The Department of

1.
The Department of
Early Learning sign remains,
but its name has changed.

2.
The Department of
Children, Youth, and Families:
A sad Costco cake.

3.
Won’t someone please take
these free Museum passes
with dental check-ups?

4.
The directory
doesn’t show our contact from
— Whoa! — three years ago.

5.
No one knows that name...
One lady takes me to a
second, then a third.

6.
She’s in finances,
but she goes to town for me
for 20 minutes.

7.
In her uncluttered,
Feng Shui-ed cubicle she
calls and calls and calls.

8.
I stare at my phone,
then take in my surroundings:
such variety!

9.
Behind her station,
is an empty cubicle,
but not to the side.

10.
I peek and almost
bonk heads with an older guy —
So quiet, that one!

11.
In front of his is
a cubicle with baby
supplies on the floor.

12.
I get nostalgic
looking at the bouncy chair
and tactile play mat.

13.
Suddenly they’re there:
Ellie with Lucy in an
Ergo (per a sign).

14.
I back up as they
bustle in and out, then get
to their work stations.

15.
By then my helper
has wrapped up her detecting:
It’s ECEAP I want.

16.
Since they’re all at a
conference over the mountains,
she takes the passes.

17.
I find my way out
of the thrumming office maze
and race down the stairs.

18.
I’m struck by the view
of a tag across the street,
but then double oops!

19.
I prop my papers
under a windshield wiper,
then snatch them up fast.

20.
There’s a water stain
on the spreadsheet of places
that get these passes.

21.
I open my car
and toss my stuff across to
the passenger seat.

22.
A minute later,
after taking that photo,
I get in and groan.

23.
The paper is stuck
to a piece of toast I’d brought
for a late breakfast.

24.
I gingerly lift
it up and see a Morse code
of apricot jam.

25.
It’s not even ten
and already I feel like
life is exquisite.