Departure Tax Deficit

Departure Tax

Jodi Hendon
Texas, USA

Twenty years ago seems like ancient history to my 21-year-old son, of course, but seems such a short time ago for me. In 1986 I made a quick weekend trip from Texas to Cuernavaca, Mexico to attend a friend’s wedding. I took only about $50 in cash, since the trip was so short and
I was staying at my friend’s house.

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Beyond Customer Service

Beyond Customer Service

by B. Leeann Springer
Arkansas, USA

I had a plethora of items to buy that were needed for our farm the next day; this shopping trip couldn’t be put off for another time. My 4-month-old grandson was with me, as I am his caregiver. It was pouring down rain that day in April 2001, a true “April showers” day.

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The Tall Man

The Tall Man

by Caitlin Mercer
California, USA

It didn’t start out as a big deal. We were waiting to board our flight out of Portland, Oregon, heading to Ontario, California on a Friday evening. The gate had been changed, and everyone was now just anxious to get on the plane and get home.

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In Dire Straits

In Dire Straits

by John Nieman
Victoria, Australia

Some years ago the British band Dire Straights was coming to Melbourne and it would sell out early. I arranged to take a few hours off work the morning the bookings opened, and queued up very early at the ticket outlet in a neighbouring suburb.

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Hello, Sue

Hello Sue

by Anne Hill
Western Australia, Australia

Having just left my dentist’s office in mid-afternoon at age 17, I was walking towards a bus stop at the edge of the central business district. The nearly deserted street adjoined a park frequented by “street people”; a place that looks superficially safe but gives you an uneasy feeling.

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A Generous Change of Plans

Generous Change of Plans

by Linda Gavitt
Connecticut, USA

In January 1999 planning for my daughter’s wedding began with a phone call telling me she and John would marry in March — leaving little time to plan! Fortunately Lauren wanted a small wedding with 20-30 close friends and relatives. She was in Orlando, Florida, John was stationed in Kentucky, and I was in Connecticut. Her finance’s family generously offered their help to plan everything, and their Tampa area home for the reception.

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Following a Hunch

Following a Hunch

by The Caroler
California, USA

In 1990, as was our family tradition, my husband and I invited children from the local high school aCappella choir, including our son, to sing Christmas Carols to people we felt could use some special Christmas cheer. My husband dressed up as Santa Claus and drove a rented flat bed truck.

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The Envelope

The Envelope

by Lisa Swindler
South Carolina, USA

In 1998, a week before Thanksgiving, I took our 10-month-old baby daughter to the doctor for a check-up. The nurse commented how well she looked. Fifteen minutes later we were headed to the hospital emergency room. Ruth’s oxygen level was below 90 and she was having difficulty breathing. It was her fourth hospitalization that year.

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The School Bus Driver

The School Bus Driver

By Patty Mooney
California, USA

It’s been many years since I have had to stand on the end of Pusheck Road in Bellwood, a suburb of Chicago, waiting for the school bus, and yet I remember one special day as though it were yesterday.

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Bucking the Crowd

by Jeff Simms
Barnegat, New Jersey, USA

It was a nippy Fall day — our favorite kind of weather. It was Saturday and we were going to have a great time. My divorced mother, two younger brothers and I were on our way to the park at the other end of the small Jersey town we lived in. We had our football and makeshift goal posts in the back of the station wagon and our teams already chosen: us against our mother. (Don’t worry, it was only touch football.)

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