Tax Day

So part of me is a little hesitant to post this. Mainly because it has no factual basis behind it. This is just a story that my father made up. However, if you ever knew my dad, he was a great story teller. He could make up the best reasons, stories, and jokes on a dime. Here is one of those very stories, in memory of dad, on one of his favorite days!

TAX DAY

by Thomas D. Harris

Every April 15th for the past few years I have driven to the main U.S. Post Office to mail my income tax return. I wait until nine or ten o'clock in the evening before setting out on my pilgrimage. My coworkers and a few of my family don't understand my attraction with this annual ritual. I feel a certain spiritualism with the trip, as if I'm reliving a 2000+ year-old tradition of paying taxes.

The story begins with Joseph, husband of Mary, Mother of Jesus. A decree went out that a census and tax assessment should be made of the Roman world. Now we know that Christmas, the symbolic birthday of Jesus the Christ, is December 25th but scholars, astronomers, and historians surmise that his birth actually took place in the springtime. I'm guessing it was around the middle of April. The new tax regulations were probably issued at the beginning of the year, and Mary was probably six months pregnant when the decree was announced.

Joseph was a carpenter, an artisan. We are sure he was experienced at planning projects and very analytical in their development. Most artisans prepare well ahead and we must presume that Joseph was no different. I'm sure that as soon as Joseph received his Form MXL he completed it and was ready to take off to Bethlehem. Anyone who has endured life with a pregnant woman can see what came next. 

"Joseph, there is no way in this world that you are traveling alone to your hometown with me down here carrying this baby. You'll get up there and meet an old friend or two and who knows what trouble you'll get yourself into while I'm here swelling up like goatskin filled with new wine. You can just wait a month or two and I'll have this baby, then we can go visit our families and make a small vacation of it."

So Joseph waited and soon it was the middle of March but Mary wouldn't let him go then because the baby would surely come any day. He had to wait. Finally it was April 13th and they had to leave in order to make the two-day trip and get there before close of business on the 15th.

By now Joseph was up to his eyes with the whole thing. Knowing that he would have a hard time finding medical services since Bethlehem had closed all the Quick Care offices. His HMO would dispute his claims because he was outside the zone for their primary care unit. And, he knew he would be buying a donkey seat to carry the baby back. He could only hope all the dreams had been correct and it wasn't twins. Well, we know he made it to Bethlehem, took care of business and then the baby came. But, that is another story all together.

Bottom line is that it is very Biblical to pay our taxes the last evening of the last day. When I drive to the post office on the evening of April 15th, I feel spiritually renewed.

I wonder if my dad is hanging out in the spirit world, next to the post office tonight!