AUTHOR'S OTHER TITLES (27) A Brief Return (Short Stories) Faith, madness or harsh reality? [219 words] [Mind] Cuthbert Mot (Poetry) Seems gibberish. Can you work it out? [131 words] Deceit (Poetry) Are there things you can never discuss with anyone? [74 words] [Mind] Easter Monday (Short Stories) A True drama - In a brief moment [247 words] [Mind] Grampalapalopolas (Poetry) Who could this be? [110 words] [Relationships] How Can Anyone Believe In God? (Poetry) Why would a loving God allow such pain? [85 words] [Mind] I Dont Know Where You Are Dad (Poetry) Some thoughts for Father's Day [145 words] [Relationships] I Had A Dream Last Night (Short Stories) How sure can we be about reality? [300 words] [Mind] I Had Another Dream Last Night (Short Stories) Continuing a quest for reality [147 words] [Mind] I Have Chosen You (Short Stories) This is just for you and no-one else. [198 words] [Mind] If The End Is The End (Poetry) People hang on to the belief of Heaven & Hell. What if the end really is the end? [108 words] In An Instant (Poetry) Reflections on the futility of relationships [111 words] [Relationships] It Will Come To You (Poetry) It always does.. [162 words] [Mind] It's All As It Was (Poetry) Do you ever question existence? [138 words] [Mind] Like A Parallel Cross (Short Stories) A dark tale [3,026 words] [Mystical] Maw (Poetry) A sad life, a sad end [136 words] [Relationships] My Only Friend (Poetry) My dad once told me to hang on to a true friend as there wouldnt be many. [156 words] [Mind] Paw (Poetry) Life was simple then [210 words] [Relationships] Sugar! (Poetry) Kind of a cross between a poem and a short based on a creepy thought that came to me one cold dark morning [190 words] [Mind] The Hill (Poetry) I have often thought of my life as a hill where the early years seemed to be a slow clinb up and more recently a fast uncontrollable rally down [170 words] [Mind] Things Have Changed (Poetry) Getting older isnt easy [152 words] [Mind] This Is It! (Short Stories) A strange offering of pure thought [336 words] [Mind] What Would You Say? (Poetry) Are we ever alone? [92 words] [Mind] When The Time Comes (Poetry) Can the acceptance of death overcome pain and fear? [81 words] Where Do They Go? (Poetry) Nice to think they are still around? [92 words] Where Is My Dad? (Short Stories) A few sad words that may well touch many [96 words] [Mind] Will It Ever Stop Raining? (Short Stories) Nothing to do with the UK floods [119 words] [Mind]
Taxman Neil Southern
It�s a sad day.
I was late out of bed this morning and the traffic was awful.
This has been an interesting case. This guy has been a fool.
He says he took bad advice, didn�t understand the legislation.
I have heard it all before.
So here I am in his living room. It�s just after ten in the morning and he looks terrible.
My guess is that he has been up all night drinking heavily. He went to pieces in the last interview.
I can�t say I feel sorry for him.
His wife asks if I want some tea. She looks pathetic. She is crying.
�No thanks�
I maintain my cool. Why should I care about him? This is what I do.
He is rubbing his hands frantically. I think he wants a drink. His eyes are watery. He is sweating profusely. The wife rushes out into the kitchen.
My colleague seems a little upset. That has annoyed me. How many times have I told her that she shouldn�t get involved? God I am sick of this job.
Sure, it is a nice house. No fancy car on the drive and sort of average furnishings. The guy, still cowering on the sofa, seems an unassuming type. There is no evidence of intent to defraud.
I don�t care. This is my job. He should have been more careful.
Right, let�s get started. I start the inventory. Photo frames of happy times. It looks like they have some cute grand children. They will be upset when old Granny and Granddad�s house is sold. What a lovely patio. I can imagine they had many a family gathering out there.
There is an odd bang from upstairs. These people will try anything.
Look, I know we get all the bad press but this guy is the one you should be sneering at. He blames it all on his accountant but the fact is that he was only paying about five hundred quid a week in tax.
We reckon it should have been about six hundred for the past ten years.
He says he let his accountant sort everything out.
Only five hundred quid a week!
Don�t look at me like that. I am just doing my job. He says he has no savings as he has been taking his grandkids on holiday. What a laugh!
He must have a stash! He just won�t say. I suspect the average old car on the drive is a bluff! His credit cards were all up to their limits too. Very clever!
Yes I know five hundred is more than most pay but these people need to be taught a lesson. The Chancellor needs the cash.
So I am going to take their house and anything in it that�s worth anything.
He is crying hopelessly now. He should be grateful he isn�t going to prison. Avoidance and evasion is a close run thing. I pride myself in thinking I kept him from a stretch.
The thing is that this nick is worth a two grand bonus to me. I can�t be thinking about his wife and kids and grandkids. They are nothing to me.
My colleague is screaming. She has gone upstairs. The guy lurches up and runs in front of me. I don�t need this. All this fuss!
I follow him up stairs into the bathroom where my colleague is desperately trying to stem to flow of blood from the wife�s throat and wrists.
She is already dead.
The guy collapses. I can�t be sure but I think he is having a heart attack.
My colleague is phoning the hospital as I return down stairs.
Good job. I will get my two grand.
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