The Night Before the Farthest Day from the Elections
Anyone ever noticed that tax day falls as far from the elections as it can get? I’ve always figured it was on purpose. Political candidates want your tax returns a far away memory when you’re standing in that voting booth.
It continues to amaze me that people are shocked – SHOCKED – that April 15 comes up every year. The lines at the post office will be jammed for the next 24 hours.
In Hawaii and Arizona, they set up receiving stations to take care of the rush. Container trucks stand by while Postal workers run up to cars to collect the envelopes stuffed desperately with hastily prepared tax returns.
One year I was flying home to Honolulu from a speaking contract in Indonesia. It was 11 PM on April 15. Since all tax returns postmarked by midnight are considered ‘on time,’ the airport post office was in chaos.
I watched from the air as we circled to land. It looked like the last scene in “Field of Dreams.” Tightly packed headlights moved in slow motion towards the Post Office Entrance. The freeway was lit up for miles in both directions with the last minute tax filers.
Near the entrance to the post office, I could see tiny shapes in blue postal uniforms rushing up to cars, large white collection boxes in hand. People who hadn’t even thought to buy stamps earlier were waved through to park.
My dear reader. Let me save you some time. File a freaking extension. Then go to the post office website and download some postage so you can mail it anywhere tonight. That site will also guide you to post office options in your area.
Relax. Try to remember why you spent those dollars on that silly thing. And keep your wits about you. You are not alone. More than anything we Americans do, trying to figure out the billion-pages of tax code is one thing we all do together. And remember the wise words of Will Rogers:
The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse every time Congress meets.
He also said:
The income tax has made liars out of more Americans than golf.
Now – Relax and go have a nice cup of tea or a glass of wine. This too shall pass.
Beth
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©2008, Beth Terry Seminars, Inc. All US and International Rights Reserved.
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