And you thought the Bronx was just a bar

By
Danielle Kaltz

Get this – I received a piece of mail from Wayne State University informing me that in August of 2003 they seem to have underpaid me roughly 170 bucks. It apparently only took them two years and seven months to find this mistake and now they are only giving me less 30 days to check my records in order to see if I agree with them, or the money goes to the general fund. Uh duh, like I am not going to agree with them. Admittedly, I can’t see how I could have over looked 170 bones, but it happens especially when you are dealing with the red tape and clogged bureaucracy that is Wayne State.

I worked at and attended WSU and stand firmly planted in my belief that if I made it through that institution, then I can cope with most anything life will deal me because of it! The proof of my education is not the pedigrees that I walked away with, but by virtue of the fact that I made it through without going postal on any of the various administrations. I once caught that Financial Aid had stiffed me 942 dollars! I fought hard and steady and they finally agreed with my calculations and actually apologized to me as they cut me a check!! I think they realized that was the easy thing to do because it was either that or I was forming a one person sit in. I was not leaving without my money! Sure I was an Art History student, and that means I was probably bad at math, but I knew I was correct!!

Now back to the new amount of money I will soon have in my greedy little hands from them. The challenge I now had at hand is to fill out a form and have it notarized to prove that I am being lawful to my word! Uhhh…. but how and where I am supposed to find a notary public? I don’t know anyone who claims to be one, much less anyone who can even define what one is. So true to nature I decide to see if it will just come to me on my daily maneuvers through life, I have 30 days right?! And if all else fails I can google it.

So last week I am in the Bronx listening intently to a girlfriend tell me all the details about a recent break up, all the while actively gazing the crowd before it gets too dark in there to see the person next to you. I see people from Detroit Synergy are having a “Meet and Greet’, amongst other familiar faces. Tell me a time you walk in the Bronx and don’t recognize someone. Better yet is when the bartender asks ‘Would you like that tall Danielle?’ before I even utter my request, no I am not a bar fly, the bartenders are just that good!

Admittedly my frequent visits to the Bronx are what got me through graduate school in the first place. I am not ashamed of it – it’s a badge of honor!! And what better place to get it from than a place that is so awesome that it has two juke boxes and wi-fi? I have also been getting my hair cut in the bar for the last 2 or 3 years, mind you not the Leather Tuscadero style I am sporting at the moment. Sure Me and Leather, we have a few things in common like; she is also from Detroit and she wears black bikers jackets, but I am NOT a fan! OK maybe when I was seven! But I got stupid one day and had this done in a salon quite on accident, and this is exactly the reason I am going back to the Bronx for my next cut!

Well, I noticed last week while listening to my girlfriend that the ‘Buy a drink, Leave a drink’ for a friend board is sadly gone, replaced though with a nice weekend pancake special! Then out of the corner of my eye I see ‘it’ on the board by the kitchen, the words ‘Notary Public’. They have a notary on duty and list the day and times that the service is available. I had to have looked at this sign at least 50 times in the past, but true to course not until I really need something does it sink into my brain.

So finally, I gleefully gathered my papers and headed to the Bronx, (I do not frequent there nearly as much now that I have graduated and got a grown up job) so this was a treat of sorts as well as a business call. When I arrived it was lunchtime and slamming, I found only one seat at the bar. I bellied my way up and had to wait like 5 minutes before I was even acknowledged, this was fine of course –I just started to gab with the guy next to me. We recognized each other from the museum, and we had a good chat. When the bartender took my order, a two cheese, grilled cheese sandwich on Texas toast and a Vernor’s, I also inquired about the service of notary public.

I was told to get out my driver’s license and then told to sign the paper as she watched. The bartender then checked the signature against the license and then went to work. She pulled out her trusty little stamp and filled in all the appropriate information and we were done. In the less time than it took for me to eat my grilled cheese sandwich it was over. And she only charged me five bucks.

I got nosey then, as I always do, and started to inquire about this service. They have offered this service since last spring when the bartender got bonded. To do this she said you simply fill out some forms, go downtown, fill out more forms, give them money and wait for your license from the state. I assume it maybe a little more work than that, so if you interested check out the website.

I asked how they determined how much to charge for the service, she told me the state dictates up $10 can be charged and the bar decided on $5. My lunch and signature cost me under $12 dollars including the tip. I don’t know where you can get a better deal?

And people wonder why I love D-troit!