My daughter, the politician

One of my least favorite things in the world is making small talk with strangers. It’s not that I’m not good at it – I am – but when I’m out somewhere, say, the DMV, all I want to do is get in, do what I need to do, and get the hell out. I don’t want to be bothered.

I used to have my iPod and a book to help me while away the hours in places like this, but it’s hard to manage that stuff with a baby! And what a baby! She smiles at everyone and babbles and does The Yelling Thing which startles people until they realize that she’s not in any distress, she’s Just Loud.

So yesterday, I had to get my drivers’ license renewed. Since I’m planning to someday be the World’s Greatest Procrastinator (I’ll get to it eventually), I put it off until the literal end of the month, pretty much guaranteeing me the longest lines in the universe.

I’m getting smarter, though, and I got there early. I showed my 87 documents, got my number (33), and sat down to wait. They had just called #15. Yikes.

New Jersey must be figuring things out because the whole process was really quite easy. You go in, show the lady your documents, get a number and wait to be called. Then they take your documents, snap your picture (or let you keep your old one, how weird is that?), and hand you your new license. From the time my number got called to the time I left, the whole thing took about 20 minutes.

The rest of the time was spent waiting in the company of my extremely extroverted child. Good thing she got her Daddy’s personality, eh? She smiled at everyone and, as is usually the case when we go anywhere, everyone in the place had to come up and exclaim over how cute she is and “what a good baby!”

Despite my dislike of talking to strangers, I am always pleased when people tell me how wonderful and amazing my child is. And she is, too. She always looks interested when people talk to her and she smiles at the appropriate times. She is truly a politician! So look for Jillian Zack for President in 2044 and if you don’t vote for her I will know and I will find you.