By Angie McMahon
So after going to the wrong place I finally got my act together and made my way over to the department of zoning.
I arrived at 8:02am and the room was already packed with people. Yesterday “the list” got cut off for the DAY at four pages. They only started signing people up at 8am. I was third from the top on the third page. The man signing me up also told me at 8:30am I needed to go to the window in the large hall and get a stamp before coming here, but that it was good that I got my name on the list.
So I went down stairs to buy a coffee because Department of Zoning is one of the few federal offices that will allow food and drink in the waiting area.
I got back upstairs at 8:20 and sat down to eat my bagel and drink my coffee. At 8:30am sharp as a button the main window opened. There was no real line, so people just kind of got out of there chairs and kind of looked at each other hesitantly while making there way to the window. Kind of like at a baptism when they say the food is ready and for some reason even though every one has complained for the last hour how they are starving no one wants to be the first person taking food. I guess its Catholic guilt.
I was first, I didn’t care. I wanted to get to my Marketing Seminary at the Cultural Center. I was already gonna be late, but this was such an important part of the process that I couldn’t over look it. It became first priority!
So I got my little stamp and made my way back into the big room. The DEPARTMENT OF ZONING REVIEW! It even sounds scary. at 8:45am the people in line to sign up on the list were told the list was closed for the day and to try again tomorrow.
I sat writing in my journal just clearing my head and sipping coffee till my cattle call number was called. Some people waiting knew each other. As if they come here every morning. Many of them had large floor plans in big roles. It was a mix of business suit wearing folk and construction workers that have dirty jeans and pencils behind there ears.
At 9:08 my number got called “1420 W Irving” I jumped a hundred feet in the air so they knew I was there and didn’t skip me. The man next to me whispered “Hey its like you won the lottery, good luck with your review” I smiled and said thanks.
“Here, Here 1420 W Irving. I’m here.” I said flustered. A older man in a red tie and white shirt with small blue vertical lines on it was my guy today. He didn’t have a desk, he just stood in the back of the others. “Gimme your paper work” he barked. “How are you today?” I said in a soft way. “Fine, gimme your paper work” He barked in only a slightly genteeler tone.
He then took my paperwork to the back. Where ever that is. I imagine it is the place where angels get there wings.
He comes back about 10 min later with a large red stamp. He lays the papers out in front of me and starts to stamp them. With each stamp tears start to roll down my eyes. It felt like such an accomplishment. “Here you go miss, you try to have a good day hu” “Thank you sir, thank you for this” as I wipe my eyes.
Then I was off to the Cultural Center for my class. I walked in about 45 min late but it wasn’t that bad.
Next blog, this day continued and I walk to the west loop to get more paper work stamped.