Date: Mon, 1 May 2000 12:46:04 -0400 From: Kafka Dreams To: void Subject: modern challenges There's this running joke that isn't really a joke, per se, it's just this funny little thing that people do - that people have always done - since they invented those big clunky blue sidewalk mailboxes. The thing is this - after people put their letters into the mailbox, they close the door so that the mail slides down and THEN - they OPEN the door AGAIN & make sure their mail is gone. I never did this. Never had the urge. And after I realized that people make fun of those who do this, I made sure not to develop the urge. [SIDEBAR: I don't think people fully appreciate how growing up in the seventies with Candid Camera on television made some of us extra paranoid about looking stupid in public.] Plus, a long time ago I accidently noticed that if I slid my mail in while holding the door mostly open (one-handed mail-dropping), it slides down the swivel-piece and slips off the end to drop down into the belly of the beast anyway. Didn't need to re-check. But today was different. Today, something happened to me that's NEVER happened BEFORE! Today, I opened the door to drop my bills in & noticed a piece of mail, sitting there. IT DIDN'T GO DOWN! Because of the way I opened the door, it slowly slid off and dropped. But I coulda grabbed it. I coulda opened the door all the way & stopped its progression. I COULDA READ YOUR MAIL. I will never think less of people who re-check again. Kelly J. THIS EPIC TRIVIALITY BROUGHT TO YOU BY the letters B and P and the number 5.