Funny story from Social Security Administration
I went to the Social Security Administration office in Davis Square today to replace my social security card (that I lost over two years ago). While I was waiting, I couldn’t help overhearing a conversation between another customer and the staff … it went like this:
Customer: “The first name on my card says ‘unknown’.”
Staff member: “Your name isn’t ‘unknown’?”
Customer: “Obviously not.”
Staff member: “So what is your first name?”
Customer: “I don’t have one. My name is ‘Turtle’.”
Staff member: “Oh.”
Customer: “I want my social security card to say ‘Turtle’.”
Staff member: “You have to have a first name.”
Customer: “No I don’t.”
Staff member: “The computer system requires one.”
Customer: “I don’t care. My name is ‘Turtle’.”
Staff member: “Well, we need to have a first name.”
Customer: “Fine. Make it ‘mister’ – M R.”
Staff member: “Okay, Mr. Turtle.”
Customer: “Turtle.”
I don’t know what’s funnier here, that somebody put “unknown” in for his first name, that the system can’t tolerate flexibility in name configuration, or that the guy’s name is “Turtle”.
