A DMV Welcome - by Saman Driver by way of her daughter, Sahar

“I was at the DMV and I met this older Iranian man who was waiting for someone to pick him up. He asked me where I was from and I said Iran and we started speaking. He said, ‘I just passed my driver’s test!’ and he was very happy. So we were talking and he said, now all I have to do is wait for someone in my family to take off work and then come down here so that I can use the car and take my driving test. So I said, here. She waves her hand in the air like she’s dangling keys. Take my keys. He couldn’t believe it. ‘Really?’ he said? ‘Just like that?’ Just like that. I said. Why do you have to wait for your son to take off work and drive you here again when I am here? Take my keys.

A few years later, I was in an Iranian Society meeting and he saw me and he got up and grabbed me and kissed me and hugged me. Who are you? I asked. ‘You don’t remember me?’ he replied. I didn’t remember him. ‘You gave me your keys and I passed my driving test those many years ago and now I’m a taxi driver and I have my own taxi!’

There were a lot of stories like that.”