I posted this on a webpage dedicated to my old friends and classmates. A little subgroup on Facebook but thought I would share it here for those that may not belong to that group.
I had taken my granddaughter, who is eleven, to the post office with me. Her Mom sells Thirty One products and so does mailings. We had a couple packages and some cards to post. I purchased the stamps and had Morgan affix them while I dealt with the packages. I said to Morgan, " do you know what it means if you put the stamp on upside down ? " She just gave me that look, like little girls do, and said nothing. I told her you would do that to say " I love You " if you were sending it to your boyfriend. That drew the response of " eww " and a scrunched up expression. I guess the boys of today won't be getting any of those letters. I wonder if any of those letters would be SWAK. Sealed with a Kiss that is, remember writing that across the back ? Maybe a kiss, in red lipstick, would be on the letter along with some perfume.
I was thinking about this when I was chatting with another retired Navy man. We were telling a younger guy how important the mailman on the ship was. There were certain people on the ship that you gave special favors too, the cook and the mailman. Well, not really the cook but a fella called " jack of the dust. " Jack of the dust was the guy that held the keys to the ships storerooms, especially those having the food supplies. It was real good to be friends with him. And the mailman, well that is obvious. This was in the days before cell phones,e-mail, text messaging or any of that stuff. You got letters from home and that was it. Oh, you would hit a port every now and again but making a long distance call to home was very expensive. Also difficult if you didn't speak the language. It could be done but it was quite a hassle. But that has all changed now and I wonder if letters are even sent anymore. I guess you just get texts and a selfie these days. Well, I think the younger crowd is missing out if they do not get letters from home, especially those scented letters that were swak.
I know I read and reread those letters. I don't think reading a text message over and over would have the same effect. Once I even got a scented lock of hair. Now that was love for sure ! Wonder what ever happened to her ? LOL They say anticipation can be better than the actual event. I, along with hundreds of others aboard those ships, waited for the mail. We all knew what day it was supposed to arrive. After it came on board it had to go to the post office to be sorted. The mailman was under pressure to " just hurry up " will ya ! This was the time to cash in on those favors you did for him. Your letters just might get out first. It was an exciting time when the mail came. It was also a big disappointment if you didn't get anything. Then you were isolated for a short time as everyone else read their letters. Helped to have a few old ones to reread during that time.
I think this is just another little thing that is slipping into the past. Everything has to be faster now. It has always been that way. First man walked, then he learned to run. We have continued to speed up to where we are today. Now we routinely drive seventy miles an hour while sending an instant message. Wasn't all that long ago when we rode a horse at 5 miles an hour delivering letters that took weeks to arrive. It is progress. But it does come at a price. Like riding in a car at seventy miles an hour, you don't see much of the scenery. Not much time for anticipation. We are missing some things. No one knows the exact origin of the phrase, " stop and smell the roses " but we all know what it means. We all need to do just that every now and again. A nice letter gives us that opportunity. Especially if you are young and in love. Stop and smell the mail. Don't think there is an " app " for that. YET.
I had taken my granddaughter, who is eleven, to the post office with me. Her Mom sells Thirty One products and so does mailings. We had a couple packages and some cards to post. I purchased the stamps and had Morgan affix them while I dealt with the packages. I said to Morgan, " do you know what it means if you put the stamp on upside down ? " She just gave me that look, like little girls do, and said nothing. I told her you would do that to say " I love You " if you were sending it to your boyfriend. That drew the response of " eww " and a scrunched up expression. I guess the boys of today won't be getting any of those letters. I wonder if any of those letters would be SWAK. Sealed with a Kiss that is, remember writing that across the back ? Maybe a kiss, in red lipstick, would be on the letter along with some perfume.
I was thinking about this when I was chatting with another retired Navy man. We were telling a younger guy how important the mailman on the ship was. There were certain people on the ship that you gave special favors too, the cook and the mailman. Well, not really the cook but a fella called " jack of the dust. " Jack of the dust was the guy that held the keys to the ships storerooms, especially those having the food supplies. It was real good to be friends with him. And the mailman, well that is obvious. This was in the days before cell phones,e-mail, text messaging or any of that stuff. You got letters from home and that was it. Oh, you would hit a port every now and again but making a long distance call to home was very expensive. Also difficult if you didn't speak the language. It could be done but it was quite a hassle. But that has all changed now and I wonder if letters are even sent anymore. I guess you just get texts and a selfie these days. Well, I think the younger crowd is missing out if they do not get letters from home, especially those scented letters that were swak.
I know I read and reread those letters. I don't think reading a text message over and over would have the same effect. Once I even got a scented lock of hair. Now that was love for sure ! Wonder what ever happened to her ? LOL They say anticipation can be better than the actual event. I, along with hundreds of others aboard those ships, waited for the mail. We all knew what day it was supposed to arrive. After it came on board it had to go to the post office to be sorted. The mailman was under pressure to " just hurry up " will ya ! This was the time to cash in on those favors you did for him. Your letters just might get out first. It was an exciting time when the mail came. It was also a big disappointment if you didn't get anything. Then you were isolated for a short time as everyone else read their letters. Helped to have a few old ones to reread during that time.
I think this is just another little thing that is slipping into the past. Everything has to be faster now. It has always been that way. First man walked, then he learned to run. We have continued to speed up to where we are today. Now we routinely drive seventy miles an hour while sending an instant message. Wasn't all that long ago when we rode a horse at 5 miles an hour delivering letters that took weeks to arrive. It is progress. But it does come at a price. Like riding in a car at seventy miles an hour, you don't see much of the scenery. Not much time for anticipation. We are missing some things. No one knows the exact origin of the phrase, " stop and smell the roses " but we all know what it means. We all need to do just that every now and again. A nice letter gives us that opportunity. Especially if you are young and in love. Stop and smell the mail. Don't think there is an " app " for that. YET.
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