pelleyblog: You Need A License Number

It is very common for me to write a blog post and have the idea for another blog posts come into my mind. That's what happened as I wrote about government bureaucracy for the March 29 post. You may want to read that post first.

Many, many years ago when I lived in another state I needed to go to the Registry of Motor Vehicles. I had purchased a boat and a trailer from a local marina and needed to register the trailer. The dealer provided all of the necessary papers and off I went to the Registry. After a long wait in line I finally reached a clerk's window. Examining my papers, she stopped abruptly, looked up at me and said "There's no automobile dealer license number on this application."

"That's right", I said. "It's not an automobile, it's a trailer."

"Doesn't matter. You must have an automobile dealer license number on the application."

"But it's not an automobile dealer who I purchased the trailer from. It's a marina."

"Doesn't matter, she said. You must have an automobile dealer license number on the application. I can't register your trailer until you get that for me."

Off I went back to the marina. I asked junior, my salesperson and the owner's son, to give me their automobile dealer license number.

He looked at me like I was crazy. He said "I'm not an automobile dealer. This is a marina."

"I know, but you must have an automobile dealer license number in order to sell trailers."

"We don't have one" he replied. "And we've been selling boat trailers for years. Unless this is something I don't know about."

He called to his father "Dad? Do we have an automobile dealer license?"

"No," said his father, "we are a marina not an automobile dealer. We don't need an automobile dealer license. In fact, we don't even need a license to sell boats."

"See," said junior, "We don't have one."

"That's all well and good" I relied. "But I can't register the trailer unless I have one. So what do I do now?"

Meanwhile, Junior's dad was searching the files to see what they did have for licenses. Since he was talking to himself as he went through the licenses, we began to focus on what he was saying.

"License to sell fuel. License to operate a marina. Sales tax license. License to sell ice cream. Hey. Here's a license to sell ice cream. Maybe we could use that number. They'll probably never know the difference. Here Junior, write this number down on Dan's application."

I didn't believe it would work. But since they didn't have an automobile dealer license I didn't know what else to do. So I went back to the Registry and hoped for another clerk. As luck would have it I ended up with the original one.

Taking my papers, she immediately looked for the automobile dealer license number. Finding a number there she looked up at me and gave a triumphant smile. "See. I told you they had to have an automobile dealers license number."

On this April Fools' Day I thought I'd begin your day with a little smile.

About me: Dan Pelley's career experiences range from the shipping room to the boardroom and the college classroom. He has worked in companies as diverse as metal stamping, foundries, pharmaceuticals, computers and electronic components, hospitals, nursing homes, motor carriers, distribution, retailers, social services, government, quasi-government agencies, a major art museum and an airline. He shares his experiences through programs and seminars for companies in New England and through this blog.