The list of activities we'd rather do than wait in line for vehicle tabs could rival the contents of the Oxford English Dictionary. But as with any form of torture, there are degrees of misery, and what gets you through are the tiny graces. So it is at the Midtown DMV. The pampering starts with a play area: a scale model of a city bus where fussy toddlers are distracted with climbing and steering and calling out imaginary stops. Then there are the TV screens, which broadcast a brilliant blend of public service announcements and home videos of dogs, cats, and parrots doing things that make humans laugh. And when your number is up, it's like the people at the counter are there to help. It's a novel concept, and we're hoping it catches on.