Comic: Red Tape Hell, 2015
Jul. 30th, 2025 01:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lb_leeWow, y'all really stepped up for the banned book sale. Y'all sure showed me! Much gratitude to all y'all; with fans like you, I am truly blessed.
This was the winner of the fan poll and paid for by supporters at LiberaPay and Patreon! Originally printed in 2015 for the floppy copies of All In the Family #3, they were cut from the final paperback version. Now they live again!
Text-only transcript in the comments below!
This was the winner of the fan poll and paid for by supporters at LiberaPay and Patreon! Originally printed in 2015 for the floppy copies of All In the Family #3, they were cut from the final paperback version. Now they live again!
Text-only transcript in the comments below!
Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-30 05:18 pm (UTC)PAGE 1
These comics are from 2015, simple black and white diary comics.
March 16th: LB's vessel is on the phone with Social Security. "I'm moving; here's my new address in MA," they say. Social Security replies, "Okay!
May 10th: LB, hair growing out, looks at a food stamps denial notice with confusion. They call the Department of Transitional Assistance, which says, "Well, you see, you didn't send us this document we didn't ask for... Also, Social Security says you're in Ohio."
"I've sent y'all my lease!" LB protests.
"Sorry," the DTA replies. "Means jack all without SS's approval."
LB calls SS: "Have y'all processed my address change yet?"
"Yup!"
Back with the DTA: "Nope, they haven't. Still in Ohio. By the way, your time's up. You have to reapply." LB's hair is really growing out now.
LB, getting increasingly agitated, calls SS yet again, only to hear, "Oh! Your MAILING address is in MA, but your HOME address is still in Ohio!"
"WHY?!" LB cries.
"Due to a security issue, we can not say."
LB covers their eyes for a moment. When their hand comes down, they are in control, though glaring into the distance. "How. Do. I . FIX IT."
"You have to do it in person, at our office."
Footnote: each call required 30-120 minutes of hold time. We get 240 minutes a month.
PAGE 2
June 11th: A very annoyed LB, hair long and shaggy, gets on a bus. After two hours at the SS office, the SS employee says, "Oh yes, all address changes have to be done in person. Didn't you know? Our website..."
"I couldn't do an account," LB says. "They said I had to do it here."
The worker rummages. "Huh. Our program doesn't recognize your address, so we'll make your account via postal mail."
LB's scowling face shows that none of this nonsense surprises them anymore.
"Oh, did you know your SSDI rejection from 2012 was in error? Let's fill out a new application!" Out comes more paperwork, which is all very useful and leads to better things later but in the moment is just More Fucking Shit.
LB, face flushed, eyes glaring, vein throbbing in forehead, remains silent as the SS person continues, "Also, we need your tax forms from 2014; your case has been under review since February."
Two more hours later, LB stomps out of the Social Security Office (labeled HELL) and thinks, "Well, at least it's over, and I never have to do it again."
July 1st, 10 AM: our (2nd) food tsamps interview. LB, hair fluffy and even longer now, sits glaring at their non-ringing phone.
Noon: LB calls THEM because social services have pulled this shit before, skipping out on appointments and then punishing LB for it. They pace back and forth, glowering into space as the hold message cheerfully informs them, "Your call is very important to us..."
2PM*: The DTA goes, "Oh, you have SSDI? We need documentation."
LB, tearing up and borderline hysterical, goes, "I don't have any! I don't get it till tomorrow!"
*Footnote: half our phone minutes--burned on hold on one call on the first day of the month!
PAGE 3
Two weeks later: at long last, LB gets their precious letter from the DTA: "You have been approved for food stamps!"
Weeping with gratitude, LB goes "yogurt milk cheese ahaha!"
Then they see the rest of the letter: "...for the amount of sixteen dollars a month, due to red tape involving SSDI."
LB puts the letter down. A tear is in their eye. They let their head thud to the desk, surrounded by papers. Next to them, their cell phone vibrates.
"Hi, SSI here. What's this about an MA state check? Don't you live in Ohio?"
LB put up both middle fingers.
Footnote: And that's how Mir and Rogan burned out and got a social worker. --M.D.
Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-30 11:31 pm (UTC)Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-30 11:37 pm (UTC)Oh and it improves SEO apparently but I care less about that.
Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-30 11:53 pm (UTC)Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-31 12:18 am (UTC)Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-30 11:51 pm (UTC)Oh . my. Satan! It was so annoying!
At least we have unlimited minutes.
Also, SS doesn’t have enough neon to be hell.
-Angel
Re: Text-only transcript
Date: 2025-07-31 12:17 am (UTC)Fortunately, we have more minutes now (because we gave up the welfare phone, said fuck it, and bought a dumb phone pay-as-you-go plan.)