Check out this errand running bad beat story that put me on life tilt.
My CPA filed my return electronically, but it was up to me to mail the checks by the 15th (what I owed for last year and my first estimated payment for this year, also due on the 15th. The total was a sick 5 figures. ugh.)
I had looked up several 24 hour post office locations online yesterday and figured it would be no big deal to run over to one of those. Blah, Blah, I know. Why wait until the last minute? But it was just the act of actually mailing two letters that I had waited to do. Why pay before I had to? That was my logic...
It was about 7:15pm. I printed directions to one 24 location and left, but it turns out I had clicked on the wrong one and had to go back home to get the real directions. I print out the correct directions and am on my way again. But after a wrong turn on the way there, when I finally arrive my frustration is compounded by finding out that even though they are open...they aren't post marking letters for the 15th. FRICK!
I call my wife in an attempt to get some phone numbers so I can call places instead of going all the way home again. But...being distracted while on the phone I get on the wrong side of the highway. It takes me a while to realize this. I wasn't familiar with this part of town. Then when I finally get back to the street I need I make ANOTHER wrong turn because I'm pissed off and not thinking about the fact that I'm coming from the opposite direction...sigh.
Finally I arrive home and am determined to find out EXACTLY where to go. The lady at the place that wasn't post marking had given me a location that it turns out had closed at 7pm. So, I find another place online that is listed as 24 hours. It is 11-12 miles north of me. I call them and ask if they are post marking. He says YES! Hurray!
I am on my way and calmed down now. The USPS website lists them as 24 hours and I got confirmation that they are postmarking. What could go wrong? I arrive and go inside the mini mart to the post office counter in the back. I ask if they have a special basket for IRS stuff...but he has a look on his face I don't like...he says, "We closed at 10pm, sorry." I look at my cell phone...it's 10:02pm. WTFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you SERIOUS?!
LIFE TILT! It felt like getting one-outed. It seemed like I had been driving around forever. I was hungry. And I STILL had these stupid letters sitting on my passenger seat. So I ask the guy where to go. He gives me the location down by the airport that is SURE to be postmarking. FINE. It was completely the opposite direction that I had just driven. It was pretty much the furthest I could go and still be in Las Vegas.
I had actually tried to call that location earlier...and I would have gone. But the number listed for them went to a fax machine. I figured the numbers might be switched by mistake so I call the listed fax number and it just rang forever. That's why I went to the location where a human actually answered and confirmed the post marking. You'd think he would have mentioned something about them closing at 10pm when I call him at 9:35. And why had the official USPS site listed it as 24 hours? @%#$!%^#!
So I stop for some Jack in the Box and make my way down by the airport. Sure enough there is a line of cars, people directing traffic, and mail men with big baskets taking letters from people as they drive by in the post office parking lot. It was 11pm by the time I was rid of the letters.
I got home around 11:20pm. So, 4 hours and 100 miles later I had finally mailed my letters...containing sick amounts of money paid to the order of the United States Treasury. Now THAT'S tax Pwning!!!!
