Drabblage: Taxes

[beer_good_foamy]

Three drabbles for open_on_sunday's challenge "Tax". One sad, one historical, one kinda silly.

Sacrifice

The difference between taxes and extortion is fickle. Basically, extortion is forced upon people by someone else; taxes are paid by the people for the people. At least that's the idea.

So in the grander scheme of things, it makes sense: rather than let those who are stronger take whatever they want, mankind taxed itself; the first safety net. One girl with the power to fight... for a while. And then another.

As for the tears cried in private by parents and loved ones... well, no system of taxation was ever fair. Some people always pay more than their share.


Stood up to The Man and gave him what for

Over time, history changes. Truth becomes metaphor, myth becomes fact. We become more enlightened.

For instance: Prince John demanded taxes no honest man could pay, so a green-hooded rebel rose up to rob from the rich, give to the poor and reinstall God-fearing King Richard.

(Funny how history is always men fighting over material riches, isn't it?)

Then there are legends that the Sheriff of Nottingham was never seen in daylight, that Friar Tuck practiced something older than Jerusalem, and that Maid Marian was the best bowman in England and could kick Little John's ass... but obviously, that's dark-age fairytales.


Big Bad

"But it's not fair, Giles!"

"I'm afraid we shall simply have to accept that."

"That's ridiculous! What's the point of bringing a supernatural warrior back from the dead if she won't fight evil?"

"Mystical forces are one thing, Anya, but the human world has rules -"

"Screw the rules! You may come from a communist European country, but this is America! Home of free enterprise and capitalism! I've worked my ass off for this, no way I'm just going to hand it over to -"

"I don't care! I will NOT ask Buffy to slay the IRS, and that's final!"

Comments

[thepadre.livejournal.com]

*WEG!* *squee!*

Three great little stories! Loved the 2nd one the best, though. Speaking of Merry Men, have you caught Robin Hood on BBC America? It's actually not to bad (and Lady Marian does kick her fair share of butt, too!)

Thanks for sharing your stories. :)

[frogfarm]

ARR! All three of these are awesome, together they form a perfect troika.

(I've been having to suffer through the new "Robin Hood" (scare quotes deliberate) whenever we're visiting a friend's house. I was neutral until the dialogue included a modern-culture pun that was so horrible my brain has completely blocked it out.)

[tessarin.livejournal.com]

Like the 1st and the third.

[boy-named-susie.livejournal.com]

These are great. I really love the first one with the parallels between taxes and the slayer line. Really inspired.

[scarlettlily.livejournal.com]

These were great, the first was heart-wrenching, the second silly and good, and the third was hilarious.

[jaded-jamie.livejournal.com]

LOL That is awesome!

[empressvesica.livejournal.com]

All awesome but #2 is my favorite.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

clever as always. :)

[rayruz.livejournal.com]

Still in the process of reading through all your stuff and I came across the Robin Hood one and gotta say, Maid Marian a slayer? I could totally see that... especially portrayed as she is on the new BBC series.