Government at work
Yesterday I went down to the local IRS office to pick up some tax forms. Took me quite a while to find the building (I won't bore you with all the details). So by the time I get there I'm stressing because I need to get to work and what I thought would be a 20 minute drive turned into about 45.

So this Other Guy and I step into the elevator. IRS is on the 7th floor. When the door opens he lets me out first, so when I get to the IRS door I hold it open for him. He walks in and there is a Security Guard sitting there, a couple of posters with things like "Don't bring weapons into this office" (kind of like an airport), a machine against the wall, and a counter off to the left behind which is a Lady at a window, 3 people talking about something around some office desks, and rows of shelves (like a library) with forms on them. There are no other "customers" in the place besides the two of us. The Lady is looking kind of bored, because nothing is going on.

OG: I need to pick up some forms
SG: Take a number
OG: Looks around What?
SG: Take a number! Right there - points to this machine against the wall
OG: Walks over, looks at it for a minute, pushes a button and a computer written number is spit out. He takes it
M: I see this, walk up to the machine that has about 6 green buttons on them: Tax forms, Tax assistance, etc. I push the Tax forms button and the computer inside prints a 307 on a paper and spits it out to me. I take it.
L: hears something on her computer, pushes a few buttons and says 306!
OG: Walks forward to the window. I'd like some 1099s and W2s.
L: How many?
OG: 30 and 10
L: OK. walks over to the shelves, gets the forms, returns and hands them to him.
OG: Turns and leaves.
M: Being the only person on this side of the counter - besides the security guard, step up to the counter
L: Looks up at me - raises her hand Just a minute!
M: Oh sorry. steps back
L: taps on a few buttons on her computer, glances at the screen, says 307! and glances around.
M: steps foward
L: Looks up at me, gives me her best customer service grin:How can I help you?

If I wouldn't have been so stressed from trying to find the building I would have cracked up. I've only seen this kind of thing in a movie before. But then again... it was the IRS.