[thechat] chatchatchat

[Megan Lostroh]

You can add to this tax night folk tale something that I saw a few years ago
at our downtown post office.

A local restaurant had a guy dressed as a giant chicken, out by the
mailboxes at midnight, handing out coupons.  Wherever people congregate is
an opportunity to advertise, I guess.

Megan


-----Original Message-----
From: thechat-admin at lists.evolt.org
[mailto:thechat-admin at lists.evolt.org]On Behalf Of Luther, Ron
Sent: Monday, April 15, 2002 9:23 AM
To: thechat at lists.evolt.org
Subject: RE: [thechat] chatchatchat


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...

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