Life and Taxes

     Like many throughout Neopia, Bob was an accountant. Boring but honest work that was important to keep society running. Accountants all throughout Neopia made sure Neopians were paying their fair share in order to have a more equitable society. This was not done by land; rather, each land contributed to the big pot and the redistribution would happen from there.

     Bob was not in charge of redistribution, although he hoped that he could be promoted there someday. Bob was a middle manager out of Brightvale. He would take the finances collected from the grunt worker Tax Beasts and document who it came from, where it came from, when it came from, and how much before sending it up the chain. It was very important to know who was paying their fair share to ensure they wouldn’t be unfairly taxed again.

     This balance of taxation works well for many, but there are always a few that get angry by the taxes. They reap all the benefits of a clean, safe, fun, equitable Neopia yet don’t want to pay into it. This always irritated Bob, and he was so happy to take their complaints and remind them of the luxuries provided by taxes. He reminded them that he could join Sloth’s army, and although they would still be taxed there they do not get the benefits provided.

     But that was not today. There was no time to take complaints nor respond to complaints. Tomorrow was the day the big boss was coming to take the Neopoints from the vault and transfer it to the main headquarters. The rest of the week would be communicating with headquarters making sure their numbers matched Bob’s office’s numbers before settling back into the routine of collecting for next year. Tax season was always the most stressful but in the end it would all be worth it, for Neopians would be able to see the next round of improvement plans and quest log subsidy prizes and they would understand. And despite knowing all of that, Bob just did not have the motivation to take care of the housekeeping he needed to. The main work was done so it really did not matter in the end if he did anything else or not by tomorrow. Mostly he just wanted this week to be over. He could only be told “great work” so many times before being passed over for a promotion. Although he knew the work he did was important and he was proud of his contributions, he really yearned for the recognition he felt he deserved. His heart was not in it like it used to be when he was younger and full of hope. He had one of the fastest Tax Beast to Manager promotions in Neopian history yet remained stagnant ever since.

     Bob looked back up at the clock. 11:04.

     “Arg!!” he grunted in frustration.

     This was the problem. He was too efficient, thus always had the extra time to do extra work. It kept getting him nowhere so this year he committed to stop doing the extra work and then let his bosses see just how much he does. He fantasised about them coming in and being disappointed in how little was done compared to last year, making them reconsider their past promotions. It would make them beg him to do the extra work to make their jobs easier again, and he would hold firm on his desire to be promoted or he wouldn’t ever do it again. They would cry and beg and throw a bigger salary at him.

     11:07.

     So what was he supposed to do until tomorrow? Work was Bob’s life and he was never good with time off or vacations. Or, frankly, hobbies or friends. Not even a petpet. He was so focused on his work and helping others he forgot to have a personality and interests himself. Work consumed him, and even with all of that his bosses did not care. Maybe that’s why they didn’t care: they knew they could exploit that.

     Was it time for Bob to reevaluate his life? Chasing a promotion that would never come and not having a work-life-balance was fulfilling to Bob until now suddenly it just wasn’t.

     11:08.

     Was time going slower?

     Bob got up from his desk and opened the door to his office. He stood out in the hall for a minute and watched the Tax Beasts file their paperwork, vault their Neopoints, rotate in and out of the door. Everyone was so productive and so happy. He remembered finding joy in his productivity but now that he had nothing to show for it he regretted wasting so much time.

     He slowly walked to the back where the vault was, his subordinates chirping “hi” to him or giving him a respectful “sir” with a nod. He looked at the stacks of Neopoints being counted and re-counted with piles of papers, calculators, folders, and just general mess scattered throughout. Looked good enough.

     He went next door to the server room. Although he was not a technical guy, he knew enough that he shouldn’t be in here. But he figured it made him look busy. He stared at the lights for some time before he noticed how hot it was in that room. Across the hall was the employee break room, a place he hadn’t truly been to in years. He worked through every break, if he even remembered to eat at all. He saw others laughing, talking, trading jokes and stories. He remembered having that when he was a Tax Beast, but that was so long ago. He hadn’t seen that crew in years, they had long moved on either to the position Bob wished for from the tax industry completely. If he reached out, would any of them even remember him? He quickly moved on from that room before his employees saw him cry.

     He continued to wander the building looking around taking it all in. It was full of memories, both good and bad, but was it something he was ready to step back from? If not professionally at least personally; perhaps give himself some time to rediscover himself and his passions in life. There had to be more to him than work. Right?

     Bob went back to his office and pondered that question. He wrote a Pros and Cons list about quitting, and then another about getting promoted, then another about staying where he was at, and another about trying to find more meaning in his life outside of work. Bob loved paperwork normally, but this was way more overwhelming than he had anticipated when he first sat down. Fortunately, that took enough time and it was nearly 5pm by the next time he looked at the clock.

