I clutched the packet to my chest as I pushed through the post office door. Mailing manuscripts to editors attending the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference always brings a sense of wild anticipation, not unlike the upward climb on a rickety roller coaster.The postal clerk looked at me with tired eyes as I handed him my custom made envelopes bound for manila.
“Does your package contain any…” He droned out a long list of objectionable items. Do people really try to mail that stuff? And do they admit it?
I smiled brightly. “No. Just hopes and dreams.”
He frowned, my packet full of promise dangling from the tips of his fingers.
My smile faded. “No sir. Just paper. Really.”
He dropped it onto the scale and turned to the computer monitor. The lines on his forehead suggested he needed either a cup of strong coffee or customers who could answer questions sensibly. “That’ll be two-fifty.”
I dug in my wallet, pondering the cost of that valuable lesson. Don’t joke around with postal clerks. Especially before ten in the morning.
(Photo courtesy of Jonathan Chasteen).
That’s hilarious! I can see you bee-bopping in there all smiles and his face at your answer! Love it!
And it’s not just in your neck of the woods. They’re grouchy here too. At all times of the day.
I suppose “hopes and dreams” can be pretty volatile stuff. Perhaps it’s not safe to send them through the USPS.
Haha! Wishing you the best! My dad is a postman and they are a fun breed. He’s a carrier and gets barked at all day long, and let’s just say I inherited his love of dogs (that was a joke…but it’s after 10 so that’s ok :])
Can’t wait to hear the report from your week at Hermon!!
LOL. Postal workers can be scary. We have one who regularly has tantrums on his route. We’ve heard him in his truck just absolutely losing it, and it makes me wonder just what the poor man faces everyday. I always try to be extra pleasant to him if he comes to the door. There are some really nice clerks who work in our offices. One routinely eases the tension of too few clerks and too many impatient, sullen customers by getting the whole place to sing happy birthday to a coworker, or shouting out random things like, “Okay, now we’re going to start taking customers from the OTHER end of the line!” Of course, if he really followed through on that I don’t think he’d get out alive.
Congrats and best wishes on those hopes and dreams winging their way to Mt. Hermon!