Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Recession . . .
I fear someday we’ll talk about the postman the way we talk about the milkman: Isn’t it weird? Someone used to come to your house every day and actually deliver . . . mail! The Post Office announced today that it might need to go down to delivering only five days a week as a big bad cost cutter. I support this motion if it means cutting back hours rather than eliminating jobs completely. And I say we rally in support of the good ole USPS. For their years of service—delivering paychecks, summer camp letters, college applications, and postcards way back when the only was to send them was through the post office.
How about this: If you have something to send but it doesn’t need to arrive tomorrow then you send it through the post office. If it’s a gift or a note and time is not necessarily of the essence then let our friendly mailmen and women take care of it. If USPS cuts back one day and we up our sending of thoughtful, thinking-of-you parcels then we might get to keep this great institution.
January 29th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
“…Oh, the postman always brings the mail
Through rain or snow or sleet or hail
I’ll work and work the whole day through
To get your letters safe to you
‘Cause a postman is a person in your neighborhood
In your neighborhood
He’s in your neighborhood
A postman is a person in your neighborhood
A person that you meet each day…”
- Sesame Street “People In Your Neighborhood”
When I read the title, this choon was what came to my mind, except the “…nor recession” part. After listening to this choon, how can one try to explain recession to a child? If Seth Meyers were to give his spiel on how it all came about, I think it would be way above their heads (Saturday Nite Live’s Weekend Update on 10/25/08). This also reminds me of your blog regarding a letter from a car dealer requesting help from an anonymous philanthropist (”This Story is Made Possible By (Surprise!) A Box of Letters Someone Saw Fit to Save”, 12/22/08). He didn’t have the heart to lay off his employees, so he tried to keep the business going, but ended up closing shop. As much as I complain about the rate hike every other year, I am saddened to hear that the USPS may resort to reducing their hours to stay afloat. I can’t imagine how businesses will cope with no delivery on a weekday, like Tuesday, of all days, when they claim that it is the day of the week when it is slowest. I hope the USPS will be able to reach a favorable solution to stay afloat during these difficult times. Support the postman/postwoman in your neighborhood. Hang tight.