What’s the contrapositive of a Pyrrhic victory?

[quislet]

I surrender, O Commonwealth of Virginia.  Somewhere in the bowels of your tax administration, someone has committed an error to the tune of $39.16.  I did not claim to have paid this amount in state taxes to Maryland last year.  Seriously, I have never cheated on you with Maryland.  I spend a lot of time at her place, I admit, but I promise I've

Comments

[terribleturnip]

I have in my purse a check from the IRS for a not insignificant sum of money. I'm afraid to deposit it. I've spent three years clearing up a tax snafu (aka, the ex failed to file) that was not inexpensive. And it was all resolved. And then they sent me a check for $36.42 because I overpaid. Whatever, I said, and deposited it. And two weeks later got a "You owe us nearly $2,000 in penalties and interest." Er, what? But wait. You said we were good. Up to date. Finito. Then you even sent me extra money. I don't know why, but who am I to look a gift check in the mouth?

And after several phone calls, we resolved that I did NOT actually owe anything more, I was really paid up and case closed. So, ha! And then I got this check, a refund of the penalties and interest. That I didn't pay, because, well, it was a figment of someone's imagination.

Do I dare deposit it and wake the beast?