Best Quotes from Dmv by Bentley Little with Page Numbers

Why did he let this online bullshit get to him?

Ignore those assholes.

It's an addiction. That’s what it is.

He raised an eyebrow. 'Joe Blow from Kokomo, MO?' Where’d you come up with that?

You’re right. I shouldn’t waste my time.

I should just cut off all internet access in this house.

He hadn’t had to take the test since first moving to the state.

The concern was irrational—he had always been prepared for exams and had always done well—but he’d experienced it nonetheless.

I need brain food when I’m writing, not when I’m taking a driver’s test.

I’ll be fine.

“Job security!” he boomed.

I have to say that they couldn’t have picked a better or more dedicated group to work with.

As far as we can foresee. The pre-planning alone should take us well into next year.

Nearly all of the programmers in the conference room were grinning, and more than a few faces were filled with expressions of gratitude and relief.

He was lucky enough to be able to own his own home.

One of these days, though, he was going to get around to clearing things out, selling things off and putting his own stamp on the residence.

It was strange, Zal considered, how infrequently he thought about his parents.

It was much easier to skate along on a superficial plane than dive deep into those waters.

He was leaning toward fighting it, on the chance that a judge would understand that he had sent in his forms on time.

They did not yet have access to any of the DMV systems, and neither of them would have jeopardized their careers by doing something illegal, but it was the thought that counted.

I’m not here to give you a hard time. Honest. I’m just worried about you. You and Beverly both. And I want to make sure things are going to be okay.

I’m looking for work. But it’s hard. I went to a job fair yesterday, I’ve sent out probably a dozen resumes. This afternoon, I’m going to be hitting a bunch of businesses and filling out applications. I’m trying.

You had a perfectly good job, with benefits and a 401K, and you threw it all away. You quit because of some little—

Knock some sense into you.

I guess I’m not what you’re looking for.

But I’m not letting people die. And I’m for sure not committing a crime.

The system is designed to spot potential.

You will live, work, eat, breathe the DMV, and when you complete the course, you will be qualified to work at any one of our branches.

I want you out of my house.

Working for the DMV involves much more than just following orders.

“I want you to call me as soon as the test’s over.”

“You can do it. I know you can.”

“People sacrifice for the opportunity to have a license. Do you understand? Sacrifice.”

“It’s always an adventure.”

“Go get ’em, Tiger.”

“Just to let you know: having a driver’s license is a privilege not a right. You have to earn your license.”

“There was Before. And there was After.”

“In a thousand different ways, the loss of his father was brought home to him and impacted his life and made Danny realize just how much he not only missed his dad but relied on him.”},{

You can do it. I know you can.

Having a driver’s license is a privilege not a right. You have to earn your license.

People sacrifice for the opportunity to have a license.

There was Before. And there was After.

The world had changed, and Danny would give anything to have his life go back to the way it had been.

In a thousand different ways, the loss of his father was brought home to him.

I felt guilty, as though I had caused my dad’s death.

Intellectually, Danny knew this was all just a coincidence, but emotionally it didn’t feel that way.

I’m stuck here in this new confusing, chaotic existence.

But nothing was ever going to be the same.

Oftentimes, Rosita wished that her parents had not returned to Mexico.

She often thought of how a fine line separated her between her husband and brother.

The thought made Rosita happy; there was nothing she loved more than snuggling in a warm bed when the weather was cold.

The thing is, I kind of did.

He was belligerent and hostile, but it didn’t seem like he was lying.

At least he has one.

I’m telling you, this guy’s ID had a cartoon for a picture and listed his shoe size.

But if you bring in something with your name and address on it, like a utility bill, we can reinstate you.

She wanted to see the end of 'Chopped' and find out who won.

He didn’t intend to get another one just because of an idiotic mistake.

"You know, my parents had this book about that. I found it on their bookshelf after they died."

"One is that language has specified rules and standards that need to be followed. The other is that language is always evolving, that it can’t stand still or it becomes ossified."

"Why not just say 'soon?' But lately I've heard newscasters say 'sooner than later,' which is idiotic...Things would be so much more logical."

"We need our space."

"It's a bureaucratic nightmare, which means job security."

"That's the spirit!"

"That smile made him feel more hopeful than he had in a long while."

