Waiting for the postman
I haven’t waited for the mail for years. I have gone a week before I even bothered to check the mail in my box. There’s so much junk. Nowadays if someone wants to send you something they do it by email or text. If you order a package, Amazon brings it the next day. No one writes letters. Even my daughter, a freshman in college, asked me how to mail a letter -- did she need stamps. I
When I was a kid, I often waited every day expectantly for the mailman, particularly if I had ordered something like xray glasses from the back of a comic book. It would take 2-3 months sometimes for your package to come. Oh, and what delight when it did. Snoopy learned his famous dance from watching my happy reaction to the mailmen bringing a letter or marcel with my name on it. In 2026, Later in life, I had various correspondences with a girls I liked that involved back and forth lengthy handwritten letters. In my early writing days I would send out short stories or articles and wait to hear, often months for acceptance or rejection. The first book manuscript I mailed out, I sent with a stamped self addressed envelope for its return.
Today for the first time in decades, I actually walked toward the mailbox with some excitement. Two weeks ago, I wrote to the Presidents of McDonalds. Burger King, and Wendy’s suggesting they start selling hot dogs. I wrote to them by mail and not email because I imagined them writing a thoughtful letter back, thanking me for my idea and including some complimentary girt certificates. I am very curious to see how they respond. Today was the first day I thought I might get something back, but nothing. Maybe tomorrow/ maybe next week? I hope not next month or even not at all. Maybe they don’t know how to send letters any more.
I wonder if maybe I should have just emailed my suggestion.
Tomorrow I will run again to the mail box, full of hope.