The Pink Mailbox

A mailbox is such a hopeful, old-fashioned thing, isn’t it? It implies that we expect to receive something — something worth having a mailbox for.

My mail box was a bold fire-engine red when I bought it. The sun has faded it now to a sad Pepto Bismol pink. 

A metal mailbox on a post is such a hopeful, old-fashioned thing, isn’t it? It implies that we expect to receive something — something worth having a mailbox for. Maybe a letter from an old high school friend, some birthday cards, a couple of discount coupons for early-bird dinners at Denny’s. Maybe a note saying that the results of my annual mammogram were negative or a package with the new socks I ordered.

Today in my mailbox, however I found a flyer from Adult Ed offering classes in Pottery, ESL, Personal Budgeting. No, thank you. There was an ad for Stanley Steemer carpet cleaning - $100 summer special! Sorry, I don’t have carpets any more. The Democratic National Committee says Joe Biden needs my money to save this country! I think they may be too late. Then there was the weekly flyer from Safeway - sausages only $5 a pack. Hell of a deal!  Canned chick peas $1.69!  And, finally, yet another Blair catalog – the third this week. Clothing for old ladies, mostly sweatpants and t-shirts. Wait a minute! Free shipping on orders over $39? Now you’re talking!

Ever optimistic, I will peek into the box again tomorrow and the day after. Who knows? I could get lucky and win the Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes, right? I’ve only been waiting for that for about 40 years. You think it would give me an edge if I mailed in the entry form?