Fresh, Hot Wastes of Time

I hate our mailman. He’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Enchanted Rock. He does stuff like write “Return to sender, addressee unknown” on our mail. Once with an insurance bill, causing the cancellation of our auto insurance. He likes to leave packages in the grass by the mailbox for the sprinklers to water. He’s rude. Today I got a poster and it was too long for the mailbox, so instead of walk to the house to deliver it, the lazy bastard leaves it hanging out of the mailbox and uses a rubber band on the handle to keep it a little bit closed. When he brings us a package, he’s supposed to bring the mail too but he never does. Our old postlady used to stack our mail with the big stuff on the bottom and small stuff on top so it was easier to pick up. Not this guy. He crams it in there with great force, causing our envelopes and magazines to crumple. At Christmastime he sent us a card with a little happy note, otherwise known as begging for cash. That’s something he’s not supposed to do.

The problem is, it doesn’t matter how much we complain. Our neighbor complains too – she hates him. But, he’s disabled, and he’s a minority, and he fulfills a quota, so they can’t fire him. The local postmaster said this.

How sweet a deal is that? Be an incompetent bastard all day, every day, and keep the job! Woo!

Every time I see Signs, I can’t get over how incredible it is. The storytelling, acting, score, effects – they were all superb. The police officer’s subdued empathy. The brother’s wish to redeem himself. The father’s acceptance of the inevitable. The change from minor to major key at the turning point of the movie. It’s in my top 5 of all-time favorites.

Sarah from Tomato Nation is on a quest to Find Don. Don was her “disaster buddy”, whom she spent the better part of the morning of 9/11 with in downtown Manhattan. She would like to find him again and talk to him. If you know a guy named Don, black, trim build, from Jersey City, birthday of September 11, let her know so she can get in touch with him.

If you can take it, her account of her experiences on 9/11 is masterfully written. Very intense, though, so don’t read it if you don’t think you can handle it.