A farmer in Nova Scotia had been working on a new fertilizer for his straw berries. The latest formula was extremely successful, creating berries that were the size of pumpkins. One berry, however, was massive, easily the size of the new Volkswagon Beetle. Neighboring farmers, and their families, came by to see it and praise him for his talent in the berry growing business
Instead of harvesting this berry he decided to construct a shelter around it and charge admission to the people that wanted to come and see it. Business was booming. Lines ran down the road for over a mile, and he was raking in the money.
After a few months of dawn to dusk, seven day a week exhibition he had a amassed somewhere in the neighborhood of half a million dollars, tax-free, from the berry viewings alone. Fertilizer sales easily doubled that.
Revenue Canada had noticed this, and were eager to get their share. Numerous letters were sent demanding their cut, by way of taxes, all ignored by the farmer.
On a day off, sleeping in a cot by the berry in it's shelter, the farmer was awoken by hammering on the door.
'Go away, come back tomorrow. The berry is not for viewing today.'
There was more knocking, followed by an insistent 'Open Up!'
'Please, I'm tired. Come back tomorrow and praise this berry all you want. I need to rest.'
The man outside respond, 'Sorry sir, you misunderstand. I'm from revenue Canada. You haven't paid your taxes...
I came not to Praise your Berry, but to Seize it!' |
