What's happening at the DMV?

For the second time in two years, I've had to make a trip to the NC Driver's License office.
The first time for the usual, ' I just moved to the state and need to transfer all my crap' visit.

At that visit, I thought it interesting that all the men working at the NC DMV in Cary, were clones of each other, all older men and wearing these awful uniforms.. kind of a weird 1970's police officer/mailman combo, complete with skinny tie and black-backed name tag (last name only, of course).

So after being pulled over for exceeding the speed limit for the triskillionth time since becoming an NC resident, I and the nice Apex police-man discovered that sometime in the last few weeks I've lost my driver's license. Not in my wallet, not in my checkbook, not in my glove compartment, not anywhere in my car (although there is an un-opened yoplait yogurt under the passenger seat - oh joy) but alas, no driver's license. The nice Apex police man let me go (the first time that's happened since becoming an NC resident) as long as I presented my new driver's license within 48 hours.

My kindly supervisor let me leave at lunch yesterday to go to the DMV for a replacement - this time I went to a different office.

This visit, there were all women in the DMV, all in the same horrible uniforms, and all sporting sparkly blue eyeshadow and yes, WINGS..ala Heather Locklear in her "Sammy Jo" days on Dallas. Disturbing. What's happening? Is there some code in NC that the office must pick an 'era' and all employees must oblige and style hair and make up to fit that era? Do they leave the office each day and re-enter 2006? Is there some sort of shower-in/shower-out policy like in a clean lab? It can't be that these women all just happen to prefer this style and all work together can it? I am concerned.

I really shouldn't complain. I was in and out in under 30 minutes the proud owner of a nice, shiny new NC driver's license, horrible picture and all.