Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Brian Battles Bureaucracy (Part 2)

     Today I woke up almost too tired to continue my odyssey, but I kept trucking on. I hitched another ride with my mom to her work, but this time she didn't just dump me on the side of the road, I accompanied her to her place of employment (at least the parking garage). So she went to to go clock in and make me the necessary copies of my response as I curled up and took a nap in her car for a lovely additional hour of sleep. But alas, it was only one hour and she returned with my copies and the beginning of the days journey.
     I then walked the few blocks from my mother's employment to the Gold Line and hopped aboard. Again making the trek all the way to Van Nuys from Pasadena. I reached the courthouse today now knowing where to go, so no wrong buildings (hooray!) I step into the clerks office and get in line to file my form. The lady starts the transaction and states to file it will cost $200. And I think to myself, "$200? $200? How in the Hell can filing this little two page response cost $200?!?" I have still yet to find out why. So I ask for a fee waiver, she tells me how I need to take a number and wait in the other line. I sigh and go grab a number, '74' is the number my little deli machine gave me as they current service number is '51'. So I sit back and people watch as time staggers forward at a snail's pace. I waited roughly 45 minutes for my number to be called to ask for a fee waiver that took 45 seconds. The clerk behind the counter even asked if that was all I needed.
     So I go out into the hall to fill out my fee waiver taking me another 10 or so minutes to make sure I cross every "T" and dot every "I" needed. I then decided to hop in the short filing line the other side of the room to find out I couldn't file it there because that was the "Unlimited Jurisdiction" line as opposed to the line out the door that I needed to be in for "Limited Jurisdiction." Again I wait, finally I reach the window and I give my papers to the lady behind the counter. She said that it will be $200 to file and I then handed her my fee waiver, she looks it over and tell me its been granted. She stamps everything and after two days and the past three hours loafing around the clerk's office I had defeated the demon that is known as the courthouse! Brian wins and cosmic balance is restored to the Universe!

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