The late Erma Bombeck wrote a thoughtful story before Christmas:
Most of us have never seen anyone smile in the Post Office. The Post Office instead is like a clinic for lower back pain. Well, I was in line yesterday, when the door opened and in walked a lady with a big smile on her face weighted down with boxes for mailing. She held the door open for her three little girls who filed in, each carrying a package. It was quite obvious that they had never seen the inside of a Post Office.
She bounded over to a man standing over a counter pasting stamps and asked, “Are you a carrier?” “Of what?” he snapped. Another one in line growled, “To the back of the line, lady!”
Her eyes fairly danced with excitement as she announced to no one in particular, “It certainly is a nice day, and just think, girls, Christmas is only one week away.” “Will granddad get his presents?” asked one child.
“Of course, he will,” said her mother “We’ve got it all timed just about right. On Christmas Eve he’ll be sitting around the fire, the door bell will ring and a postman will knock and say, with a big smile, ‘Merry Christmas from your family in Arizona.’”
Every eye in the Post Office turned to stare at this cross between Mary Poppins and Tiny Tim. “Look girls, doesn’t the Post Office look like Santa is on his way?”
We all looked around. With the exception of Santa pointing his finger at us from a poster and warning, “Mail early” the place had the spirit of a Recovery Room. Finally she got to the head of the line. “When will dad get these packages?” she asked
The postal clerk shrugged, “Depends. Maybe by New Year’s or we could get ‘em there in one day.” “One day would be fine!” she exclaimed.
“It’ll cost you,” he said, scribbling down some figures. “$45.80.” The woman hesitated, then picked out one box and said, “This one must get there by Christmas Day. It’s my father’s birthday.”
The clerk shook his head and said, “Boy, that guy’s a loser. Imagine having a birthday on Christmas. One present fits all. Thank God I don’t know of anyone born on Christmas Day.” The man behind me whispered loudly, “Thank God, I do.”
Do YOU know anyone who was born on Christmas Day?
How well do you know him?
