Death BY taxes

I pay taxes, like most human beings on the planet. Except the folks in Monaco. And Cayman. And the Bahamas. I think I get it. If you don’t live by the sea where it’s sunny and warm, you pay taxes. There. It’s a lose-lose situation.

In order to save myself the headache, stress and complexity, I usually hire someone to complete the paperwork for me. That way, I figure, it’s done early, properly and I don’t have to worry about it.

That’s when I met the amateur accountant from hell…
She placed an ad, she seemed competent. She promised to do it in five days. It’s longer then I would have liked but I said ok to be agreeable. Hey, I’m easy going.

Then…I can’t go through everything again. Not one deadline was ever met; promises were numerous but never kept, phone calls always 2 days late. By the time I realized I just wanted the hell out, I had been to her house twice for nothing (30 minutes drive). I had done all the research and accounting myself over and over to make sure she didn’t make a mistake. I had to inform her of what was more advantageous for me. I gnashed my teeth waiting on her, waiting on her and waiting some more. The whole time, she danced along, completely oblivious that I was less than happy and that she was giving me a sub-standard service.

I breathed in and out slowly. I went from my lovely friendly self to something barely cordial.

The last straw was after I thought everything was finally done and over with (and I barely avoided an ulcer), finding out that she didn’t seem to have sent the right form. The copy she gave me for my records had other data, depriving me of over a thousand dollars in tax returns.

I paid fifty dollars for the privilege of this nightmare. When I finally gave her a piece of my mind, and believe me, it was a large piece, she was stunned, hurt, bewildered, close to tears. She couldn’t understand. She thought she had gone out of her way to give me good service.

Do you ever find yourself in a situation with another person where you simply think:
“One of the two of us comes from another planet. Is it me or her/him?”
It’s a really odd feeling.

Guess what? Next year, I’M FILING MY OWN.

Lesson of the day:
Self reliance!

At some point, I will share my conclusions from Katrina and the bird flu. Yes, there’s a link. Stay tuned for more on the thrilling life of a North American tax paying citizen. Hey, I don't live by the ocean and it's frigging cold here. The least I can do is pay taxes.