Chapter 302 Sudden Wealth
The busy streets of Baymard, had soon turned Topsy-turvy from all the frenzied people moving around hastily.
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4 P.M
Evans quickly got off work and hurriedly ran alongside his coworkers to the gate.
'Din! Din! Din! Din! Din!'
The sounds of overly loud footsteps, echoed sharply throughout the area.
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Evans looked at his time and but his lips anxiously.
Damn!... Where was a cab when you needed one?
Standing under the cab waiting point, Evans felt like crying.
What should he do now?
Should he go to another waiting point and check it out first?
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Actually, since the people had no phones or means to call for cabs..... several cab stops had been placed within every block in Baymard.
Each day, a particular number of cabs would be assigned to a block.... depending on the usual usage volume from the people there.
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Typically, Evans usually used the bus or train when leaving work.
But how could he use those now?
He had to get to the Upper Region fast God-Dammit!!
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\"Ahhh!!!!
Bro.... Bro... should we just go to another waiting spot?
It's just a 5 minute walk from here.\" Asked one of his friends.
\"Why do I feel like when we leave, that's when a cab will show up?\"
\"_\"
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Evans and his buddies walked back and forth the waiting point, as they were trying to spot any Taxi from a mile away.
They would jump high up, while stretching their necks like giraffes... as they looked at bothe ends of the road.
And 4 minutes later, they immediately spotted 8 cabs heading their way.
It was a miracle!!
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Instantly, everyone felt their mood quickly improve.
They jumped merely like 5 year old children, as they held their bags tightly in their hands.
\"Hahahhahaha!!!!
Scully, what did I tell you?
See?
If we had left, wouldn't we miss these ones now?\"
\"Thank Heavens that I listened to you.\"
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They smiled stupidly, while waving their hands up in the air..... but soon, they saw other hands up as well.
Shit!!!
Looking at the crowd around them, they knew that only a chosen few would get the chance to sit in these incoming cabs.
Evans readied himself for the marathon, as he watched all the contestants around him prep themselves as well.
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As the cabs approached..... Evans could feel a blanket of eagerness, leisurely wrapping itself around him unhurriedly.
Unconsciously, he began moving forward alongside the crowd.
And soon.... his fast walking pace had quickly turned into running.
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'Driouuuuuuuuu!'
'Din! Din! Din! Din!'
As the Cabs came in close vicinity with the massive crowd, several people could be seen running at full speed toward them.
The crowd was like a river of people, as it moved in one direction.
'Cluckh! Cluckh! Cluckh!'
All the car doors were opened, and several people forced their way in hastily.
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The cab drivers looked at them helplessly..... as they noticed that some people trying to sit on other people's laps.
\"Sorry..... but I can only take a maximum of 4 people.\" The drivers all explained.
And while others were fighting, several other cans pulled up again.
It was indeed a busy day.
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'Driouuuuuuuu!'
The Cabs were off, and Evans was finally at peace.
But of course, how could this so called peace of mind last for long?
They were on their way to District C... and somewhere around District D, they had been held up by Traffic.
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The traffic had snaked up the hill, as each lane had been utterly filled with no room for sudden lane switches.
'Peep!! Peep!! Peep!!'
The sounds of honking could be heard from a mile away, as the people's impatience began to slowly thin out.
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Evans looked at the black velvet road that was placed with white and yellow ribbon stripes.... and couldn't help but wonder if running would be faster at this point.
Of course, he wasn't the only one who had such thoughts... as the traffic procession was filled with more distressed people, who all felt like they would die any moment from anxiety.
\"Come on!!
Move!!!\"
\"What the hell is causing this traffic?\"
\"Oh my heavens!!
Why today of all days?\"
\"_\"
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This scene continued on for a while, as the cars kept diving forward in a snail-like manner.
And soon, they had finally exited the Jam.
'Driiiuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!'
They drove for a while more, until they finally drove into District C.
More specifically, they had been heading towards 'Baymard's Revenue Agency'.
For sure, all this hustle and bustle was for 'Tax Refunds'.
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Several months ago, they had filled some sort of tax slip, and submitted it to the agency.
These slips were Tax return slips..... and after submissions, within the next 2 weeks, they had received an envelope from the Agency.
And within the envelope, which would reveal whether they were owing the government or not.
In Baymard, almost none of those that applied had owed.... so they were getting their Tax refunds instead.
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Now, within the envelope.... the applicants would find several documents within it.
All these spoke about how much they would receive from 1025's tax refunds..... as well how the calculations were made, expected payment date and so on.
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And since there were no bank cards yet, Landon didn't want to start making Cheques as well.
So that left the people with just one option.... and that was to personally go to the revenue agency and collect their money themselves.
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As for how the agency organized the entire thing, it was still done on a 'first come, first serve' basis.
So again, enclosed within those sent out envelopes... they would be able to find a letter which confirmed the day in which they completed their forms.
In this way, they knew who was first and who was dead last.
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For Evans, his ticket showed that he had submitted his form on January 8th of this year.
So in the newspapers and on the radio... it was announced that those who submitted between the 5th of January up to January 15th, needed to come to the office within this week and take their tax refunds.
Likewise, those that owed... needed to move their asses there and make payment plans if necessary.
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And if one had lost their date slip..... not to worry, they could go to the Revenue agency and look it up.
The agency also had a massive Notice board, where they posted scheduled services as well.
For example, on the board... one could see:
[•Submission Period: January 5th - January 12th
Expected Period: Monday March 14th to Friday March 18th.
•Submission Period: January 13th - January 21st.
Expected Period: Monday March 21st to Friday March 25th.
•....]
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Of course, even though Tax refunds were currently being sent out.....the date line for submitting one's application, was still April 25th.
And with hundreds of applications coming in weekly, the agency workers had their hands full during this period.
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Today was March 14th, 1026!
It was the official start day for the citizens to receive their tax refunds.