     He never left at 5 before, always stayed late. He thought he would get in trouble for leaving early, but then he remembered that he was the boss and that was actually on time. When the door to his office clicked to signify it was locked behind him the whole floor went silent. Clearly, others were not used to him leaving early on time before either. Everyone stared at him as he silently and quietly walked through the office. He thought he should say something but he didn’t know what to say. He couldn't find the words and he was terrible at lying. So he just walked out the door leaving everyone, including himself, confused.

     Bob went home, ate his little dinner for one, and laid in bed. He stared at the ceiling realising he was having what others may call a mid-life crisis. Bob used to think those were for silly folks with no passion or purpose, but Bob realised he was the silly one. His mind raced and raced with swirling thoughts of seeing the big boss in the morning, the rest of the week, the next fiscal year, the next decade, the rest of his life. It was so much and so little all at once he felt anxious. His chest was heavy and breathing was difficult. And then suddenly he was out.

     His alarm bolted him awake. Was yesterday nothing more than a nightmare? Were those inadequate feelings just stress dreams?

     He laid there for a minute before realising that no, that it was real. And he knew then had to make a change.

     He got ready for work, slipped into his best clothes, and marched out of his Neohome with pride and a purpose he hadn’t felt since he was first promoted to manager. He spent so much time yesterday agonising over his life because he forgot to live it. He knew that had to stop now. He wasn’t going to quit, but he wasn’t going to let work consume him. He was even going to take a vacation.

     When he got in, right on time at 9, the big boss and some of his accountants were already there.

     “Ah, Bobby boy, so good to see you. Little late for you though, huh?”

     “No, sir, I’m trying out something new.”

     His boss shrugged and went back to discussing something with one of the Tax Beasts.

     His accountants were bustling around the office wheeling out stacks of Neopoints, collecting papers, filing other papers, checking things off, murmuring to one another. Bob wasn’t worried that he didn’t do his usual prep yesterday, he trusted his crew.

     He wasn’t interested in chit chat so he went to retreat to his office.

     “Hey, where are you going? You know there’s another position opening up at headquarters, if you’re interested in applying.”

     Bob stopped in his tracks and tensed up. He had never been specifically asked to apply before. Maybe this was it?

     He shook his head, unsure if he was saying no to being interested or telling himself to not get interested.

     “Sir, respectfully, I have given years of my life to service with little to show for it. I have no friends, family, hobbies, anything. I’ve never even had a vacation. I want to live. There’s more to life than pushing paper. And I want to find out what. It is time. I do so much so others can live in a just and equitable Neopia that I forgot I am also part of Neopia. I deserve it too.”

     His boss was taken aback. Bob had never said so much at once before. He didn’t know what to say.

     Bob took a breath and continued. “I am proud of the work I do. It is thankless at best and scary at worst, but important for our world. I just think I need more in my life than work. I need a life.”

     His boss was angry at first, and Bob felt it. He held his breath for a moment. But his boss seemed to soften and get less red with fury as he took this in. He actually pondered what Bob was saying. He too had spent much of his life working. He barely saw his kids as they were growing up and although he had a lovely Neohome he was barely there and had no friends to fill it with. He knew this, but tried not to think about it much. Instead he threw himself deeper and deeper into work instead of processing these emotions or making a change over the years. But now his kids barely called and his wife was all but a stranger; he feared it was too late to rectify that. So he worked even harder. And harder. And harder. And demanded more of the same from others as a result. No one had confronted him on this before though. Maybe his way was actually wrong for all these years?

     “Bob, I hate to say it, but I think you’re right. You young ones are right with all your talk about needing a work and life balance. I regret working as hard as I did sometimes. Even still, the promotion is yours if you want it. I think that mentality would be beneficial at headquarters much more than the grinding mindset we seem to have. Up to you. No pressure. After this week, feel free to use your vacation hours and think about it. But we do need to get through this week, you know. If that’s okay with you.”

     Bob thought about this for a minute. Should he demand the time and leave now? That felt like the bravest thing to do at this moment, but it didn’t feel like the most correct thing to do in his heart. Bob wanted to stay true to himself in all aspects of his life from now on. And, at this time, he agreed that it meant working. He wasn’t giving in or losing his sense of self; rather, he was working with a new understanding of his sense of self and appreciation for his job and in turn for his days off.

     “I will take the time off. But yes, I agree with you, let’s finish this tax season. For Neopia!”

     The rest of the week flew by as Bob planned his vacation to Mystery Island in between phone calls and paperwork. The following 2 weeks were so relaxing and fun that he regretted ever having to stop. He lounged on the beach, took a tour, and bought some souvenirs. But he knew when he returned to work he would have to provide an answer about the promotion; truthfully, he didn’t know if he even wanted it anymore. There was something freeing about letting it all go and finally finding peace with where he was at. He was able to finally begin to see a life worth having and one he could actually build upon instead of chasing a nightmare.

     For two things are inevitable in this world: life and taxes.

     The End.