Tax Season Story #1

My first full complete tax season is over.  Unlike some predictions I heard back in January, I never got exhausted, burnt out or sick of being here.  It was an adventure everyday that I looked forward to falling back into every morning.  Today it is eerily quiet.  Just like that, there is nothing to do.  Well, there's stuff I could be doing, but in comparison of what a week ago today was like, I could take a two hour nap right now face down on my desk and not miss a beat around here.

A few stories from some of my most memorable clients this season seem appropriate now.  These are in no particular order, just as they occur to me.

When I write "Little Old Lady" a certain particular picture comes to mind, right?  She would be tiny, thin, fragile, bright shiny eyes and a sly little smile.  Well that's exactly what came through our door one day leaning on her stylish flowered cane.  She handed me an envelope with not much in it and said, "Just call me when you're all done with that and I'll come back."  Her voice was more like a coo.  I told her if she had five minutes I could get it done right that moment and she wouldn't have to come back. "Oh no," she smiled, "That's not how we do it."  And she winked at me. 

Later in the afternoon I got a chance to look through her envelope and saw it was missing quite a few vital documents.  I had our receptionist call her up and explain what was missing and what she needed to bring in.  I guess it was a tortured phone call for both of them.  Lots of explaining and misunderstanding and repeating and explaining again.  I made a note to file an extension if she didn't show up on time.

But she did.  She pulled up on tax day out of the blue, dressed like spring itself and had every one of the missing documents.  She tried to leave again, but I convinced her to stay.   I pulled out her file with her name on the front and she was shocked.  "Were you waiting for me?  How did you know I was coming in?"  I explained that I recognized her from when she was in the week before.

"I was here last week?"

She had no memory of her previous visit or the phone call with our receptionist.  But she didn't seem to mind at all and even laughed about it.  "My memory isn't what was!"

I had her finished up pretty quickly.  I wrote very clearly on her envelope that her taxes were done and she didn't need to mail anything.   "Oh that note is a good idea!  Otherwise I'll be calling you tomorrow wondering what I need to do!"  The she winked again and laughed and drifted out the door.

And I was thinking what a merry soul she was until I saw her drive away and I was seized by the terror that she was on the roads.