General Discussion

Tommy_Carcetti

(44,411 posts)

4. I remember as a kid....

Fri Jun 14, 2013, 01:07 PM

Jun 2013

....we lived in an area that was then still rather rural (not so much now) and we actually had General Delivery, meaning we didn't have home delivery and had to actually pick up the mail at the post office.

Every Saturday I would go with my dad on errands, and one of our stops was the post office, where we'd walk in, mail letters and pick up our mail. And I remember knowing our postmasters on a first name basis and having friendly conversations with them.

Funny thing was this was only about 25-30 years ago, yet it seems like something you'd hear about pre WWII.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

78 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

I went to my local post office on my lunch hour and was in and out in less than 5 minutes. [View all] Tommy_Carcetti Jun 2013 OP

Big K & R ctsnowman Jun 2013 #1

Our rural post office would be sorely missed. femmocrat Jun 2013 #2

I remember as a kid.... Tommy_Carcetti Jun 2013 #4

When the new federal bldg & post office opened in Eleanors38 Jun 2013 #76

you're lucky fizzgig Jun 2013 #3

Purely anecdotal OP Floyd_Gondolli Jun 2013 #12

Yep, both good AND bad - just like with private enterprise! Beartracks Jun 2013 #57

I'm 63 and everything that the government has "privatized" in my lifetime, like Ma Bell, has xtraxritical Jun 2013 #74

You have THREE clerks during lunch hour??? Humph..in my area we'd be extremely Kahuna Jun 2013 #20

Seems like the population centers are always understaffed itsrobert Jun 2013 #29

I agree Johonny Jun 2013 #44

I love my DMV and Post Office ...... oldhippie Jun 2013 #72

There are never any lines at my Post Office at lunch time. Our Post Office A Simple Game Jun 2013 #52

Love the PO but MuseRider Jun 2013 #5

Or maybe what you experienced is a symptom of the problem WestStar Jun 2013 #6

Yogi Berra tclambert Jun 2013 #61

The USPS rocks! MrScorpio Jun 2013 #7

I kept it running like a well-regulated clock when I had something to say about it. Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #8

Benjamin Franklin?? NMDemDist2 Jun 2013 #47

At your service. Sorry that I am dead so there isn't a lot I can do right now. Nimajneb Nilknarf Jun 2013 #48

So the USPS is the "public option" of package delivery? Beartracks Jun 2013 #58

I was thinking about that yesterday. Hissyspit Jun 2013 #9

+1 HiPointDem Jun 2013 #10

USPS. Even after 40 years of a concerted, bipartisan effort to cripple and kill it, Egalitarian Thug Jun 2013 #11

The post office is essential to my income RainDog Jun 2013 #13

Yes, we run a business on the side for a nice income. Low package rates and good mbperrin Jun 2013 #34

A few years ago I was at the PO mailing Christmas gifts. CrispyQ Jun 2013 #14

USPS Hula Popper Jun 2013 #15

USPS is cheaper than UPS/FEDEX when it comes to shipping smaller items penultimate Jun 2013 #16

Mine has a 24/7 self-service machine. bunnies Jun 2013 #17

right on Wiki: MisterP Jun 2013 #18

How did that make revenue drop? Bay Boy Jun 2013 #27

Less resources available to provide services with whopis01 Jun 2013 #69

you are right, Mr.P! blondie58 Jun 2013 #54

My post office is a hot mess. They very rarely deliver packages at all AND.. Kahuna Jun 2013 #19

I love my post office. Demoiselle Jun 2013 #21

Like, cheese, not all are equal. Wait Wut Jun 2013 #22

K&R ReRe Jun 2013 #23

Good experience for me LittleGirl Jun 2013 #24

Glad you had a good experience, but kudzu22 Jun 2013 #25

Wow. I had to wait almost half an hour. ananda Jun 2013 #26

the post office is awesome Skittles Jun 2013 #28

We also have a great post office... tecelote Jun 2013 #30

People really need to reconsider the USPS Jeff In Milwaukee Jun 2013 #31

email and the loss of letter revenue? geckosfeet Jun 2013 #32

That's a real but manageable problem. hay rick Jun 2013 #38

If it wasn't crowded during lunch hour that's not a good sign. pnwmom Jun 2013 #33

It was crowded. Tommy_Carcetti Jun 2013 #40

At my PO crowded means something a lot different. pnwmom Jun 2013 #41

Because some scumbags want to privatize it to themselves malaise Jun 2013 #35

My Post Office is Great beemer27 Jun 2013 #36

You'll be more likely to use digital devices to zeeland Jun 2013 #37

I Use USPS Exclusively! mckara Jun 2013 #39

Very few people write letters anymore, they telephone, text, or email. GreenStormCloud Jun 2013 #42

I still prefer them for parcel service over UPS or FedEx. Tommy_Carcetti Jun 2013 #43

I prefer them for parcel too. GreenStormCloud Jun 2013 #45

I ALWAYS enjoy great services and prices at my p.o. (UPS not so much.) joanbarnes Jun 2013 #46

A 28% decline in first class mail since 2002 hack89 Jun 2013 #49

Forbes quoting Cato. Hmmm. hay rick Jun 2013 #56

My link addresses the short term pre-funding issue hack89 Jun 2013 #71

For small packages Priority Mail is much less expensive than UPS/FedEx/Others 1-Old-Man Jun 2013 #50

I love my little local Post Office, the staff is awesome, the service is great, and I never have to Zorra Jun 2013 #51

My mail service is pretty bad KentuckyWoman Jun 2013 #53

a couple of options, blondie58 Jun 2013 #55

They're being crippled by the requirement to pre-fund 75 years' worth of pensions. nyquil_man Jun 2013 #59

All this anti-USPS Enthusiast Jun 2013 #60

Postal service Scarsdale Jun 2013 #62

Great story and thanks for the reminder! Rhiannon12866 Jun 2013 #64

Welcome to DU my friend! hrmjustin Jun 2013 #75

I went to my local post office for a passport... Jasana Jun 2013 #63

AND that postal worker is a union member Le Taz Hot Jun 2013 #65

If any Postal Service employees are miserable... GoCubsGo Jun 2013 #66

you do not describe my post office. tomp Jun 2013 #67

Ebay... Bay Boy Jun 2013 #68

Been my experience as well. Good, competent folks. DirkGently Jun 2013 #70

When people ask me if I want our health care system run like the post office, I say... MannyGoldstein Jun 2013 #73

Here in Los Angeles we have nice, big post offices with 6-8 clerk stations. Unfortunately, kestrel91316 Jun 2013 #77

Talked to my letter carrier the other day... B Stieg Jun 2013 #78