handle with care

[asakiyume]

I arrived at the post office today as a postal worker was bringing a wide, low rectangular box out to a car. The box had holes, and I could hear peeping. As we both walked into the building, I asked, "Were those chicks?" And indeed they were.

The post office was very quiet at that time of day--except for cheeping and peeping! From the back room.

"I know I can't go back there," I said, "But can you take my phone back and take pictures?"

Well, he did better than that. He brought out a box of ducklings...



and then came a box of chicks!



"I guess these are all spoken for," I said wistfully.

"No, they're mainly going to tractor supply stores," he said.

But even though B'town is a right-to-farm community, I live in a neighborhood with a homeowner's association, and sadly, poultry is not allowed. We talked about backyard chickens, the price of eggs and the cost of feed, and homeowners associations.

I love my post office and the USPS generally. [That is your veiled political commentary for the day]

Comments

Re: Thoughts

[kore]

But people are afraid to talk to their neighbors, I think. Maybe because we don't know how to ask people for things? Or how to express something negative ("I'd like you to stop revving the car engine at 6 am")? Maybe because we assume not only that they'll just answer F-you, but that also they'll then retaliate? But if it's true, what does that say about us all?

....yeah. That.

Re: Thoughts

[asakiyume]

It's a bad place to be as a society, but frankly, I'm not sure I've been in one that had a better way of solving things... seems like it's just HARD.

Re: Thoughts

[kore]

Yeah, I was thinking about connection, bc not one of our neighbours (including the building manager who lives right next door) stopped in to see how T was, or even said "Glad you're not dead in a ditch!" in passing. We've gone on walks, and I know ppl were in the building when he got lifted DOWN FIVE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS by all the paramedics in the world, bc three people were impatiently right on our heels, lol. (They did not ask what was happening or express well wishes at all.) I don't think they dislike us, tenants here are just kind of isolated. I think it really started during the pandemic and never let up. Then again it might be just Seattle chill, except when I was commuting there were certainly lots of chatty bastards at the bus stop. But that was pretty far back.

Re: Thoughts

[asakiyume]

I'm really sorry :( I wish for you guys a lot more warmth and support than that shows.