Buying Stamps

Buying Stamps at the Post Office

January 17, 2012

This afternoon, I wandered into the Rock Center Post Office to buy stamps. Yeah, I know who actually still buys stamps? I do. I hear next week postage goes up. What else is new? In the pre-forever stamps days, I once waited on line at the New Paltz USPS to buy one .01 stamp and went back numerous times. I was not going to load up my envelopes with any more postage than required. My mom still makes fun of me.
Today, I was mailing a letter to friend from scouuuuut camp. I know I spelled scout wrong. But we often addressed each other that way.

Anyway, I waltzed up to the stamp machine. I needed like two or three stamps. I bought a .44 stamp and the machine said, “You must buy at least three or an 18 sheet of stamps”. Last week, I went through the same process and bought three stamps. ‘Ya see it said three stamps or an eighteen sheet of holiday baubles. The last thing I wanted. The holiday season is long over and I knew they’d be Christmas stamps.

Now I have nothing against Christmas. I send Christmas cards and buy gifts for family members and friends that celebrate. I just wanted plain old stamps. This week the machine just said, stamps. I clicked on that. Out came an eighteen sheet of stamps with ornaments on them. I immediately went to a postal employee and explained the situation. All I wanted were traditional stamps.

She did not go postal. But understood. She asked if I wanted Chanukah stamps. I said ok. But you know what I really wanted. I filled out a form and was brought up to a postal clerk and we made the exchange. I got my traditional stamps. I affixed them on some birthday cards that will go out in a few days.

Bottom line, I just don’t feel it is appropriate to mail things to business contacts with decorative stamps. And, I certainly do not want to mail my Hasidic and Modern Orthodox friend’s birthday cards with Christmas ornaments. I like that they have a variety of stamps to make people happy. I just wish they’d remember to offer that variety.

I’m off to the mailbox. Oh and readers, after dropping your letter in, please do not forget to wave goodbye to it. Check out an old Flintstones episode for more details on why.