Tour of the Great Unknown!

The Social Security office.

The boss lady has reached the age of qualification. Nine months into your 61st year, you can apply for Social Security. I had researched on line, the location of the Government Stronghold. You know where they have all the gold stacked that they pay out once a month.

With birth certificate and Social Security card in hand along with the checking account where we wanted the money sent, we set out for this replica of Fort Knox. The feds have rented a normal office space in a normal one story office building, on the ordinary street in Lenexa, Kansas.

But not to let you down, they had the gun toting guard in uniform just inside the door. He immediately wanted to know if we had guns or knives. And then it was take a number, and sit in the nondescript blue chairs.

After some time waiting, our number came up. We went to the window with the clerk that checks things first and she asked the questions to see if we would qualify for an interview. We did. So again we waited to be called into the back room by name.

Barely seated and our name was called. After showing the driver license, birth certificate and social security card the interview began. I missed some of it as I had to go retrieve the actual check book out of the car. This made me deal with the guard again.

Upon return, I had to provide my SSN as well, to couple us as married folks. Before you know it they explained what the benefit would be and when to expect it to begin.

Just like that, we were back out in the street and the experience was over with.

We went to the local Chinese Buffet here in Olathe, to celebrate. The place isn't to new or overly nice, but the food was good and the dining room is clean. The hot and sour soup was very good and General Tao's Chicken needed more hot peppers. I found the pepper oil on the salad bar of all places. Adding just ever so little pepper oil and red pepper, brought the dish right up to speed.

The rest of the afternoon was spent driving back up to the auction working on a title transfer that they had forgotten to do right. Kind of hard to transfer titles when they are missing entire owners signatures.

Tonight was consumed by the Vice Presidential debate. Sarah didn't make all the gaffs that her handlers were afraid of, and Biden was Biden. I'm not sure we learned anything new. Perhaps not to be so scared of Palin if McCain should happen to win.

Another day in the books, and the stock market continues to sag waiting for the bail out. With all the tax give ups, I am skeptical if there are enough Dem votes to pass the thing now. It sure isn't the same bill they voted on Monday. If we don't do something, our trip to the social security office was for nod.