Over the years, readers of these essays will recall my references to my friend in Sweden, whose name is Sven Lernevall.  You will be surprised to know that one of Sven’s friends is a slightly younger person named Christer Flink.  My understanding is that when Sven reached the age of retirement, he was succeeded in Televerket by Christer Flink.  Sven and Christer have been around for a while and it was my great pleasure, and the pleasure of my wife, to entertain them in this house when they visited in the United States.
Christer is a young fellow somewhere in his seventies.  He has always retained the ability to talk in a straightforward manner in both Swedish and in English.  And so it is that the title of this essay springs from the brain of Christer Flink of Sweden.
This essay came up when my wife informed me that we had to mail a check to the Internal Revenue Service for the estimate of our next quarter earnings.  There is no such thing as the honor system.  Rather the IRS stamps its feet and demands its money as soon as I get it.  So it was in this atmosphere that Miss Chicka recalled the words of Mr. Flink.  Apparently it is obvious that the Swedish taxing authorities have essentially the same philosophy used by the American authorities.
So it is that the words of Christer Flink were recalled this morning.  My recollection is as clear as a bell on this quotation.  And of course it gave rise to the title of this essay.  There was an occasion a few years ago when Christer Flink said that the government has two questions: “how much money do you have? And when can we come and get it?”  The fact of the matter is that I appreciate direct talk such as exemplified by the title of this essay.  But it is clear on this date in June that I am responding to the U.S. government’s efforts to “come and get it.”
Christer and Sven are two great friends.  I will tell you that they don’t make them like that any more.
 
E. E. CARR
June 7, 2012
Essay 669
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Kevin’s commentary:
Since I’m posting two right now (this and one on country speak) we are now basically all caught up from the lull in posts! Tomorrow is a brand-spankin’-new essay of Pop’s which is probably in my top five for 2012.  It’s called “Silver Dollar Blues” and is all sorts of great.