Rolfe says if there are any issues with Garman's Social Security number, her agency would be notified and would send Garman a letter indicating he needs to clear up those discrepancies.

Garman has other legal issues he's working on. He still has a traffic fine for driving without license, insurance or registration, and a misdemeanor domestic violence charge.

But Randall K. Edwards, an attorney who recently started working with Garman, says if he actually does have a valid Social Security number and state identification card, Garman should be able to overcome those other obstacles.

"Ultimately, I have every confidence that he's going to be OK," Edwards said. "He truly can see some bright light at the end of the tunnel."

That light almost didn't happen Monday. He first went to the division $8 short of the $18 he'd need to get a state ID card.

He sold some DVDs to a friend to get some cash, then went back but didn't have proof of address. Finally, just before 3 p.m., he went back to the Driver License Division with everything he needed.

Now, Garman is relieved to finally be able to show an identification that wasn't issued by a correctional facility — for years his prison ID was his only photo ID.

"It's out of my wallet," he says. "It's going to go up in a frame on my wall. ... It's going to become a conversation piece."

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E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com