COMPUTER MEMORIES, Chapter 73

THE ENVELOPE WAS DELIVERED TO TUCSON
Thirty or forty years ago I was working with the Tucson city government on a proposal for a Federal Grant. Early one day I had some contract papers at my office in Los Angeles, that absolutely had to be delivered to Tucson City Hall that morning, and I positively had to be in Seattle later that same day. This was before the airlines would deliver small packages or large envelopes, so I had to deliver the papers in person. When I arrived at the door of the Tucson bound airplane at LAX, I saw the Stewardess on the plane was an old friend, I had flown with her many times. I talked her into taking the envelope, promised her someone would meet her in Tucson, and I was now free to go to my other appointment, without a breakneck round-trip to Arizona.

I called Tucson City Hall and told them which plane to meet, and who to look for. I was later told that someone “important” from City Hall, just happened to be arriving at the airport at about that same time, so he met the plane. He not only got the envelope, but received a kiss from my friend, the beautiful and vivacious Stewardess.

PRESENTING MY IDEA FOR IRS AUDITORS
While attempting to obtain this Federal Grant for Tucson, I had the chance to visit the Capitol building in Washington DC, and “lobby” with each and every member of Congress from Arizona. And for me that was fun, even though we did not get the Grant.

What was even more fun, happened in Senator Paul Fannin’s office. Before he became the Senator, he had been the Governor of Arizona, and before that was in the Real Estate business. He had proposed a real estate development of some kind, and had gotten an OK from the IRS for the way he intended to handle the income tax that would result from that project. However, even though you get an OK from one IRS employee, that does not prevent some one higher up from later disapproving that idea, which the IRS did as he was running for re-election for Governor.

Now as a Senator, he was on a committee that was to approve a new IRS commissioner, and of course he was still very unhappy with the way he had been treated. I suggested that each IRS auditor be “certified” for a certain sum of money, just like a check will often say, “Not good for over ……. dollars.” That person could approve any tax audit up to the amount of money he was qualified to approve, and it would not later be disapproved by anyone higher up. The Senator thought this was a great idea, so asked me to return to his office the next day.

TOURIST-TIME
I always insisted on a couple of hours of tourist-time when I was in Washington, so after I had completed my meetings in the Capitol building for the day, I drove down the Mall, intending to visit President Kennedy’s grave, in Arlington Cemetery. As I went past the Smithsonian Institute, I noticed the flag was at half-mask, and when I arrived at the cemetery I saw the flag on the Arlington House (The Custis-Lee Mansion) was also lowered. Then I heard on the car radio that President Eisenhower had just died (March 28, 1969).

When I returned to my hotel (a couple of blocks east of the Capitol) I found that my bags had been packed, and I had been checked out of the hotel (I don’t remember the details, but they had made arrangements for me at another hotel). The NBC Network had a contract to use this hotel for their people, when something important happened in Washington that would require hours of network coverage. They out-ranked me, by far.

PS. I never met President Eisenhower, but on Easter Sunday 1947, at Fort Benning, GA, I was among a group of soldiers close enough — 10 to 20 feet away — to General Eisenhower to salute him, and receive his salute in return.

IN THE OFFICE OF SENATOR FANNIN, THE NEXT DAY
When I arrived at the office of Senator Paul Fannin there were 6 or 8 staff members of various Senators, and I had the privilege of explaining my idea. They all loved my plan, discussed it in detail, but as far as I know it was never passed into law. But boy did I ever feel important for that day!!