In my perfect world, equality isn’t just a word we throw around and pretend to value. It’s something that really exists in this country. Where everyone—tall, short, black, white, beautiful, ugly, rich, poor, gay, straight—actually gets the same treatment and has the same rights (or lack of) as everyone else.
Yesterday, I walked into the post office to mail a package, and for $3.97, I got a taste of paradise.
As I stood in the queue that wrapped several times around the lobby, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie with those around me. For each new person who joined the line, I could see the Christmas joy draining from his or her face. The change from fa-la-la-la-la to why-the-f***-is-this-taking-so-long was apparent as each calculated the ratio between patrons and postal employees: approximately eight to one.
One man came in hurriedly, decided the line was not for him since he only had a question, and began trying to get the attention of one woman behind the counter. Before he could get his question out, the woman answered him with a quick, gruff, “End of the line please, Sir.” Her tone made it clear there were to be no exceptions.
That’s when I realized—the United States Postal Service is perhaps the one institution where all people are truly considered equal. They have a strict policy that no one, no matter how nicely-dressed, well-connected or smooth-talking, is above the bureaucratic procedures that make the post office run as…er…efficiently as it does. While the service may be unbearably slow, occasionally unfriendly, and infuriatingly ruled by red tape, at least it’s fair. They get their job done, and manage to treat everyone with the same respect (as long as you keep your cell phone off, stand in line and fill out your forms correctly). In that respect, maybe we all have something to learn from our neighborhood postal employees.
Haha, you sure do dislike the Post Office. I thought you were never going back after that horrible time you had there a while back. I share your sentiment completely about the USPS though. So inefficient, so unfriendly.
Being the daughter-in-law of a postal worker, I truly appreciate your social commentary on an institution that employs one of the most thankless jobs around. If it is nothing more than appreciating the fair manner in which they treat all human beings then so be it! Also, you might want to remember the guy or gal who delivers your mail (you know how it goes, thru sleet and snow, yada yada) this holiday season. That is my two cents.
Where else can you mail something to Hawaii for less than 50 cents?
Go postal.