I have to admit, I look forward everyday to the chink-scrape-thunk of the mail-person leaving their allotted daily assortment of correspondence, both wanted and un-wanted, in our mailbox. (the specific sound comes from our flapped mail box, which when opened and pushed again the wall in the vigorous manner needed to toss at least 10 catalogs on average, the loud 'scrape and thunk’ is inevitable when the mail drops to the bottom) Being a stay-at-home student/wife, I have few interactions (unless you count my morning tea with Katie Couric and Matt Lauer an interaction) so I eagerly look forward to seeing what wonderful things might appear in my mailbox each day around noon.
Today however, reinforced my amazement of the magical quality of the mail. I had just finished reading my friend Trina’s blog, which stated they had just sent out their wedding invitations that day, (Saturday) when I heard the familiar chink-scrape and thunk. Rushing eagerly to the door, but not so quickly as to surprise our poor over-worked mail carrier, (remember the 10 catalogs a day???? It can go up to 50 during the holiday season!!!) I quickly discarded those annoying and completely useless random coupons for ‘one-day blinds’ and got to the good stuff - the beautifully emblazoned wedding invitation from Dick and Trina! In less than 24 working hours, this piece of mail had been put in a box in SF, sent to a station, scanned, had that little bar code attached to it, sorting onto one truck, made the journey to the south bay, sorted again, placed on a truck and walked directly to my humble front door. (and I am sure I don’t even begin to know all the various steps in between my invitation saw) …..and all this for 32 cents!! (well, actually 60 since it was a typical wedding invite with multiple sheets, but you get my point).
In this digital age, I stop occasionally to marvel at how an e-mail can show up in my in-box with just a couple clicks on my keyboard, but I think it is much more astounding to remember all the millions of pieces of physical mail, which arrive with astounding accuracy, that must be touched, cared for and delivered safely to their destination, regardless of the crappy weather the mail carrier must endure, every day, for the last couple hundred years!!
My hats off to those dedicated and over-looked civil servants at the post office!