Hot in the city

Seattle, June 26, 2022 -- Having procrastinated on renewing my “tabs,” I needed to pick them up in-person today. Last night, the DOL web site asked me, are you sure you want to have them mailed to you? You have only two days left until your tabs expire (dummy.) 

So, I go down to the licensing agency in Ballard today. 

I regret it immediately. The line is out the door and it’s pretty hot in that old building up on the second floor. The line moves slowly. I’m glad I paid for 45 minutes on the parking meter. 

Finally, a third window opens up. Someone says, “If you’re just picking up tabs you can go to window three.” 

I race over there but pretty soon someone else rushes into the place and says, “That’s my dog!” I’m thinking, what, do they sell dog licenses here? Maybe, right? Who knows? 

But soon it becomes clear that this person left their dog in their car – remember it’s a really hot day, and somehow the staff had rescued the dog and were holding it behind the counter. At this point the clerk from window three, who seems to be the one keeping an eye on the dog, lashes into the owner for leaving their dog in the car. The tone is stern, righteous and focused – and totally justified! 

The dog-owner says it was less than a half hour. The clerk contends it was more than an hour, and “I don’t think I should give it back,” they say. “I’m a good owner,” the owner says. 

I’m not so sure, and the expressed consensus in the waiting room is no. Staff and customers chime in to let the clerk know they did the right thing. But the dog seems happy to see the owner and off they go.  

My takeaway is, it’s good to see people take care of animals and hold people accountable – and renew your tabs early so they can mail them.