In the United States, gifts by a company or person to a charity which is approved by the government can be used to reduce the company's or the person's tax. (This is, of course, to encourage people to give money to charities.) One day the secretary of a world-famous charity had a telephone call from a tax officer, who said, 'A certain gentleman who says that his name is Howard Vince claims to have given your society $15,000 in gifts last year. I am telephoning to find out whether he did in fact do so.'
'Howard Vince, did you say?' answered the secretary of the charity cautiously. 'Wait a moment, please. I'll have a look in our records.'
After half a minute, the tax officer heard the secretary's voice again. 'Mr. Howard Vince hasn't give us $15,000 yet,' the secretary said delightedly, 'but he's going to now!'