Postmaster for a day

Bailey nudged me when she visited last night and said I had forgotten to tell you about being selected as Mineral Postmaster of the day on July 25, 2005. For about a month people were invited to put their names in a box, and mine was drawn. Of course I entered more than once because I really wanted to see what it was like to work in the post office. My grandfather, Clyde Metcalf Bailey was the postmaster of the Ashtabula, Ohio, post office probably about 100 years ago. Our family also has a mailbag lock from the Pony Express. Bailey went with me. We got to the post office by 6:30 a.m. before the big truck came in. Real Postmaster Bob Maher said that Monday's are a really busy day because they must sort and deliver the mail that comes in on Sunday, too. Everybody worked very hard, including Mr. Maher. We watched and asked questions. The rural carriers have to sort their own mail and organize it according to their routes. That took most of the morning. They have to deliver their mail all over the Mineral Zip code area, and sometimes in neighboring counties, and get back to the post office in time to meet the afternoon truck. All the mail for the boxes, like we have, is sorted and ready for customers by 10 a.m. (sometimes sooner). And then the clerks, and Mr. Maher, wait on customers at the front counter. Sometimes there is a line and sometimes not. Because Mineral is such a small town (about 450 people), the postal employees know many of the people, and even help some of the older residents across the road.
Bailey and I were glad we wore our comfortable tennis shoes. She was very happy that I was sworn in and received a certificate to take home. I told her she could take it to her school sometime if she wanted to. It was Bailey's idea to give Mr. Maher a copy of our first book, The Wild Women of Lake Anna. We are both impressed with all our friends at the post office. It was a great day! Linda P.S. Sugar said it was fun to come in for stamps and see us both in the back room.