A Few Residents of Broadway Avenue in NYC
My son recently discovered that he can purchase those hard-to-find trading cards from eBay. He still buys the packages, but sometimes likes to know he's getting a card he really needs rather than taking chances on packages. When he is awaiting a delivery, his usual direct entry into the house is interrupted by a pause to dip his hand into the mailbox. Even though the anticipated envelope will be addressed to me (as the owner of said eBay account) he always seems to know when its contents are intended for him.
It makes sense that his mail would stand out, aside from the outline of the enclosed card. Like many people today, most of what arrives addressed directly to me is in a business envelope with a formally typed address, either labelled or windowed. I don't receive much in the way of personally addressed correspondence anymore.
I suppose in one way, today's culture of on-line malls and limitless worldwide retail access means receiving goods in the mail is more prevalent than ever. But as someone who prefers exploring actual merchandise to virtual shopping, the thrill of mail anticipation is pretty much a distant memory.
It's too bad because it used to be such a thrill. I remember keeping a list of all the packages that I was expecting in any given week. I loved having a reason to rush out and check the mail. At any given time, my list might include things such as: Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts cassette from Columbia House, birthday party photos (with negatives) from Tootons, the latest colourful little catalogue from Au Coton, a pair of outlandishly coloured pants from Sears (because all we had growing up was a catalogue outlet), and a handwritten letter from my friend Julie who had moved away but was always very good at keeping in touch.
I occasionally shop on eBay, and once in a while I receive a wedding invitation but even these arrive with a cold, laser-printed label. Christmas cards are still hand-addressed but I have noticed a significant drop in their distribution as well. I suppose when you can see on Facebook that people are generally keeping well, and you can see how much their kids have grown and look like one parent or the other, greeting cards aren't the gems they used to be. Although my thinking is that because of tools like Facebook, we should make even more of a point to sit down and pen a personal note on a Christmas card. And imagine the impact this effort would have when it takes the form of a properly-timed birthday card!
It makes me wonder if mailboxes are going to be harder and harder to find or perhaps you don't know where any of them are until you need one... kind of like payphones. But like this row of mailboxes in Manhattan, they still hold a certain charm. And perhaps even more so.
