Fast for a dead guy...

[Ti Designs]

In December of 1990 I got hit by a truck while riding my bike in Cambridge MA. I was taken to Cambridge Hospital where I was declaired dead. They then put 48 stitches in my leg and I left early the next morning. I didn't feel dead, but I'm not a doctor, nor have I ever been dead before that, so what do I know?

Death (or the paperwork that goes with it) can make living harder than it needs to be. I've had to explain to my bank many times that I'm no longer dead. The DMV just refused to renew my drivers license because I'm dead (they let everyone else in this state drive), and it appears that all of the dead people in Cambridge have joined the NRA (I thought that was kinda weird myself...).

There must be an upside to all of this. Why am I still paying taxes? Why should I have to race against the living? Why should I show up to work - none of the other dead guys do! Half the world doesn't belive I'm alive (the social security office, my bank, the DMV...) and half doesn't belive I'm dead (the police, the tax office, my boss...). I can't get the two sides to talk and figure out if I am indeed dead or not - I still don't feel dead... So now I'm filling out form #SS5 to get my social security number reinstated. There are 17 sections to this form, none of them say "check here if someone at the hospital screwed up".

Does this happend to anyone else?

[Bruce K]

TiD-

That is definitely one for the books. Somehow, it is appropriate that this is happening here in Massachusetts where bing dead has never prevented anyone from voting.

Good luck with getting your life back. I can almost guarantee that the IRS will never give up on haunting you.

Speaking of haunting, maybe you could hire yourself out at parties as a real live ghost. There may be other income opportunities here. I am sure if you made a few calls around Salem in October you could be gainfully employed at any of a number of establishments, given that you are dead.

Again, good luck. Dealing with the MA and Federal burocracies will be a real treat.

BK

[davids]

In December of 1990 I got hit by a truck while riding my bike in Cambridge MA. I was taken to Cambridge Hospital where I was declaired dead.

...

Does this happend to anyone else?
It's a good thing you waited until after Easter before posting this! ;)

[slowgoing]

Maybe it's still 1990 and the last 15 years have all been a quick dream....

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . to wonder if you could do better if you were racing against other dead guys. That would include, uh, Coppi, Bartoli, Anquetil, Major Taylor, ad infinitum . . . :rolleyes:

BBDave

[Too Tall]

Welcome to the undead. I heard about a case such as this, think it was in news of the wierd. Anyway the guy posted an advert. in a few local papers with the basics to establish in the public record his existence.

So do you pay taxes?

[chrisroph]

You don't sound dead.

[christian]

It's taken you 14 years to begin resolving this issue? At this rate, you're likely to be dead before you get it all sorted out.

L'Chaim,
- Christian

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . as the only dead guy working at Wheelworks, I imagine the competition for his time is, uh, stiff . . . :rolleyes:

BBDave

[samcat]

Your activity level is too high. Gives you right away...

And, since everybody in Cambridge dresses in black, you conform either way, anyhoo...

Now that the cat is out 'o the container, how about we call you "The Other Massachusetts Miracle"? Kinda like "The Other White Meat", only more vegan.

Thanks for making my afternoon. FOTFLOL!

PH, tears subsiding...

[Sandy]

Get a job with your city, state, or the federal government. From what I have seen in government offices, a lot of dead people work there.

Sandy

[cycleman_21]

Did anyone try to inherit your stuff? You know how some relatives and close friends can be :argue: :fight: :D

RC

[pbbob]

have you tried to get a living will made or did they say that was impossible also.

[weisan]

Ti-master, the ONLY way you can remove the stigma is....to go ahead and win the TOUR DE FRANCE. Then and only then will your life become "normal" again. ;)

BTW, you are not an "idiot"...not by any stretch of imagination. :beer:

[Steel Israel]

DEAD!? :confused:
I didn't even know you were sick!

[Ti Designs]

It's taken you 14 years to begin resolving this issue? At this rate, you're likely to be dead before you get it all sorted out.


I don't know that this can be resolved (short of winning the tour). I knew about the problem a long time ago and tried to fix the problems as I found out about them. There's no logic to any of it. The first thing I noticed was that I had no credit (and no credit history), so I bought a car and financed it. Then they tried to repo my car for failure to make a payment (I had automatic payment, but the bank locked my account because I was dead). The bank manager had to explain how they wrote a car loan in 1991 to a guy who died in 1990...

Then things started to get weird. One year there was a ballot issue about rent control. Some guy called me up and started to explain how low income people could only survive with it. I asked why he called me and I found out that I register to vote in Cambridge - I do??? When the NRA needed to boost their membership numbers I somehow became a member (all the living people pay dues).

Now the Social Security office got news of my death. Never mind the fact that I've activly paid SS taxes for the last 14 years, I'm dead to them. I have to go in there and explain to them that I got better.

