Alphabet Soup...

It's the end of the month. That means it's time to call some government agency, right? Today I was on the phone with the nice people at SBA. I don't say that sarcastically. Maybe it's just because I'm comparing them to FEMA...but they are actually pleasant. When they don't know something they say so and they go and get someone to try and help me. Except for the first woman I talked to, but I'm not going to write them all off because of her.
So I'm all psyched because even though it's damn near February, it seems like I'm about to make some progress and get some dough. I start reading through all this paperwork and it wants to provide proof...of flood insurance. Well, I am not a homeowner so where the hell am I going to get that? So that's what I ask the first woman I talk to at SBA. So she says, well they need to see proof that you have insurance on your personal property. I, without skipping a beat, reply that I can't provide proof that I've already insured property I haven't replaced. That's why I need money from them. That stumped her. So then she tried to transfer to me to the legal department. And I got disconnected...
So I called back. So the second guy is very nice. He eats up all my minutes putting me on hold. But it's because he's trying to get his supervisor to explain my situation. Which I don't mind. He sees that I am not a homeowner, so he also wonders why I'd need flood insurance. So he gives me the phone numbers to two people in legal who worked on my case. What a sweetie! So that's what I'm doing tomorrow. Calling SBA's legal department to find out if I can send this paperwork back without proof of flood insurance. I'm saving FEMA for later...

I can't believe it's exactly five months after Katrina and I am still in limbo. Gotta love it!

But it makes me wonder...and I'm only partyly rationalizing. How the hell could I have held down a nine-to-five when I am still spending big chunks of time managing this situation. I joke. But this stuff takes a awhile. I'm not super efficient, but I haven't lollygagged about getting my paperwork in or anything and it's taken months for me to get to this point. When I got a loan number, my SBA adjuster told me I was kind of at the top of the middle of the pile. Which to say most people still hadn't gotten an inspection and therefore hadn't gotten to a point where they were being considered for a loan. It took about eight weeks from my inspection to process my papers and who knows how long this will take and how long till I get some money...
So how could I possibly walk into a leasing office and get an apartment and furniture and food.
It's probably imprudent to say so here, but I haven't received any housing assistance from FEMA. If it weren't for the fact I was with my parents and grandmother I would have nothing more than the clothes on my back. I am also blessed to have the best friends ever and some kind strangers. But Uncle Sam hasn't checked on me since September.
Some would say that's how it should be. But I don't see it that way. I've been paying taxes for a good long time. Long enough to get some damn respect ina time of natural disaster I'd think. I am a single, no dependent, no deduction having citizen! I deserve some respect! I paid my hsare dutifully with no shelters, no credits, no write-offs, no nothing... And now I'm just a number...
Anybody know someone in VA who is familiar with the tax ramifications of the hurricane? For real...I got no receipts...