Dec. 16, 2015

 

Dear Hildie:

 

I called to visit my friend yesterday and was told he was no longer able to receive visitors because now he sleeps all the time. It won’t be long, I’m afraid. That’s going to be like having a big piece torn out of my world.

The post office continues to render exemplary service. The mail comes at dark; I get my neighbor’s mail; I send an Xmas card to somebody in Georgia and I get it back with the notation that they’ve moved to Mississippi, with the new address  printed on  it—instead of its being forwarded, which is what I paid money for. And nowadays when you mail something using the machine at the post office, they make you enter the address manually, because they’re too damned lazy to do it themselves. Or maybe they just can’t read. That’s when the machine works. I watched a poor fellow try to mail a package yesterday and it wouldn’t take any of his credit cards. Half the time it won’t print stamps, and I’ve gotten several sheets with the sheetlets cut in two, giving me half-stamps. Ben Franklin would die if he saw how this once proud service has deteriorated. Of course, I know the real problem is Congress—Isn ‘t that the problem with most of what’s gone bad? The only native-born criminal class, as Twain said.

 

Well, I see I haven’t said anything positive in this letter. Sorry. I’m not feeling very positive right now.

Take care (of the bill collectors),

Love,

M