"She looked genuinely pleased to see him."

"I owe you one."

"Maybe he hadn’t evolved at all."

Apparently, he was becoming more mature.

He was evolving.

If he liked something, he liked it. If he hated something, he hated it.

He didn’t feel the need to have a reason for his judgments.

What good was celebrity, even low-level celebrity, if you couldn’t leverage it and throw your weight around to get things done?

It just seems like a huge abuse of authority.

I want to retake the test.

Big Brother’s watching me.

This is on the level, right? You’re not joking with me? This isn’t some kind of prank?

Yes, it is.

"He knew the whole point of this camp was to break him down, brainwash him, make him into a good soldier, but there was no way in hell that was going to happen."

"He wasn’t some weak-minded pato who could be programmed to join the team."

"Jorge vowed that as soon as he was released, he would bring everything to light. These bastards were going to pay."

"It was clear that the towering barricade was meant to not only discourage but prevent people from both entering and leaving the camp."

"The actual training was going well, however. For the moment, they were alternating between two classrooms."

"Against his will, Jorge found the classes interesting. He was legitimately learning a lot."

"What he wanted most was to escape from this place, to get back home, but that, it seemed, was impossible."

"Oh, he was coming back here, Jorge thought. Something was being kept secret, and if they didn’t want him here, this was exactly where he ought to be looking for it."

"He didn’t know the time, but he could judge the rhythm of the camp by the bells that rang at regular intervals."

"He made it back to the classroom just as the final bell rang."

There was so much about his father that he’d taken for granted, and it was only since he’d been gone that Danny realized how truly lucky he had been, how lucky they had all been, to have him.

His dad had always been the one telling them to cheer up, look on the bright side, that whatever was weighing them down was only temporary and would soon be gone.

But this was not something that was ever going to go away. It was the way life was now.

I probably don’t tell you enough, but you’re a good kid. We’re...I’m lucky to have you.

They still weren’t used to his dad being gone, and sometimes it took a moment to remember that he was no longer here.

You heard that guy. I need my car to go to work.

It really was his responsibility to help look out for his sister, and the truth was that he’d been doing a poor job of it.

What am I going to do with her?

She looked genuinely distressed, and Danny felt a wave of gooseflesh surf down his bare arms.

That’s not the worst part.

"I don’t want to be threatened with torture or death or anything."

"They think they own us."

"I’ll quit, find another job, but they’re not bullying me into letting them have dominion over my body."

"It was a joke sent out by an ex-employee."

"I can live with this, it was normal."

"Time flies. Although, technically, it’s not called traffic school anymore. It’s behavioral training."

"If it were not for behavioral training class, you would have to pay for your tickets and be dinged by your insurance companies for your infractions."

"You will never renew your license without our help."

"Sometimes sacrifices are required."

"You may think you’ll never need it, but I guarantee that you will."

This was without a doubt the best possible life he could have had—but because his options were not as wide open as they had once been, because time had robbed him of potential.

What makes you think that? We keep track. And for whatever reason, you’re on their list.

You may think you’ll never need it, but I guarantee that you will. And you’ll have it when that time comes.

Well, you’ve seen the light, and I’m hungry. Let’s eat.

For the first time, a signing was making him feel better instead of worse.

It is not as easy to leave the department as you might think it is. Sometimes sacrifices are required.

You’re a good sister. Jorge’s lucky to have you. We’re all lucky to have you!

There’s probably other similar cases. There’s probably been lawsuits.

I just want Jorge back.

Nothing will. I promise.

"Something was wrong. Rosita could feel it."

"The uncomfortable sense that there was a problem involving her brother stayed with Rosita for the rest of the afternoon."

"It’s this whole being kept in the dark that scares me."

"It’s the not knowing that makes everything so much worse."

"I told you, Todd talked to his cop friend, and this DMV camp is legit."

"I just want Jorge back."

"Get some sleep. Everything will be okay."

"I might have been looking in the wrong place. Jorge can’t be the first one this has happened to."

"There are probably groups that fight against this stuff. Maybe lawyers who work pro bono."

"Nothing will," Rosita promised, though her assurance was based on nothing but hope.

Still, he kept writing. Just in case.

Just in case. In his more optimistic moments, he thought that maybe the letters he sent out were being delivered, but the ones being sent to him were not.

