{For Fashion's Sake} Saturday: Now Serving Number 665

6.16.2012

We've spent a good portion of the last two days waiting in lines at the DMV.
Do you guys know how horrible that place is?
It's horrible.
We were given the run-around and it was hot and we didn't want to pay for all these little things we didn't realize we needed and the lines were long and there was no where to sit and...
then we met Laura. 
She was the employee behind window number 11.
She was probably in her early 50s, short blonde hair, clearly obsessed with the color turquoise, and she was funny. And in a place like the DMV funny is a rare commodity.
She had kind of a terrible job at kind of a terrible place, but she still knew how to find the joy and humor in it. She turned our hot, stinky, impatient attitudes right around as she shared her driver's test horror stories, told us about her time living in idaho, and explained the meaning of each trinket that lined her desk. 
After we had been with her for about half an hour she told us that she had a fatal disease with only 2 years to live. My heart sank because i had really come to like Laura, the lady behind window number 11.

I'm not sure why I'm writing this story down except that she made an impression on me. 
I look up to her for being able to be happy just where she was and help others be happy too.
Clearly her life wasn't easy, I can't even imagine being told a number like 2 years, but she didn't want our sympathy, and she wasn't going to spend the rest of her days lying in bed feeling sorry for herself either. She was going to keep right on living and being funny and telling stories and changing attitudes along the way. 
So Laura, thank you. 
You made my day.
outfit details:
vintage leather clutch & cupid earrings: 63 strings
horse shirt: asos/$40
bracelet: charlotte russe/$4
charm necklace & feather charm: anthropologie/gift
coral skinnies: c/o bold threads--they just got new clutches in that are so cute!
blue suede shoes: seychelles/old

Are You An Organ Donor? 
What made you decide one way or the other?

10 comments

Katie Baker said...

I am an organ donor. I figure if I'm not using my organs, someone can who still needs them.

Kirsten Wiemer said...

gosh, i hate the dmv, but the last time i went we got a really nice old man luckily. i think the vegas dmvs are probably the worst because they are filled with literally the scariest people ever.
also, i'm an organ donor. why not? my organs probably aren't that great anyways, but if they could help a baby or something, then why not?


K

Taylor Jane said...

cute outfit :) sweet story <3

Chelsea said...

Cutest outfit. And girl, you are model status for sure.


Love that story. And . . . I am an organ donor. I'm pretty sure that can be chalked up to peer pressure, because I don't even remember checking the box.

Kristina said...

This is so touching. Thank you for sharing. I'm an organ donor...in nursing school one of my peers had just received one about 6 months prior to starting classes. Watching her slowly come "back to life" over the years of classes really made an impression on me. Now that I'm a nurse in an ICU I see the direct effects of donations and unfortunately the tough decision that families have to go through if the patient doesn't make it and never decided for themselves to donate or not. It's better to make your decision and let your loved ones know...it'll be less they need to think about if something unfortunate happens.

Cannon said...

I decided to be an organ donor with no real thought. Basically, either a dumpster or a human being will be get my organs and tissue so I choose people. My cousin just had her second liver transplant. She's 21 years old. Now I'm so grateful for organ donors and very proud that I've always been one.

AmandaCeleste said...

This story is so touching. I'm always inspired and so happy to see people who keep a positive attitude. I am an organ donor and I chose to be one simply for the fact that If I can save up 8 lives with my organs, why wouldn't I do it? I certainly won't need them when I'm gone so it gives me so much comfort knowing that they could save others lives.

Jessica Kutok said...

What a sad but sweet story. We should all think of Laura as a way of living our everyday lives. :)

m said...

so inspiring! i def. teared up over this! thanks for sharing!
-m

Kristin Thomson said...

Yes, I'm an organ donor! I won't need to take my organs with me when I leave this earth, and someone else may be able to put them to good use.

© i believe in unicorns. Maira Gall.