The day you’ve been dreading has finally arrived… I’m here.

You knew it was coming, you’ve always known, but you haven’t prepared yourself. Sometimes, when something is an inevitability, it’s easier to ignore. Possible to discount, minimise, to continue living your life in deliberate ignorance. But pretending something doesn’t exist doesn’t make it so.

But I’m here, I’m not going anywhere and I’m here to collect my toll. Now the panic sets in, that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, those icy fingers closing around your throat. Those are my fingers, my presence. Inescapable, inevitable, permanent. You can try to reason, to cajole, to barter, but really it makes no difference. At this point the decision has been made, the outcome is decided. All that matters is how you handle the next few minutes. Your final few minutes before it happens.

I rap gently on your proverbial door. A gentle whisper of dread entering your home. Your eyes rest uneasily upon my message, you can’t bear to look but you can’t avert your gaze.

The only sure things in life are death and taxes. And I’m here for you.

I am the tax man.

I’ll see you in court.