This happened back in the early 1980s, way back in the days before cell phones but, we at least had Motorola 2-Way Radios. Our biggest project going at the time was building Jester Estates, out west of Austin on RM 2222. In fact it was the largest project we’d ever taken on. So knowing that if we didn’t put everything into that project, we could end up out of business. So I stayed out on that project a lot of the time.

I had tried to grow the company too fast so we were stretched way too thin with manpower, probably experience and especially finances. We ended up not making some payroll withholding deposits timely, which lead to me being contacted by an IRS Agent. In fact we had been in regular contact for quite awhile. I had told him we were running a little short on money but I’d have it all cleared up very soon.

I’m sure my very soon and his wasn’t the same timeline. I was a bit annoyed when he persisted in calling me way too often. One day I was up on top of that mountain, Jester Mountain one day and Woody, my old bookkeeper called and told me Mr. Heath want me to call him. I begrudgingly drove off the mountain and made the 5 mile trip to a store with a bank of pay phones at Dry Creek, which was just west of present day RM 2222 and Mopac Expressway.

When I called Mr.Heath’s direct number, it was busy. I tried and couple more times and with no way to leave him a message I returned to the job site. As soon as I got back on top of the mountain, Woody called me on the radio to let me know that Mr. Heath had called back to say that I didn’t call as he had requested.

I said “Woody, get ahold of Mr. Heath and tell him to stay of that $&@#^* phone and go back down to that $%#^*+=_~<€£ phone and call him, after just wasting and hour of my day……………”.

Woody then said “Mr. Heath will keep the line clear and wait for your call. I didn’t realize that Mr. Heath was listening to my whole tirade over the radio speaker there in the office.

I went back down to the pay phone and called him. We actually had a very cordial conversation, with me explaining how hard I was trying to pull things together. I guess he got the message because I don’t remember ever having another conversation with him, at least until years later. We soon we’re able to get things caught up. I guess him being a seasoned IRS man and realizing I was just a young whipper-snapper he didn’t seem too offended.

About 15 years later Mr. Heath had retired from the IRS and had a private tax consulting firm. I had a friend that was in bad need of a consultant on some back taxes. I went with him to see Mr. Heath.

I just couldn’t help myself, so I brought up our previous encounter all those years before. He remembered the incident and we had a laugh about it.

Oh, did I mention how difficult it was moving around from place to place in Austin in those days? No Mopac or Loop 360 Highway to get form north to south or visa versa. Our office was in far southeast Austin and to get to a project like Jester Estates was a real journey, taking well over a hour except during rush hour traffic, then you were never sure if you could ever get there. So some things about Austin have been screwed up for a very long time.