my mind is a terrible wasted thing...

no, wait. that's not how it goes.

so, i have a disability check that i receive every month from the VA from my time in the army. no, it's not from that time i fell off the barstool.

anyhoo. i needed to change the bank this check comes to so i call up the handy dandy little number to take care of things. we go through the usual question and answer period to prove that i am who i say i am.

her: your name?
me: (gave it to her)
her: date of birth?
me: august 1955
her: day you went into service?
me: oh man. i haven't thought of that in a while. wait a minute, yes! it was 1994.
her: uh, ma'am? 1994?
me: yes, i think so.
her: ... we show the date to be quite a bit earlier.
me: no... i graduated high school in 1993, spent a year in college... no, it was definitely 1994.
her: ... and you were born in 1955?
me:
her:
me: (suddenly realizing) !! OH! no! it was 1974! 1974!

we started laughing so hard that we couldn't even continue for a while.

her: i was trying to not be rude but i was thinking wow; born in 55 and graduated HS in 95?
me: yeah; i was slow. man, i haven't even had anything to drink today! (well, that set her off again and it was some time before we could proceed)

i told her i just knew what she was going to do when she hung up with me; tell everyone around her about the nutjob she had on the phone. she said there wasn't anyone around to tell and i told her that was a shame. what a wasted opportunity! well, we finally finished our business and she very nicely told me to be sure to take my medication.

see? public service isn't dead after all.