Don't Go Down There!
October 19th 2010 07:31
I got caught in a trap downtown today. It was like something from a scary movie. I’m not kidding. I went to purchase a copy of my divorce decree. My adventure started as a simple errand. My plan was to travel downtown to the courthouse on North Hill Street to find the case number from my 1994 divorce, ask for a name change form and file the change of name paper.
The scariest part of the story is when I was directed to the office of Archive Records. This is where Norman Bates lives. I was given a map and directed to an office building that was directly due north across the street from the North Hill Courthouse. As I approached what seemed like a park-like area I noticed homeless people sleep or just sitting around, I didn’t get a safe feeling. The place was isolated. Then I saw the sign, Los Angeles Achieves. The sign was near an elevator that went down! Now, I had the creeps. I had to go underground into some hole to get my old records? Yes!
The floors went down on a rickety elevator. As I stepped out of the elevator, I saw the drabness of gray walls and felt cold as the old musky smell of old paper hit my nose. The place was lined with old records about 3 to 4 boxes wide and 3 to 4 boxes high.
I made it to the open door and there was no line, sweet! The lady behind the counter looked at my case number and sent me to floor number 2. This floor should be called the Black Hole. Once you go it you may not come out for a long time. Again the elevator opened and the place looked drab and cold. I pushed through a door and people lined the walls asleep! My destiny was staring me in the face. I was horrified. I swept into the small door hoping it would be different for me, but it wasn’t. I had to sign my name, take a number and sit out in the box filled drab hallway for a two-hour wait.
Believe it or not that is how it works in 2010. The process is simple, too simple. Fill out the white paper, take a number, and sign in. Today, the staff consists of two people. A patron could use one of the 6-8 microfiche machines after the staff found your microfilm. If you took this route you could print out and eventually pay for your own copies. Or the staff could find the film and print your request. After your information is found, the patron has to go back down to the first floor with a yellow paper, which allows you to pay for your services. Then back up to the 2nd floor and pick up your items. This is crazy. In today’s world this is the best system. I bet no one knows those people are down there.
A private investigator, in sunglasses and a baseball cap seem to know how the system worked. Apparently he has spent many hours in the Achieve Building. According to him the system is a mess and has gotten worst over the years. If I had not seen the dungeon of Archives, I would not believed it.
It’s October and I know where all the ghouls and goblins are? In the halls and records of the Los Angeles Achieves. Don’t believe me? Go see for yourself.
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