This past February, I found out something about myself that I never knew. I'm disabled. Who would have guessed? I was working for New York State for over 22 years at the time. The job was nothing exciting, but it helped pay bills.

A few months earlier, I formally asked the pension system whether my physical condition would qualify me for a disability retirement, if I so chose. The condition was something I lived with since I was sixteen years old, epilepsy. I've had countless seizures since then, but they didn't stop me from going away to college, getting a job, getting married and raising a family. Still, they were unpredictable and always carried the risk of a debilitating injury. It seemed like a good idea to know my options.

So, I submitted the information they needed and waited for an answer. It came in February. Yes, I was qualified and my last day of employment would be March 4. But I wanted to work, this was just an inquiry. Yes, it was, but too bad. We made a mistake. Have a nice life.

So now, I'm disabled. I was working to collect over $9 million in service fees owed to the statee at the time. I didn't want a raise or better conditions, I wanted to keep my job. In its wisdom, the state didn't budge. So now I'm collecting an unwanted disability pension, with the potential to collect an additional 80 grand a year in private salary. I've had many good interviews that looked like sure things, but when companies find out about the disability, they manage to find somebody more qualified. I don't like it, but I might do the same thing in their shoes.

In its wisdom, New York State saved the cost of my salary. It also forfeited the taxes I paid. It gives me subsidized health insurance under the COBRA law. Because I'm disabled, it insists that I also have Medicare, most of which is paid for by the state and federal governments. Despite this, the government knows my income is reduced by over 50%. So now, it makes monthly social security payments for my wife, kids and me. Now, my income is only reduced by about 40% and the slide toward bankruptcy is still there, but more leisurely.

Thank God our government looks out for us.

www.xomba.com/xombyte/thewonderer