April 15, 2008
Albany-- It's the night taxpayers love to hate. If procrastinators weren't glued to their computer or calculator Tuesday, they probably made a mad dash to a tax preparer.
Many made an even faster dash to the post office.
For several hours on the final day of taxes, lines of people got to briefly know the smiling faces of Cynthia Wright and Bob Harbert. They're mail handlers with the Albany Post Office.
"I tell them to bring them on and they enjoy bringing them to us," said Harbert.
Hours into final tax day, the vehicles just kept rolling in. "To mail my income taxes at the last minute," said taxpayer Kim Peel.
Cynthia simply grabbed and stamped those last-minute taxes while Bob grabbed and filed.
"Every year. April 15th, look forward to it," said Harbert.
But although the mail handlers greet filers with enthusiasm, it's not a very good day or time for some customers. "Same thing every year. Bad," said last minute filer Myrtice LaMarr.
As dozens of people came and went from H and R Block on Broad Avenue, the mood was the same on April 15th. "Very long day," said Kathryn Coe, "I haven't been home since I've been off of work."
It was all because of the same thing. "Last minute taxes," sighed Coe.
"We'll be here tonight until the last person leaves," said Clifton Bush with H&R Block.
Many of those last-minute filers at the tax offices most likely had a short meeting late in the evening with one of the mail handlers at the main post office on Slappey. Bob always has a quick comeback for the bitter filers who don't want to hand over the dough.
"I tell them we really don't want them but Uncle Sam wants them," jokes Harbert. And Cynthia always gives a smile with the quick-hand off, making final tax day end on a better note.
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