Jorge stared at Ms. Lane as she spoke. She had big hands, he noticed.

You’ll be able to have fun, too.

The DMV, Jorge was quickly learning, had a lot of power. Too much power, as far as he was concerned.

Maybe, he thought, the cemetery had been here before the camp had been built, had been on the property when the DMV bought it and had simply been left as is when the land was acquired.

Who was buried here? Recruits who would not comply? Instructors no longer of use?

It was not time for dinner—the appropriate bells had not yet rung.

Why would a Department of Motor Vehicles training camp have a graveyard at all?

And what would happen to him if that occurred?

"...whatever the reason, there was serious belt-tightening going on in the family."

"I saw him die. I was there."

"Most people hate the DMV because it ignores them."

"Because once you are noticed... it never stops."

"There’s nothing to do but wait. Either he’ll come out, or he won’t."

"Every passed test is a victory."

"You’re on the DMV’s radar. That’s how we found you."

"This is a unique signifier that cannot be duplicated and thus provides protection from identity theft."

"You will pass. Which they will not expect and which is not supposed to happen."

"We do what we do, Mr. Klein. And we do all we can."

"We know your names, of course, but for our protection, tutors use no names."

"We are here to help. Do you want our help or do you not?"

"You’re on the DMV’s radar. That’s how we found you. However it happened, whatever you did to draw attention to yourself…"

"Most people hate the DMV because it ignores them. Their forms are lost, their requests disregarded—they’re invisible. It makes them furious, but they don’t realize that they’re the lucky ones."

"Once you are noticed… it never stops,"

"So we can try to find out about your brother-in-law, but just be warned: this isn’t going to stop."

"We do what we do, Mr. Klein. And we do all we can."

"Your test will follow one of the six progressions. All you have to do is apply the proper tactic."

"Every passed test is a victory."

"And you will pass. Which they will not expect and which is not supposed to happen."

"She was the main reason he had gone to all this trouble, although he did not want her to know that."

"He must have gone outside and walked back in more than twenty times in an effort to gauge what her first impression would be."

"In the real world, outside of work, there was less structure and more pressure, and it made having a natural conversation more difficult."

"I know I should have some great passion, something I’ve always desired, some secret ambition, but the truth is I don’t. I’m just kind of drifting."

"I miss them every day," he admitted.

"But these days, or to my parents at least, she’s the disgrace because she got married so young."

"You’re one of those."

"Things were going far better than he could have hoped."

"Finally, they were finished, alone, and the house was quiet."

"You could invite me back again some time, when there aren’t so many people around."

"I vowed to myself that I would find him before my parents called again."

"God forbid the public should have access to information."

"If I want to keep my job, I should probably show them that I take it seriously."

"There’s nothing to decide. And this is probably the best time to be there."

"But it takes a certain kind of person to adapt to the strains of this life."

"The job will not only put stress on you, but will put stress on your relationships."

"Mistakes have consequences, and punishment, of necessity, is swift and severe."

"You need to be trustworthy, which means you need to be genuine."

"You have a leg up on your compadres here, you’ll be eligible for bilingual pay."

"Life as part of the DMV is more wonderful than you can possibly imagine."

“Most people outside of the DMV family don’t know what real pressure is. But as you will learn, it can either be your friend or your enemy.”

“You are the gatekeepers, the ones who determine which of them shall be granted the privilege of driving on public streets, and as such you need to be trustworthy, which means you need to be genuine.”

“In our business, mistakes have consequences, and punishment, of necessity, is swift and severe.”

“The job will not only put stress on you, but will put stress on your relationships.”

“Many marriages have crumbled under the strain of the job. But, rest assured, it is worth it. Life as part of the DMV is more wonderful than you can possibly imagine.”

“You process some jig or chink or cholo, that goes in the license… this way the person can be tracked.”

“Listen and learn, and you will go far.”

“You have to be authentic.”

“It is how decisions are made in regard to who is allowed to drive a vehicle.”

“You are Three Four One Five Seven Nine.”

There had to be some way to get his license changed.

Strange, he thought, how people who were up in arms, literally, about gun registration, afraid that the government would use that information to keep track of them, had no qualms about the DMV not only knowing their height, weight, hair and eye color, but assigning them a number by which they were identified.