The first run-in with the gerneral stupidity of this whole thing came when I figured out I have a death certificate on file. I went back to Cambridge City hospital, gave the girl at the desk my driver's license and asked for the death certificate under that SS#. She went back, made a copy of the death certificate and charged me $2 for the copy, as if this sort of thing happens all the time.

[christian]

I went back to Cambridge City hospital, gave the girl at the desk my driver's license and asked for the death certificate under that SS#. She went back, made a copy of the death certificate and charged me $2 for the copy, as if this sort of thing happens all the time.

Wow, that's the weirdest thing I ever heard. In all seriousness, I hope you get it all straightened out, and can go on living without the hassle!

- Christian

[cycleman_21]

, gave the girl at the desk my driver's license and asked for the death certificate under that SS#. She went back, made a copy of the death certificate and charged me $2 for the copy, as if this sort of thing happens all the time.[/QUOTE]

Thats just too funny,I can just picture that.Probably did it expressionless too :confused: :) :D :rolleyes: :p ;)

[Sandy]

Your story and its repercussions are really amazing.

I guess you must be a dead ringer for yourself! Sorry I said that.

I know that you must have had a great deal of frustrations handling the problems that have occurred because of the situation. You seem to be handling it well. Hopefully most or all of it will disappear.

Sandy

[vandeda]

Now the Social Security office got news of my death. Never mind the fact that I've activly paid SS taxes for the last 14 years, I'm dead to them. I have to go in there and explain to them that I got better.


Ti,

Go in there, and say "but I'm not dead yet" with your best Monty Python impression!!!

Seriously though ... dang man, what a nightmare. I hope it all gets worked out. Such a simple error that continues to bite you 14 years later ... and yet no one is smart enough to figure it out. Amazing. I wish you the best man. And as Sandy said, it seems like you've been handling this extremely well, and I hope you continue to do so as frustrating as I'm sure it is sometimes.

Dan

[slowgoing]

Did you have life insurance?

[Climb01742]

ti, i guess this makes you the ungrateful dead.

[William]

Ti,
Obviously you're not dead, but are you sure that you're not un-dead? If you've ever been riding around and uncontrollably blurted out "~Braaains~", that might be a sign. :eek: :help:

William ;)

(For more clues, check out the tongue in cheek "Return of The Living Dead 4". Which incidentally, Siskel & Ebert gave two thumbs up to)

[Too Tall]

This is rich....so stop paying taxes.

[Bruce K]

TiD-

Can you see your reflection in a mirror? Does it pain you to go out in the daylight? Do you have adverse reactions to garlic? Do religious synbols cause you great distress?

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms - avoid anyone named Van Helsing.

But seriously, this is one of the nore bizarre stories I have heard in quite some time. You would think after 14 years, most, or all of this would have been resolved by now.

Do keep a copy of the Death Certificate and frame it. It will be good for a chuckle now and then.

Hope to see you in good "spirits" at your favorite "haunt" when Ben is in town in a couple fo weeks.

BK

[Hard Fit]

So what makes you think you aren't dead? Maybe this is heaven? Do you have a Serotta bike? If so, this is probably heaven.

[PaulE]

death and taxes. Well, maybe you have got the death part out of the way now. :beer:

[Ti Designs]

So my birthday is just over a week away, my drivers license (my last form of picture ID) is about to expire, I can't get my birth certificate from the New Jersey vital records department, and Social Security still says I'm dead. I can't renew my drivers license because they check my data with Social Security. So I'm gonna be dead for a while until I can figure this whole thing out.



For sale: 1100 sq ft bungalo in Arlington MA, with land in Lexington. 3 bedroom, 1 bath, hardwood floors, parking for 3 cars, machine shop in basement, wood shop in garage. Includes a 1988 Honda CRX Si and a 1991 Honda CRX Si turbo+NOS. Asking $400,000. Must be in cash, before 5/7/05...

[Serotta PETE]

For sale: 1100 sq ft bungalo in Arlington MA, with land in Lexington. 3 bedroom, 1 bath, hardwood floors, parking for 3 cars, machine shop in basement, wood shop in garage. Includes a 1988 Honda CRX Si and a 1991 Honda CRX Si turbo+NOS. Asking $400,000. Must be in cash, before 5/7/05...

Will write you a check for the full amount!!! Problem will be cashing it. Good luck in getting the computers to align on "living".

We actually had a fellow hit by a car in the middle of a country road, down here in rural NC. They pronounced him dead at the site, zippered him into bag,, and sent him to morgue. When there, the attendant noticed the bag moving around.....YES he is still alive and working on a cash settlement from the town.



Good luck,,,,,might be better getting a lawyer and bringing legal action. Hopefully they will than make you "Live" so that they can say it never happened!!!! :fight:

Pete

[Serpico]

too bad you don't live in Chicago, you could still vote