[thechat] chatchatchat

[Luther, Ron]

Hi Rudy,

Actually I was "good" this year and I already have my refund in the bank.   ;-p

I just wanted to point out [since, alas, I have not always been so "good" in the past] that our non-US neighbors are missing out on an uncommon display of American hospitality, good will, and friendliness.  Like one of those squid-mating night extravaganzas ... "Tax frenzy night" is an undeclared and altogether under-reported holiday here in the US.

Large numbers of confused and disheveled Americans (yes, some still in bathrobes and slippers) will have gathered in the moments before midnight last night in front of closed post office buildings all over the country.  They will park their cars, leave the lights on and motors running, and walk around the parking lot ... clutching envelopes, smoking, drinking coffee, and generally looking dazed as their necks swivel back and forth in a hopeful expectation some of these people haven't felt since Christmas Eve when they were five - wishing with all their might to see a postal employee materialize.

Eventually ... someone will volunteer to make a run to another post office.  This is where the 'frenzy' begins.  Although ordinarily they wouldn't give this person the time of day, lend them a used match, or let them merge on a freeway on-ramp, on this magical evening dozens of complete strangers will entrust this person, thank them profusely, and hand them their tax return.  This hapless soul will race down to the next post office - where a similar scene will ensue unless they are lucky enough to have found one of the 'open' offices with postal employees collecting returns (by flashlight) by hand in a very organized manner.
[I actually think the postal folks enjoy this - since it's one of the few occasions where they DO get heartfelt thanks.]

The rest of us will share cookies and/or head off to the bar.

Altogether an amazing experience!


RonL.

It's true.  True I tell you.  I've ... I've been there myself!

Uhhh ... what Mr. Ripley said.


-----Original Message-----
From: rudy [mailto:rudy937 at rogers.com]

don't forget that the americans have to file their taxes by monday, so this
weekend they'll all be digging around in the closet trying to find the
shoebox that all their receipts are stored in...