so insane that all I could do was laugh out loud in the middle of the line.

So 3hrs later today, I finally should have a card on its way to me.

Fingers crossed, because I think I'd rather be an illegal worker in the States before lining up to do that all over EVER AGAIN!