The "How Did That Happen" Reaction, or, It's 2012 people. Suck it up.

The "How did THAT happen?" reaction is the best name I've come across for shit like this. I had to get a marriage license this week, and I got a doozy.

When giving my parents' last and maiden names to the stern unfriendly lady at the county clerk's office, she gave me one of those "how did that happen?" reactions.

Clerk's Clerk: Your last name is "Mom's-Daddy's"?

Me: Yup!

*Typing occurs*

Clerk's Clerk: Your father's last name is "Mom's", right?

Me: No, his last name is "Mom's-Daddy's" as well.

*Typing occurs*

Clerk's Clerk: And what's your mother's maiden name?

Me: It's "Mom's"- Spelled like the part of my name before the hyphen.

Clerk's Clerk: *NOT TYPING IN SHEER DISBELIEF* Your FATHER took your MOTHER'S name? (Read this in exactly the same tone as if I had just told her that my mother eats babies' faces.)

Me: *bewildered to find that this merits note* Well, they took each other's names?

Clerk's Clerk: *Clearly does not believe me, but types it up anyway.*

Me: HIS maiden name was "Daddy's," if there's a space for that.

Me: *Texts Dad with this story*

Dad: Screw 'em. As I've been saying since 1974.