Lou Raguse
COTTAGE GROVE, Minn. - After what it took for Ray Morgan to get an envelope from the Minneapolis passport office, it was hard not to rip right into it.
"Yeah, I had to hide the envelope so he wouldn't open it," said Ray's wife Sandy.
But first, this couple is waiting for a special guest to witness the first real proof of his 89 years and 9 months on Earth.
That might seem silly when you consider Ray's life story.
After serving in the Navy during World War II, he spent 30 years as a market reporter for the USDA. Yep, the federal government signed his paychecks
But Ray was born at home, like many others during the Coolidge administration. His mother received no birth certificate. His native Iowa county had no record he was born.
That meant Ray couldn't apply for a passport. The Morgans' dream vacation this summer to the Canadian Rockies, to mark Ray's birthday, was in jeopardy.
After Sandy tracked down his baptismal certificate, school transcripts, census records and more, they were off to the passport office.
His TV interview made Ray a bit of a celebrity in Cottage Grove, and the Morgans played it for laughs.
"They could have put a little hair on that head," Ray laughed as he handed the Washington County office worker his passport photo.
And when the application completed, the waiting began.
But one elected official who watched their story with interest helped speed up the process.
"Part of our job is to help citizens with their own dreams. And help them get through the red tape," said Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Klobuchar, fresh off her historic trip to Cuba, wanted to be there when Ray opened the envelope.
"Wow. Look at that, you're probably one of the first 89-year-olds to get your first passport," Klobuchar said as Ray pulled out the passport.
"No, they sent me my grandfather's passport," Ray joked as he pointed at the photo.
The Morgans had fun with this whole ordeal. And that dream vacation is now a reality.
"I hope you have a great trip," Klobuchar told the Morgans before leaving.
The Morgans plan to drive to Washington state before taking a train across the border to see the Canadian Rockies.