The Paceline

I first met Grumpy sometime in the late 50s. He was one of seven dwarfs hanging out with Snow White.

I met him again in the early 90s. He was an instructor pilot introducing me to aerial combat manuevers. Instructor pilots are notorious for being demanding, curt, and generally very unhappy people. My Grumpy, the IP, broke the stereotype. He was one of the nicest, coolest guys I’ve ever met.

My turn to be Grumpy came just a few weeks ago. I received my notice to renew my driver license in person. Which Grumpy would I choose to be? (That’s not a trick question.)

My default mode is set to “sour” at the thought of waiting in line for anything. For government services it regresses to “disagreeably grouchy.” Being the cheerful optimist that I am, at least in my dreams, I upgraded my attitude to “Grumpy.” I embraced my role for weeks – but I was neither nice nor cool.

After a half-dozen failed attempts over several somber weeks at all hours of the day and night to get in line via the online system, I accepted my dark fate to physically stand in line to renew my license. The weeks left before the deadline dropped to just a few. Work and travel reduced the days I could waste waiting in line to even fewer. A standing meeting on Monday morning shifted to Wednesday. It was time to embrace the suck and take my bitter pill to begin the week.

I wavered between going to the smaller office in Plano or the mega office in Garland. I decided to make a game-time decision at oh dark thirty Monday morn. I grumbled and griped all weekend, got 5 hours of sleep Sunday night, and lined up at 620a at the Garland Mega Center for the doors to open at 730a. My entire whipping lasted 4:18 by my stopwatch. I was building my case to continue griping to anyone unlucky enough to ask me how I’m doing.

HOWEVER, something happened that particular Monday morning in Garland.

Kathy, the lady who finally processed me, is a calm, poised, delightful professional who came from the corporate world. We visited while she did all the things necessary to get me into the “new” system. As I prepared to leave, I asked her if she had any specific prayer needs that I could lift for her. She paused, took a breath, then told me things that touched my heart.

She said that today was her granddaughter’s 10th birthday, that her daughter and granddaughter had just moved in with her, and that her daughter was suffering from deep depression over the tragic death of her fiancé 10 years ago. She explained more sad details and the deep concern she had for her family. I asked if it was okay to pray right then right there in the barely private confines of a state office. She didn’t hesitate to say yes. I prayed for her and her family.

It was a quiet time of peace on a Monday morning in the middle of busy government offices. God heard us. Kathy was grateful. I won’t know what happened until I see her again. That probably won’t be in this lifetime.

As I walked from the Garland Mega Center it struck me that despite every effort on my part to change the when, where, and how of going through “my ordeal,” apparently I was at the right place at the right time on the right day with the right person.

The older I get, the less I believe in coincidence.

I’m a slow learner. Maybe some day I’ll learn to not be Grumpy – especially when I’m part of the plan.