On a recent Friday afternoon, Candace Alexander was back at the Driver Services Center on Bonny Oaks Drive for the second time in a day. She'd spent the day going back and forth between the center and the Social Security Administration with two sick children in tow.
And, predictably, the line at the driver center was long. But boring? Not today.
That's because Ben Schnell and Shawnessey Cargile were there, too, with a different purpose: to make people's waits more fun. They came with hot chocolate, crossword puzzles and the materials to build a small putt-putt course.
"Hot chocolate while you wait?" Cargile asked as he passed out full cups.
Schnell put on a wild, spiky wig, unpacked scissors and cardboard boxes, and began fashioning obstacles for the putt-putt course. This was Schnell's second time at the driver center performing what he calls a "random act of pure joy."
"Basically, we go to places where people are not enjoying themselves," Schnell said. "We try to make that experience less horrible."
It's hard to get people to participate in putt-putt. They're just not sure what to think of playing games in the waiting area.
So Schnell went first. After a couple of putts, people were gathering around and giving him pointers. And then, something unusual happened in the center's waiting area.
Laughter.
Alexander's kids giggled and pointed at the ball. For other people, it was just the sight of Schnell in his wig, playing mini-golf, that induced the smiles.
But it didn't last long. After about 20 minutes, state officials approached Schnell and Cargile and told them, sorry, you'll have to leave. This isn't allowed.
So they packed up, went outside and set up in front of the building.
Schnell and Cargile were at the driver center as part of an organization they recently started called "Excited About Life," and Schnell said people have misconceptions about them.
"First, they probably just think we want money," Schnell said. "Or they think that we're part of a religious organization, like we're going to ask them to go to church."
But really, they just want to do more things like they've done at the driver center -- show up without warning and bring people unexpected joy.
Contact staff writer Mary Helen Miller at mhmiller@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6324.
Ben Schnell plays putt-putt inside the Driver Services Center on Bonny Oaks Drive in 2015. Schnell and Shawnessey Cargile came with games and hot chocolate to make people's time waiting in line more fun.