balancing on one foot

I have to go to court on Wednesday. I've never gone to court. I'm terrified. Ack!

Back in the fall I got a speeding ticket in Kansas City. It didn't have a fine on it so I waited for a letter. I got the letter wayyy later with an additional late fee on it. Yeah, my fault for not calling, but whatever. So I paid the ticket and the late fee. I paid it a few days too late, however, because I got another letter telling me that they had suspended my drivers license. No biggie, the way to fix it is to pay the ticket and a 20 dollar fee, so I sent in the 20 dollar fee to Jeff City and thought all was good. Well, on the way to Memphis in January I got pulled over for speeding (yeah, lead foot, I know) and the cop told me I still had a suspended driver's license. I told him I had paid it, he told me he believed me and wouldn't charge me the $500 bond I'm supposed to pay and let me go. He told me I could call the prosecuting attorney and take care of it and it wouldn't be a big deal. So I paid the speeding ticket and called the prosecuting attorney. They were evil and mean to me and told me they couldn't help me and that I had to call Dep of Revenue. So I called Dep of Revenue and they told me they couldn't help me and to call the prosecuting attorney.

I need a machete. (bonus points to any non mandys who know that reference)

So I basically pleaded with DOR and she went and checked on some things and told me that basically she showed proof that I had paid the ticket and then she had somethign that showed I sent a payment for a fee (probably the 20 bucks) but that it was considered unidentifiable payment because my DL number wasn't on it and they sent it back to me. (Unsure how it was unidentifiable AND identified as mine, but whatevs). However, I never received this letter. So anyway, she's having a letter sent to my house to show that I DID send in the payment LONG before the cop pulled me over. Also, I have to go pay the $20 AGAIN and take it to the DMV to get a letter that shows my DL is reinstated. So I'm thinking, okay, I can send in the letter, the ticket, and the fine of $80.50 for driving without a valid drivers license and not have to deal with taking off work, driving to the middle of nowhere in hillbillyville faraway and paying outrageous court costs and all. But today I called to find out what all needed to be sent with the fine and the nice person that answered the phone (as opposed to evil one I talked with many times earlier) told me that I had to appear in court no matter what. So now I have to take off work Wednesday, lose the pay for that day, piss off my bosses, drive to Hickville (as if I'm not already in it), appear in court (scary), and do whatever they tell me to do. I am absolutely terrified. Hair-pulling, fingernail-biting stressed out and absolutely positively terrified. What if I don't have the money? Can they put me in jail? Ack! I have no clue what to do. Someone tell me it's going to be okay. Someone give me advice. Someone tell me they've been through this and it's not a big deal. Someone give me a shot of valium or something. Geez. Help.