What does that mean for Jorge?

It was time to stand up for himself.

If I can get my phone number changed or be assigned a new credit card number, I can certainly get a new driver’s license number.

It didn’t help.

If the people who were responsible for the fire… the DMV… were willing and able to kill eight people, they were certainly capable of tapping Jim’s phone.

How could anyone fight against that?

What are we going to do?

You’re, what, from the help desk? What is your name? And who is your supervisor?

It doesn’t matter. I know what happened. When doesn’t make any difference.

I’m talking to them in person.

It’s free.

You are specifically licensed to drive a stolen vehicle.

Not following proper procedures. Not obeying the rules.

We thought you deserved something nice.

It may be legal, but it’s wrong.

We’ve got to hit the road! Places to go, people to see. Have fun and drive safely!

So are they going to be arrested?

My advice? Let it go. Don’t get involved, and stay as far away from the DMV as possible.

"I’m here."

"Your wife is dead, and there is nothing you can do about it. Except honor her memory by completing your training."

"Your training is not yet completed."

"People die all the time...but the hard truth is that whether your wife is alive or dead, the DMV still needs employees and you still need a job."

"Maybe so. Or perhaps you are merely not there yet. But either way, your place is here with us."

"Relax," said a buzzing voice in his head, a soft language that was neither English nor Spanish but that he still understood. "Relax."

"Well, my place isn’t here!"

"Beverly was careful with money!"

"You no longer require a roommate. You have worshipped in the Temple. You are part of the family now."

"You’re in your new crib. Isn’t that what you folks from the barrio call it?"

"Beverly was dead? It was impossible, Jorge told himself, but as much as he tried to believe it was not so, he knew that it definitely was possible."

"Your wife is dead, and there is nothing you can do about it. Except honor her memory by completing your training—"

"Maybe so. Or perhaps you are merely not there yet. But either way, your place is here with us."

"His angry desire to escape was gone... Grief had supplanted rage, and he was filled with a sense of utter hopelessness."

"What am I doing? Beverly is dead. Why am I here?"

"He was filled with a complete and utter hopelessness and he wished with all his heart that he had been the one to die, not Beverly."

"He could see none of the drivers, but he heard a car door open and slam shut, and a moment later... he realized that until now, he had not seen a single motor vehicle."

"Your training is not yet completed. Life goes on, and the hard truth is that whether your wife is alive or dead, the DMV still needs employees and you still need a job."

"He felt the faint stirrings of despair within him. No!"

"And he did, as a buzzing voice in his head softly urged, 'Relax.'"

"Nothing good ever came from a call this late."

"I think she might do something."

"Maybe it's not what it seems."

"I think we need to go over there and talk to her. Be with her."

"Isn't it?"

"It's the DMV. So far, they’ve kidnapped Jorge... my license number is from a Nazi concentration camp..."

"You think they wouldn’t stoop to this?"

"Maybe it was just someone who looked like him."

"I thought it was him at the time, but now I’m not so sure."

"I believe it."

“Daddy’s home.”

“He’s dead.” Hearing the word spoken aloud somehow made it more real.

“Maybe we should get out of here.”

“Who says he’s leaving? Besides, I’m not sure a locked door could keep him out. He’s dead.”

“But now the prospect of actually seeing his resurrected dad scared him more he would have thought possible.”},{

"Across the Divide had made it onto the USA Today bestsellers list."

"It’s a perfect storm. I’m pretty sure they’ll bite. And this is national exposure."

"You had a perfect right to be mad, and it’s my fault that we didn’t tell you earlier. I’m sorry."

"Stay as far away from the DMV as possible. Renew your license when you need to, pay for your tags each year, but otherwise don’t have any contact. That place is toxic..."

"Evil?" Todd offered.

"They can’t get away with this, though."

"They can and will. And they have been for a long time."

"Never Again a valiant rallying cry against a reality that is already here."

"This is real life."

"They’re kidnapping people and sending them to training camps to apply for jobs."

"You were trying to snoop. But that’s okay. You think I haven’t looked things up about you? I am in research."

"It’s your call. How that photo is taken is up to your discretion...that’s why Window Twelve is the best place in the office to work."

