Category — Stupid Tax

Have you ever heard anyone say, “You create your own luck”? Well, I believe that’s true for the most part.

About five or six weeks ago, the license plate on my truck expired. I got a notice in the mail and set it aside for the time being. It wasn’t that I didn’t have the money…..it was only $48(my truck is 8 years old). But anyway, I set it aside planning to deal with it later. Well several weeks went by, and I didn’t think anything about it. I’m sure you’ve guessed by now, that I went through a road-block. The conversation went something like this -

Officer: Did you realize your tag was expired, sir?

Me: Yeah, I knew it went out.

Officer: Just pull right up over there and wait.

I pull up and wait, and am kicking myself…….(metaphorically speaking)

Officer: Just call this number or go to the courthouse on or before this date, show them receipt proving that you’ve bought a tag, and they should throw the ticket out.

Me: Yes sir.

Once again, I set the ticket down when I get home and don’t worry about it……for the time being. I go the next day and buy a new tag. I realized the night before the court date that the date was upon me. I meant to call before hand and get the matter settled. Now I’ve got to go down there and sit in court with approximately 50 other people. I was embarrassed when the bailiff said, “All Rise, the honorable…….”. The judge happened to be a fellow church member. Arrrggghhh!

To make a long story short, by putting off the $48 dollar tag, I ended up with a ticket that cost me $137, plus the $48 tag, and a morning sitting in traffic court in front of a judge who I go to church with. If I had taken care of the stupid tag when the notice came in the mail, I would have saved myself a lot of grief, embarrassment, and money…………STUPID TAX.