Wanting to be sure I could get a parking space and not have to wait in a long line, I quickly grabbed up my paperwork, hopped into my car and hurried down to the Social Security Office. The early morning traffic was light and I pulled into an empty space a full thirty minutes before they opened. I grabbed my papers, locked up my car and walked up to the front door.
Even that early there were about ten people in front of me so I slipped into line and waited. Fortunately the morning was cool and there wasn't much humidity in the air, so I was comfortable standing there. As the line continued to build, I looked over the variety of people in line immediately noticing my pale complexion had me marked in a definite minority that morning.
Before I could really work out any geo-political reasoning behind the multiracial group waiting outside the building the front door opened and we slowly filed in. Two women in uniform efficiently worked the large group of people into chairs and continued herding the extras to one side of the room as two other women quickly passed out numbers. The best I could tell, it looked like my plan to get there early worked out nicely as my number put me about eleventh in line. If everything went well I'd be out of there and back into work before anyone noticed I was gone.
Two numbers were quickly called and the people hopped up and headed to windows. I watched them walk up to their windows and then settle into their chairs. Only then did I glance back at the people standing against the back wall, waiting for a place to sit.
Just as I heard two more numbers called I couldn't help but notice an attractive Hispanic woman standing in line. While most of the other people there were in pretty beat up clothes, torn jeans and dirty tee shirts, she was wearing a very stylish yellow blouse with an expensive pair of designer jeans. I guess I stared at her a bit too long because I noticed her quickly swivel her hips and then begin walking right at me.
I immediately looked away but she continued walking in my direction and before I knew it she was standing in front of me. "Don't you try and look away like that, I saw you staring at me. Tell me, what you staring at?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"Of course you meant to stare. Now why are you staring?"
"It's just that what you're wearing, it's so much nicer than..."
"What I'm wearing... what I'm wearing?" She reached down, grabbed my hand and pulled me up saying, "Look, you come over here and talk to me."