Avoiding Face to Face contact

I spent all afternoon one day last week to find out about getting social security benefits for Josh. After a few hours I finally got no information, but did get an appointment. But you'd think it would be in person so I can show them the forms they want to see. No. It's a telephone appointment. I am to be waiting for them to call me. I'm not sure why I have to wait almost a month for a phone call, but that's what I have to do. And get this... for this "telephone" appointment, I am supposed to have the following proof: bank statement or checkbook for the account where payments should be deposited, proof of age (birth certificate), proof of death (death certificate). Maybe I'm stupid, but even if I have those documents in my hand, how am I supposed to prove to the person on the PHONE that I have them and they are real? From the letter they sent I guess the phone talk is to file the application. What the heck did I do for the 3 hours waiting in the office? So I guess then I applied to to get a phone call to apply for benefits? And then I suppose I'll still have to take a day off of work to go "show" my documents as proof that Josh is elegible for benefits. What does it take to talk to real people face to face these days and in a timely manner?