To the North Carolina Department of Revenue

North Carolina Department of Revenue
P.O. Box 25000
Raleigh, North Carolina 27640-0002

Dear North Carolina,

Glad to hear from you again! I’m disappointed that the letter was all money, money, money, but hey, I’ve finally come to terms about that being the focus of our relationship.

I wish you had been around yesterday; I really needed some help. I was driving to Lowe’s (going to shop at your friends’ places – even though you haven’t spent much in my neighborhood!) when a little dog ran out in front of me. I swerved to miss him and ran off a 10-foot embankment into a cow pasture. Fortunately, it was only my truck that suffered. I called 911 right after the wreck. No one showed up except for a kindly neighbor and the owner of the pasture.

At my doctor’s behest, I went to the emergency room that evening. During my intake, I finally got to speak to one of your highway patrolmen – a full five hours after the accident! He asked me mostly about drinking. I suppose he went to my house to look at my truck.

But I digress. Regarding your tax assessment dated October 10, 2006, your records show that I paid nothing in income tax. I asked my then-employer why you said I paid no taxes and they couldn’t figure out why. They found a piece of paper showing that they had indeed sent you $1,015.08. Comparing your letter of October 10 with the W-2 from my old employer, it seems I owe you 329.92.

I also recall filing state taxes that year, but being buried in mounds of my wife’s immigration paperwork that year, I suppose my copy got misplaced.

If it will make you happy, I’ll send you the $329.92. It will have to wait for a while, though – got that truck wreck to pay for.

Katya, my wife, and Vera, my daughter, send their best.

Sincerely,
Jeff Redman