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While the present war has restricted my travel outside the apartment, because I don’t relish the idea of visiting a public shelter or reclining on the side of the road (I have a hard time just getting out of bed), I really don’t have much to complain about, given what other people are experiencing.  I have a TV, computer, chair, and high-riser in the safe room.  We have a shower with hot water, a toilet and a kitchen nearby.  The supermarket delivers groceries.  My wife is a source of constant delight.

Friends from the United States stay in touch.  Also acquaintances who remind themselves, while watching the explosions on the nightly news, that they know (or knew) someone who currently resides in Israel and take a moment, every five or six months, to advise me that I am constantly on their minds and in their thoughts and prayers.  I always thank them. It’s a nice gesture.

I also appreciate the people who, mindful that the present situation might cause economic hardship, reach out with ideas for me to supplement my income.  For example, Natalie Grace, from the Heidrick Struggles hiring team, has a perfect position for me helping brands like Costco increase product exposure. I would only have to work one hour per day and the daily wage is $200-600.  Since I am retired, this schedule might be a little taxing, so it is good to know that there is free training, 15-20 days paid annual leave, plus all statutory holidays.

The job requirements:  I need to be over 25 years old and responsible.  I am over 25 years old.

While I was considering this offer (you don’t want to make any hasty decisions when you are 78 years old), I received another message from Natalie Grace, but this time from the Indeed hiring team, offering the exact same position and terms.  I realized that Natalie must be doing what I had considered doing: accepting more than one position and working an hour in the morning and an hour in the afternoon, doubling the compensation and vacation days.  Or she had changed jobs and took her clients with her.

As I was texting Natalie to provide my confidential information, I received a text from Calista of RobertHalf recruiting that stopped me in my tracks.  She told me that my resume stood out “on multiple platforms.”  This lady had obviously done more homework than Natalie, and was hiring people to help developers boost visibility.  Here was a position with some social utility, I thought.  Visibility is a good thing, as is development.  I could earn $250-$500/day ($7,000-$10,000/month, she kindly multiplied for me).  Same free training, same 25+ age requirement, but . . . nothing about responsibility, which was a major plus for me.

I couldn’t bring myself to commit, however, because the text offers started pouring in. Kristen at Akraya wants to connect briefly about a new opportunity, Katherine from Synergy Staff wants to provide me with an online remote job (only $100-$300 daily salary and 60-90 minutes per day–does she think I am some gullible old man?), and Ashley, a recruiter at TransactX, has advised me that my resume has been recommended by several online recruitment agencies (thanks, I guess, to Natalie, Calista, Roberta, Kristen, and Katherine for the recommendations).  Ashley is looking for part-time employees to help YouTube users increase their likes and subscribers, which is right up my alley.  I know how to find YouTube on the computer.

Why, you ask, have I not yet accepted any of these opportunities?  Because, in the interests of full disclosure, I would have to tell them that I don’t feel entirely comfortable accepting the offers from these trusting women while the clouds of law enforcement hover about me.  For, you see, at the same time that I am receiving these encouraging opportunities, I am being threatened by the long arm of the law, reaching across the ocean to punish me for past misbehavior (of which I was previously blissfully ignorant).  Until I deal with my legal problems, I hesitate to accept new employment.

On April 23, 2024, I received a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Important Notice advising me that my toll payment for  E-ZPass Lane must be settled by April 24, 2024 (the next day!) if I were to avoid fines and the suspension of my driving privileges.  The only thing that restrained me from immediately sending my financial information as requested was that the message came from “bigbogdan***@[deleted].cyou”–on the one hand, this suggested that DMV was using some serious enforcement muscle, but the cyou domain seemed a little trendy for the DMV.  So I waited to see if there would be a follow-up.

Then, on February 6, I received a text from Florida DMV Enforcement (note the escalation to Enforcement) about a payment that needed to be made within 12 hours (!!) if I wanted to avoid a registration hold, a 30-day license suspension, and SSN adverse effects.  I was advised to settle fines if I wanted to “avoid trouble.”  The thing about Social Security really troubled me; I need Social Security.  But why SSN and not SSI?  Were they going to confiscate my number?

On March 23, 2026, I got a text from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles  (DHSMV) (now they were using their full and intimidating name), with a Final Notice of Outstanding Traffic Violation Ticket.  I was advised that their records showed that my traffic violation ticket was unpaid.  These folks had chapter and verse:  “Type of Item:  Traffic Violation.  Record Status: Pending.”  In order to avoid further administrative penalties, the matter needed to be resolved by March 24, 2026(!!).  This time they threatened not only suspension of my vehicle registration and/or driving privileges, but also (I am not making this up just to scare you) “impact on subsequent business processing due to outdated records or delayed processing.”  This text originated in the Philippines, which lent it a certain credence, as outsourcing is big in Florida since all the New Yorkers moved there.  Big Bogdan was not mentioned.

So you see my problem.  I hesitate to accept the employment opportunities while I might be subject to impact on subsequent business processing.  It wouldn’t be fair to Costco or YouTube.  Also, this is a cautionary tale for those of you who might underestimate the reach of the DMV.  It can adversely affect your livelihood with outdated records and delayed processing years after you emigrate.

I eagerly await any business or legal advice to help me deal with my dilemma.  Ashley, Natalie, Calista, and Kristen–I’ll get back to you as soon as I clear it all up. In the meanwhile, if you come across anything that pays $1,500 a day for 15-20 minutes, which is my current attention span, please let me know.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)