My Third Visit to Social Security Was the Most Charming Because of the People
Officer Lewis and a wheelchair-bound man named Dwight brightened my day.
There were 22 people lined up outside of the Social Security office when I arrived at 8:25 on the last Thursday in September. A few minutes later, a woman blessed with a booming, no-megaphone-needed voice introduced herself as Officer Lewis and said she was going to go over some housekeeping details.
Officer Lewis explained that she’d first call out people who needed minimal attention, like a replacement Social Security card. “We’ll get you out of here as soon as we can,” she promised. She continued on with some positive affirmations and instructions, including, “Remember God blessed you with another day to be alive. Put a smile on your face and be patient with the process!”
The crowd was already well-mannered, but they seemed to be on their best behavior after that. People shifted seamlessly into position, and the line moved quickly.
After Officer Lewis’ pep talk, I started talking to a wheelchair-bound man named Dwight. He also approved of Officer Lewis’ affirmations. “It takes the pressure off, “ he noted. “Pressure makes pipes burst.”