"The Department of Motor Vehicles is a unique institution, providing services to the public that are available nowhere else, which necessitates that we operate at the highest possible level."

"We expect a lot from all of you, and thanks to the excellent training provided by this glorious camp, we are seldom disappointed."

"Work hard, enjoy your work. Work hard, enjoy your work!"

"Now each person gets only one picture. There are no re-dos or second chances. You take the photo and that’s it."

"We need to document this. From now on, when you come across something screwy, mark it and print it out."

"I’ll do it. Since this directly affects me, and I’m apparently marked for termination, I’m going to look into it as well."

"But you don’t have access to the system."

"I’m part of the family, as they keep telling me, so I should be able to check out the system from my computer at home."

"He was alone, and at that moment knew he was fully awake."

"The specifics of the dream faded... but the feeling of disquiet it had engendered remained."

"It seemed like a wonderful place to work... that the training camp had its own graveyard."

"What happened if he wasn’t chosen? Could he leave and go back to his room?"

"Verbal communication is vital when you work for the Department... you clearly state 'Yes!'"

"Each person gets only one picture. There are no re-dos or second chances... it’s your call."

"You must know something."

"I don’t know if you can hear me... but we’ll figure out some way to communicate."

"Stay there..."

"The camp will teach you a lesson."

I felt a responsibility. After all, I was the one who’d called Jim and wanted to talk.

Just try to think, try to remember...you must know something.

I have no idea if he heard me or not.

What is it? What—

Things could go very wrong here very fast.

Alive or dead, he had to be somewhere; he had not just disappeared into thin air.

It was not just a lone psycho cop I was dealing with, but the DMV as well.

Maybe he’d been mugged and found his way back home.

You can take my license when you pry it from my cold dead fingers.

There was a growing belief that this was somehow connected to the DMV.

"Even if you are who you say you are, you can’t just come to someone’s house and take their license."

"You can take my license when you pry it from my cold dead fingers."

"Alive or dead, he had to be somewhere; he had not just disappeared into thin air."

"It should have been impossible to sleep, but she was one of those people who, rather than remain up all night, fell into a deep slumber when she was under stress."

"Your husband, however, may pick up the vehicle at any time."

"The thing is, most people, including me until I dug this up, think that the DMV is a state agency. And it is. But the state DMV reports to a federal DMV which reports to the global DMV."

"Like I said, they’re secretive. Like a cult. so there’s a lot of stuff I couldn’t find out."

"Don’t you wonder why the DMV suddenly wants everyone to register online? Why they don’t want anyone coming into their offices anymore?"

"That’s what I’m calling it. They don’t call it that. To them, it’s just the DMV, and all these hierarchal distinctions are organic, the way things are and the way they’re supposed to be."

"We can’t let them get away with this. We need to do something about it."

You have to promise that this goes no further than us, though. You can’t tell anyone. Not even Bernard.

Believe me, it’s not.

I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true.

We’ll find a way.

The thing is, a lot of the early references I found indicate that people viewed the DMV as part of the natural order.

Most people, including me until I dug this up, think that the DMV is a state agency. And it is. But the state DMV reports to a federal DMV which reports to the global DMV.

You’re being polite, and that’s sweet.

We can’t let them get away with this.

For God’s sake, let us out!

What that ‘P’ means is that you are authorized to administer punishment in the event of an accident such as this.

"Do you think he did? Danny? Do you think he killed her?"

"I don’t know," Jill said. "Forever?"

"You may address me as ‘Sir.’"

"Drive carefully now."

"Note that she was wearing her shoulder harness but—uh oh!—the air bags did not deploy."

"In an accident, the victim often loses control of bladder or bowels."

"This is why you must always go to the bathroom before getting into a vehicle."

"If you had, or she had—you might have been able to do something about it."

"What that ‘P’ means is that you are authorized to administer punishment in the event of an accident such as this."

"We’ll get out of here. And we’ll bring your sister with us."

Jorge refused to give them the satisfaction, though, and through sheer force of will, he kept the tiredness at bay and pushed on.

Overwork and perpetual tiredness had managed to push grief aside.

If a form said to do something, they did it, no questions asked.

Heart pounding, he glanced quickly around to see if anyone was looking in his direction.

