The country is clearly going to hell in a handbasket

Our economy is shot, surely.
The other day I had a cheque for the princely sum of $15.36 from the IRD.
Maybe I am getting ahead of myself and ovedramatising.
O.K. The other day I found a cheque from the IRD, which I had lost in my room for some months.
At great inconvenience I muscled my way into the bank to deposit it into my depleted bank account. Great, I thought, not all my hard earned taxes are going to fund the hydroponic schemes of sickness beneficiaries in Northland. That will be your friends Roger Nome, leeches all of em :)
Deposited the cheque, pleased with an accomplishment for the day. I was in for a shock and disappointment however, because a few days later I found the cheque had been dishonoured. Panic set in momentarily. Had the goverment overspent so much that it could not cover my paltry $15.36 tax refund? What was Helen doing to us all? Would I be compelled to join Arrogant Prick and his cohorts?
After my initial irritation I figured the cheque had just expired. There was I hoping that the Goverment would honour tax refunds after six months, but maybe not. Let that be a lesson to you all. Do not on any account lose a cheque in my room. No good will come of it.