Dear Customers at my local post office yesterday,
I'm sorry!
There. I had to get that out. It isn't fun to be reviled. To suddenly find oneself the object of derision, the grand pariah of the U.S. Post Office. But yesterday, that's exactly what I was.
I didn't mean to be, honest I didn't, but I had this promo mailing I needed to get out for my March release, FORTUNE'S KISS, which meant marching into the PO with a box full of 7x10 envelopes, each containing coverflats and either 10 or 15 or 20 or 30 bookmarks inside. So it wasn't like I could just stamp them myself and toss them in the box.
In my defense, the place was practically empty when I got there, and it was well before lunchtime. I figured, hey, I got here at a really lucky moment, and I'll be in and out in no time and at no one's inconvenience. Wrong! Almost immediately, this snaking line formed behind me, and when it was my turn at the counter, my back practically blistered from the waves of resentment hitting me from behind. I thought, Oh No! I'm one of those obnoxious people that tie up the PO line!! And I just wanted to dissolve into the hideous design of the linoleum tiles.
But what did I expect? It's like thinking you can run up to the grocery store without a trace of makeup, hoping you can sneak in and out without anyone noticing you, and running into EVERYONE you know. Luck is just like that in situations like this.
But anyway, there's my confession. I'm a P.O. line-holder-upper, and I'm not proud.... 