Welcome to Mayberry

Have you ever had a feeling you might be on Candid Camera?  I have.  Today was one of those day.



A few days ago I received a “Warrant” for non payment of excise taxes.    Say What?  Turns out it was for a car that we had last year that was totaled in an accident.  OK – no problem.  So I called the “warrant” collector.  Sorry – can’t help you, you have to call your town  hall.  OK.  Call town hall and explained that the car had been taken off the road in December and subsequently the plate was transferred to the replacement car in January.  The less-than-helpful lady said “Well, I can’t figure this out.   I don’t understand how this could happen.”.  “Um, OK, but what can I do about it?”.    “Well you have to get an abatement form and a letter from your insurance company.”.  OK.  Done. 

So I go to town hall.   As you enter there is a counter that is about 8 feet long.  I walk up to the right side of the counter because the other side was cluttered with paper.  Blonde lady comes up, asks me what I’m here for.  I explain it to her and she says “Oh, that’s for the assessor.  You’ll have to go to the other end of the counter.”.  As in slide 3 feet over?  “Yes.” she said.   Ummmm ….. alrighty then.  So I slide over 3 feet and the woman returns to her seat to tell the woman directly facing her that she has a customer.  At this point I am convinced that I am on Candid Camera. 

The assessor lady has probably worked there since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  And she had an attitude.  She gave me a knowing stare….tax evader!



To make a long story short after much to do, assessor lady just kept saying she doesn’t know how this could happen.  Expecting me to give her the answer!  Clearly the original car had been totaled.  Clearly the plate had been transferred.  Clearly the bill had been paid.   And the proof was in the pudding.  In the end, blonde lady came back and settled the matter.  Such a surreal experience.
Free at last, free at last….

P.S.   We are all different so I am not suggesting that she was too “old” to be doing the job.  Just too jaded.  I once worked for a man who was 92 and came into the office every day.  And it was a pleasure seeing him every day.  This lady “is” her job.  On a little power trip I think.