I was doing my weekly shopping this morning at the Super Walmart where my husband works. I got in the checkout line with my turkey burgers, carrots, tortillas, all the other stuff I need to survive the coming week and oh, three bottles of wine. The cashier asks me for my id. I laugh a little, since I'm 43, but hey, some people are sticklers for rules and I have no real problem with that. So I hand her my driver's license. She looks at it, then at me. Then she shakes her head, "No".

Uh oh. The other people in line are starting to realize there's a problem. I tell her that I was 80 pounds heavier when that photo was taken. She looks back and forth between me and my id. I tell her that I am 43, and 80 pounds lighter. She calls for a manager. The manager looks at my id and me, and shakes her head "No".

So I tell her also that I am 43, and 80 pounds lighter. The other people in line are openly staring at me, and I don't blame them a bit for it. The manager calls over a 3rd person to look at me and my id. I'm getting more and more uncomfortable as employee #3 heads towards the cashier. I didn't want to mention that my husband works there at nights. I didn't want to be the kind of jerk who asks for special privileges because of whom I know. But I also didn't want to have the humiliation of not being able to buy some wine when I'm 43 years old with valid picture id, either.

I break down just as Walmart Associate #3 reaches us. "Oh, um, by the way, my husband works here too. He's Steven in eletronics, who works the night shift." The all stare a me a sec, and then the manager's eyes light up a bit. "Oh, yes! You know, now that mention it, I think I do remember seeing you with him before!" The guy who just walked over confirms. "Yeah, I've seen her with him."

They let me buy my wine. The tell me how great look now. They tell me that I look like "just a baby". I let them know there are no hard feelings, and thank them for the compliments.

But really, I just wanted to buy some wine for the weekend without my weight change being that big of an issue!

Great story!

I know it was anything but fun at the time, but try to take is a compliment. You look young and have lost a ton of weight!

Annie, that's great that not only do you look young, but you've lost 80 pounds! Congratulations to you. It may be time for a new license!

I like your website by the way.

I agree--it's time for a new license!

Jay

Thanks, guys. Yeah, I know it was overall a good thing. But it was just... well, let's just say that I wished it wasn't happening at the time.

And yes, I am looking into getting an updated ID. But this is a big problem owing the fact that my druggie mother had my grandparents adopt me when I was twelve, and my birth certificate now bears their last name rather than the one I was born with and have used my whole life. Which was ok, until the Patriot Act came along. So... long story short, it looks like I have get a legal name change. I have an appointment to speak with a legal aide next Friday.

Hey, maybe since I have to do it anyways, I could just have my real name changed to "Tealeaf"! That would rock!

Oh yes, this has happened to me. I'm trying to hold out on getting my photo updated until we move, which looks like it'll be in the next month..but both my ATM card and my drivers license have photos of me that were taken 100 lbs ago. I've started carrying my passport when I'm going out anywhere and might be carded, since it has a more recent picture (only 30 or so lbs ago) and provides me with a second form of ID.

It gets a little irritating, but it is what it is. At least it isn't the other way around.

Very funny!

I was asked to leave a bar on New Year's because of this same issue. It's also a good thing the girls at the bank know me, they suggested I get a new license because I just don't look like that anymore. As much as I hate going to the DMV, this was a happy chore to do.

When I was 21 I had lost 87 pounds. (Side note: Drinking age was 19 back then) Some friends and I went to a club one night. It was typical at that age to get carded and we all had our ID's ready. The bouncer looked at mine and said NOPE!!! I said it was mine, I had lost weight. He looked again, said "I don't think so. You may have lost weight, but there is NO WAY you can turn that (pointing at my ID) into THIS (now grinning and winking at me). Just then I spot another bouncer....I had graduated with the guy. I pointed to him and said, "I will wait here, you go ask Wayne if he knows who I am and how old I am." He calls Wayne over and before the bouncer can ask, Wayne yells "OH MY GOD KATIEEEEE!!!!! Look at you!!! Damn girl your smokin'!!!" Hugs me, picks me up and spins me around. I said can you let him know that IS my ID. Wayne confirms it is in fact mine. The bouncer returns it to me and says..."If I was you, I would get a new ID!!"

What a great story, Tealeaf! WHo knew that all your hard work would result in such a scene, but how wonderful to look so young and healthy! Congratulations!

I'm 39 and I recently got carded for cigarettes. (Just to explain, I don't smoke. The cigarettes were for my annual girls' trip to Mexico, where three of us all shared the same pack and only smoked about 10 cigarettes in the entire 5 days we there--ten total, not ten each. We threw out the rest.)

I was thrilled to get carded--especially for cigarettes! Isn't the age to buy cigarettes 18! The guy thought I was under 18. That is so awesome! When I bought the cigarettes, the guy asked if I had ID and I answered "yes" but didn't bother to take it out my wallet because I couldn't imagine that he really needed to see it. So he sort of looked at me funny and I said "oh, you mean you want to see it?" and he said yes, and I said "Wow! I'm 39! But here you go." He was shocked that I am 39. I was so excited I could barely contain myself and I've told all my friends.

Sadly, I had to get a new drivers license so my picture looks like me. The state of CA made me. I guess every so often they make you update the picture on your license and my time was up. It's a bummer because my old picture really didn't look that bad. My hair was really long and I sort of looked my Marsha Brady in it, but it wasn't a bad picture. In the new picture, I look like I'm drunk. It's awful. My face is read and blotchy and I have this drunken expression. It's not my imagination; my friends agree it is a horrible picture. And now I have to live with for who knows how long.

Tealeaf, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy getting carded as much as I did. I can see where it would be hassle if you just wanted to get out of there and they are calling everyone over to look at your license.

Can you "lose" it and get another one? Might be worth the 15 bucks (or whatever).

I don't know why people taking the photos have to be such jerks. If the picture doesn't look great they should TAKE ANOTHER ONE. Sheesh, I realize it's the DMV and all, but they can't take 10 seconds out of their day to make a person happy everyday for 5 years??

My lady in October was SO nice, she showed me the picture and asked me if I liked it!!!

I've had the opposite happen to me. I had gained over 100lbs since my drivers license and used to get double takes when I was carded at the airport.

I am so glad to be close to my drivers license weight again - I don't need those double takes to consistently remind me how much I gained. But I would not mind them to remind me how much I lost!

Lori

Yeah, I'm planning on getting a new ID at the end of this summer, just in case. I figure that by the time I get the next opportunity (December) I might REALLY not look like myself... haha.

I love it!