Making Kendra (Part 3 of 7)

So the specially designed day off from red-tape hell kind of fell apart when I was told that I needed to go to Glen Burnie district MVA office to turn in my paperwork to the medical review board. Wonderful…

Glen Burnie was out of my comfort zone; over the previous months I lived freely as Kendra in places like Washington DC and College Park but this was new. It wasn’t like it was going to alter my plans any but still, it did add to my stress level

And just like at my local office the place was packed, just to get a number the line was huge but not lacking entertainment.

After a ten minute wait, two police officers came in with what looked like a security officer and pointed in what I thought was my direction. When the police officers headed in my direction I tensed up but they just pushed right past me and approached a man about five spots in front of me. “Sir, step out of line.” The officer ordered.

As soon as they were clear of the line they put handcuffs on him and took him out of the building. I was kind of curious of what that was all about but not curious enough to get out line. (A line that seemed to be proceeding at a very good pace)

When I finally was able to step up to the counter, I explained the reason I was there for but instead of handing me a number he pointed me in the direction that I needed to go. “Inside the main building, 2nd floor it will be on the left. Take your forms there and in three days you will be able to pick up your approval letter.”

I kind of already knew that. I had been reading about it since I decided I was going to change my name and gender. At least I would still get a day off because there was no way I would be able to get my corrected driver’s license by the end of the week.

So I followed his directions and proceeded to the send floor, medical review office. This was the point in which I had no information about what they were going to say or do. I only knew which forms I needed so my imagination started working overtime.

I thought maybe they would make me stand in front of a bunch of doctors and grill me about why I want to change my gender under some strange Utopian lights and setting. But when approached the counter a nice young lady (who happened to be eating a pickle) asked for my forms.

I handed them to her as she put down her food. “Okay, that’s it, sign this and you are all done.” She said pointing to a signature line.

“Wow that was easy.” I sighed.

“Well glad I could help.” She responded... paused for a brief second, “You know what, the board is here, let me see if they can do this now.” She said and took my things and left before I had a chance to ask how long it would take; I really didn’t need to be late for work another time that week.

I lingered around the counter hoping to get her attention but I couldn’t see her from the place I was standing however, after a few seconds she returned with my forms. “Here you go, this is the letter you need to give to your local office so you can get a corrected license.”

“Wait, what? I am done, I don’t need to do anything else?”

“All done sweetie.”

I checked the time and realized I had finished before noon and still had 4 hours left before I had to go to work. I found a nearby bench and googled Office of Vital Records locations.

Things could not have set themselves up any better. There was an office located in a mall in Reisterstown about 30 minutes away. Feeling cocky, I decided to give it a try, at the very least I could decide against waiting if the line was long or it seemed impossible but at least I would be able make sure that I had the right forms to actually be able to change my birth certificate. (After all this new law about changing ones name and gender on their birth certificate was pretty new and there wasn’t much information about it online.)

Honestly I did not really expect to accomplish anything but since I was so close I figured it would be a total waste of time not to give it a try and when I got there my expectations dropped even further. The line was literally out of the door and down the mall corridor; still I got in line, thinking I could stop the process at any point and head to work.

The line moved at somewhat good pace but even so, I checked the clock every ten or fifteen minutes just to make sure I did not lose track of time and next thing I knew it was 245 PM and knowing I had to be at work by 4 PM I started to get a little antsy.

Just about the time I was going to give up I was next up. “I just have a question. What do I need to change my name and gender on my birth certificate?”

“This form right here honey.” She responded as she snatched it out of my hand.

“Wait…” I called out as I realized she was taking it somewhere. “Really. I have got to get out of here, like right now.” I mumbled to myself and instantly started to pace back and forth in front of the counter.

A lady at a different counter noticed my nervousness, “Have a seat, they will call your name in a minute.” But she said it more as an order than a request.

Truthfully I thought about leaving the form and just heading to work but I followed instructions and sat down and waited for exactly 4 minutes. “Kendra Chelsea?” The same lady that had taken my form was calling me back to the counter. “How many copies do you need?” She asked.

“I don’t know how many do you think I need?” I asked without even thinking to ask copies of what.

“Probably two would be fine, go to the cashier and she will ring you up.” She replied.

I kind of felt like I had no choice at that point and once again followed instructions. I was lucky it only took another minute before the cashier said, “That will be forty dollars.”

Once again I should have said, for what but instead I handed her my credit card and she handed me back two brand new certified copies of my birth certificate, surprised I looked them over and yes, sure enough it read, “NAME: KENDRA CHELSEA and GENDER FEMALE”

At that point I couldn’t care less that I was probably going to be late. It was official, the government would forever and always see me as a girl and that was all I ever wanted. I smiled and if the woman that handed me my documents had not been behind a window I would have kissed her.

Sadly by the time I got back to my car the reality of me being late was starting to sink in. “Okay, if traffic is perfect I could be back home to change in about 35 minutes, add 5 minutes to change and another ten minutes to work I will be…about ten minutes late.”

And traffic was not perfect. My blood started to boil, if I did not need to change, I could have made it with a minute or two to spare. "Are you kidding me?" I was starting to become really aggravated that being Ken for those people I work with, yes for them, was causing me to mess up at work.

So I had to call my work, “I am so sorry, I am going to be late again today. Stuck in traffic.” I said just waiting for her to get mad. I was actually prepared, “Yeah well, if I didn’t have to pretend to be Ken I would be there on time but…never needed to say anything. “Okay KC, take your time, no since killing yourself to get here.”

Still, I was getting more and more aggravated about living a double life. I think it was on that drive back to the office I realized that I was wrong about what I told my therapist, there was no way in hell I could go the rest of my career as Ken.

I wasn’t sure how or when but I was going to have to tell them soon, the thing that I worried the most about was telling my coworker Mack, there was no way that would turn out well.

#Identification #BirthCertificate #work #Mack