Save the U.S.P.S.!

Once I decided to single-handedly save the U.S. Postal Service, I flipped through my address book. It’s an actual, physical book, not an app, not a computer program. It has a spiral binding and a hardback cover with a picture of African violets on it. And it has the names and addresses of everyone I know written in it in my own hand.

 

I wrote about 15 postcards. On the third or fourth one I started calling it a campaign. Then I gave the campaign a name. “Not Just for Junkmail Anymore, 2012.”

Around the tenth postcard, I did the math. Wait a minute. One hundred postcard stamps is only $29.00.

Do you really think you can save the P.O. with 29 bucks?

Not that I really believe I am embarking on saving the postal service. It’s just a joke, my way of tapping into current events, a cute little means of saying “Hi” in the new year and trying to make my friends smile with a little faux campaign, my little pretend crusade.

But.

Wouldn’t it be cool if more people started doing this? And if, by doing this, the U.S. Postal Service evaded the ever-circling wagons of capitalism a little while longer?

Meanwhile, wouldn’t it just be nice to send something off to someone and imagine how good they’ll feel when they get it? Or (if you’re selfish, like me), how great will you feel when you get something in the mail from someone you love? Or just like? Or remember from 15 years ago and wonder why you ever lost touch?

Plus, stamps are kind of nice. You don’t even have to lick them anymore. They just peel conveniently off this waxy backed paper and stick by themselves. It’s pretty great.