He wouldn’t have done it if he hadn’t been so tired, but that racist jibe was the snot sauce on this shit sandwich of a day.

Jorge punched him in the gut.

He was going to keep that in mind.

Jorge knew that if he punched up, he would be taken down.

“What do the regulations say?”

He was almost certain that the DMV really did consider him one of their own now.

It was clear from the nametags and uniform attire that these were the corpses of DMV employees.

‘Still alive. Todd at camp, too. Get DMV form A131/2B. Find us.’”

She wasn’t sure, since the details were so skimpy, but the way she read it, this DMV form A131/2B would somehow help her find out where he was.

Jorge actually got a message out to us, and we need to act on it. Now.

I don’t know. But we’re wasting time.

It’s literally a two-line text.

This place has changed since the last time I was here.

Rosita had no idea why such a permit would even be offered to members of the public.

We could definitely use the help.

‘We’re here to stop them from doing what they do with their computers.’

"At this particular moment, he was completely happy."

"If we had enough time and enough hands on deck, we probably could steer this Titanic in a different direction."

"What’s the plan?" "Eat breakfast. And after that?" "I’m not sure."

"So let’s see how far we can push that. Let’s see what it really means."

"That’s a chance I’m willing to take. It’s the right thing to do."

"My dad’s been designated a victim. I’m fine with being an accessory."

"I don’t think we’re going to solve anything, but…maybe we’ll be able to help. A little."

"If things have devolved to that extent— I don’t think tweaking a few computer programs is going to make much of a difference."

"There might be a massive backlog if they tried something like that."

"You may enter."

Maybe he didn’t even need to try and escape. Maybe all he had to do was wait.

History wasn’t a straight line, it was a circle.

If Purvis was telling the truth, either the man had no friends or family and had not been missed—or else the DMV had been able to completely cover its tracks.

He didn’t know enough about this place yet to formulate a workable escape plan, but he already had the others monitoring the movements of the staff.

It was a shock to see Jorge here, and while Todd had no idea what was going on, he knew that he could not leave without bringing Rosita’s brother with him.

The thought that Todd was imprisoned here filled her with sorrow and anger.

And if they were to disappear, they would probably never be found.

As soon as we’re free, we’ll blow the lid off this motherfucker.

We stay together, no one’s splitting up. It’ll make it easier and we’ll get out faster.

But I think there’s something we can do to stop them first.

For the first time, Rosita felt the stirrings of real hope.

We are also part of the DMV ‘family.’

What I have here, what we all have, in fact, is permission from the Department of Motor Vehicles to enter this facility.

And yet here we are.

I’m not going to stand here and argue with two recruiters about a policy that seems pretty cut and dried.

We’re getting you out of here.

They didn’t think we’d bring others. And these guys know what they’re doing.

As soon as we’re free, we’ll blow the lid off this motherfucker.

We stay together. No one’s splitting up.

Just because it looks calm out there doesn’t mean it is.

If he had learned anything over the past few months, it was that the DMV was a lot more than just a government agency. Its roots ran far deeper, and its influence was far wider, than anyone knew.

This may be our only chance.

Whatever the DMV was, its origins were in the natural world, in an entity so primal that it had been here before the advent of human beings.

He understood, on a fundamental level, that evil was not just a word that could be applied to acts that were wrong or bad, but was a palpable, tangible thing.

There’s only one way in and one way out, and if those goons show up, we’re trapped.

Maybe it’ll just be normal. At least for awhile.

What were they going to do if the noise started up again? This close, fingers in ears would probably not be enough to keep out the hum.

This was the real temple, he thought. This was where their god lived.

They might manage to disrupt things here or even destroy what was in the clearing, but it would not be permanent, and it would all come back sooner or later.

The massive amount of corroboration online had lent even more credibility to the allegations, and in addition to being examined by journalists, the DMV’s actions were being investigated by other government agencies.

But maybe it won’t be exactly the same.

We finish our work.

Thank you for everything.

He knows how to get in touch if he needs us.

The poor kid’s been through a lot. It’s probably better if he just moves on.

We’re doing the Lord’s work on our own time.

There’s nothing to back it up, but I’m willing to take that chance.

I can’t drive again.

If it had been up to him, Todd would have sent the material to major news outlets.

We really do need to get going.