One of the down sides of moving is having to update your address everywhere. I started on this thankless task before Thanksgiving by trying and failing to update my social security address online. It just wasn’t happening, so I decided to try calling.  I put my phone on speaker and listened to them tell me how important my call was over and over again, Ninety minutes later, someone answered.  I meant to turn off the speaker, but instead, I disconnected the call.  So annoying and no one to be annoyed at but me.

On Monday, I tried online again.  I got all the way to a message that said it would confirm the change, and I watch something circle for more than 15 minutes before I gave up and tried calling again.

This time, I had a list of things to do while waiting.  It was the same music as the last time and the same message about how important my call was.  After two and a half hours (!) I decided to go to the gym, and as I was about to step on the elevator, a person answered!  I returned to my apartment, answered all the secret questions and succeeded in updating my address.

Doesn’t our government know how to tell one what the anticipated wait time is?  Couldn’t our government do what so many others do—namely promise to call you back in the order in which you called?

In my dreams…