Taxes and Friends

Now that my travails with the truck appear to over, it's time to comment on Taxes and Friends.

Taxes first, on the theory of getting the unpleasant stuff out of the way.

Presuming that you actually pay attention when you are doing your taxes, work out the percentage that the Feds, State (and maybe city) keep of your money. Then, factor in sales, excise, and property taxes. Assuming that you are actually in the taxpaying class, you'll be dismayed. If you're like me, you'll then be totally cranky. THEN, if you're as annoyed as I am, do a quick-and-dirty analysis of what your money gets spent on.

Grrr.....

On to more pleasant subjects.

What's a friend? Who are they? How can you tell?

OWW's definition runs like this:

My friend will come over to my house and open my fridge (He/She either has a key, or knows where the key is, and uses it whenever they please. I trust He/She - and He/She doesn't abuse that trust), see that I'm out of beer, and call me on my cell to let me know. Ten minutes later, he calls back to say that he's on his way to the store anyway, so don't worry about the beer, and what do I want for dinner?

My friend will listen to me babble on about something about which I know next to nothing, and will call bullshit on me right to my face.

My friend, when I call yelling for assistance, drops whatever he's doing and comes a-running. I'll also get a very hard time later for being semi-stupid in public. If it's really bad, I get a great silence about my stupidity.

When I'm feeling down and melancholy, my friend tries to move me along.

When I get too full of myself, my friend brings me back to reality.

When things go really well, my friend celebrates with me - without envy.

When things go sour, my friend commiserates with me - and not even one "I told you so". (Unless it involves a car's mechanical workings - which generates a few "Dummy" and "Idiot" comments. The favor is generally returned at a later date. What goes around, comes around!)

I have many nice, pleasant acquaintences.

I have a few dear and close friends.

Bob, Charley and Sharon, Tom and Kathy, Mikey, Bud, Brad and Susan.

So, today, when I was sniveling and moaning about our tax bill, Charley says "Hey! You should be happy! You're making enough money to complain about your taxes!"

Yah.

I think I said pretty much the same thing to him last week...