SIR POST


In April I see many of us are getting nostalgic, as it had always been holiday season here. All have their childhood memories of playing on the streets, the time spent with grand parents, things we learned from them and it goes endless.



Today, as I was sipping my coffee sitting on the steps of our verandah told my daughter also to sit there to catch up some fresh breeze while handing out her health drink. She was telling her school happenings of the day. Now, the next academic year have started already, she is excited being in new class. Just then, the Postman came and inserted two covers at the gate. My daughter hurriedly got up to fetch it. I told her that we could take it later as I know they were only junk mails as we receive bills and pay those online. Though my daughter was chattering about her friends, my mind was thinking about the Postman , what an important person he had been in my life. How much importance these people had a decade ago. I have seen in movies, they were respected in villages where he will be a lone person who knows to read and write. 


When I was in primary classes our school used to display results in the notice board. I have not seen those results even once as always we would have gone to my Uncle's house for our vacation. My Dad who stays back due to his office work will see the results and write to Mom. First week of May, we eagerly wait for the voice "SIR, POST" of the Postman to deliver my Dad's Inland letter bearing our results. We had moved to Chennai when I was in 6th, my brothers in 4th and 1st. At those times we were needed to give self addressed post cards to the school just before our exams in April. Again our wait to hear the captivating voice "SIR, POST" continued, to receive the results personally, which will be addressed in our names (It seems silly now). I remember that particular Postman still, who used to bully us in the first week of May till we get the results by saying that except me, other friends (R and K) of mine had got the results. Though the result was going to be "PROMOTED" the thrill of receiving it was there. The ring of his cycle bell made us run to the gate. Then on the day he brings the card I tip him with chocolates. We did have three deliveries a day, he bridged the gap by bringing the letters from relatives living all over India and more importantly bulky letters from my Dad who had gone to gulf for a period of two years. He had been a person who did know all people in that particular area. He knows all in the household. He will be one of the few first persons who come to know the good and bad happenings in each house. During summer my grandma used to give him buttermilk to quench his thirst. I remember him giving us his wedding invitation, brought his marriage album home. For some reasons he opted to be a Postman till his retirement. Even today when we happen to see, he enquires about my well being, about R and K, who live abroad now.


At the beginning of married life myself and husband were living in Chennai and Bombay respectively. At that time blue mail was introduced in metro cities. The delivery will be on the next day itself. Almost everyday I started expecting the Postman. When we were in US I used to write 5 or 6 pages of letters to my parents as well as to my in-laws. It took a week to get delivered, then after another week my expectation of receiving letters from them will be on high. Whenever I cross the mail box I checked for letters. The mesmerizing voice "SIR, POST" was starting to fade. During 1997 when we were in UK slowly the frequency of letter correspondence reduced, every week we called both parents, keeping track of time. Again in US we started getting deals and phone cards, all the more writing letters had come to an end. Even then we posted the pictures, which my mother-in-law is preserving as treasure. 


Two years before when I missed the delivery of my son's passport, pathetically I had no clue as to who was the (speed)postman of our area. Nowadays the postman also doesn't know the names in each house, many times I get letters from bank, bills addressed to some other person.


I agree the technology has drastically improved, reduced the time of communication. It is all done at the click of the button, tap on the phone, saving on papers. It is heartening to receive few marriage invitations along with printed personal invitation.    


1 comment:

  1. I can still imagine the nervousness with which we used to await for our letters, even if we were sure we would be promoted. And the relief on hearing / reading the letter saying that we are promoted.

    The next one week would pass only on discussing the results with everyone we meet, distributing chocolates... Missing those school days, already!

    Thank you for taking me to those memories, during my work hour :P

    ReplyDelete

SIR POST


In April I see many of us are getting nostalgic, as it had always been holiday season here. All have their childhood memories of playing on the streets, the time spent with grand parents, things we learned from them and it goes endless.



Today, as I was sipping my coffee sitting on the steps of our verandah told my daughter also to sit there to catch up some fresh breeze while handing out her health drink. She was telling her school happenings of the day. Now, the next academic year have started already, she is excited being in new class. Just then, the Postman came and inserted two covers at the gate. My daughter hurriedly got up to fetch it. I told her that we could take it later as I know they were only junk mails as we receive bills and pay those online. Though my daughter was chattering about her friends, my mind was thinking about the Postman , what an important person he had been in my life. How much importance these people had a decade ago. I have seen in movies, they were respected in villages where he will be a lone person who knows to read and write. 


When I was in primary classes our school used to display results in the notice board. I have not seen those results even once as always we would have gone to my Uncle's house for our vacation. My Dad who stays back due to his office work will see the results and write to Mom. First week of May, we eagerly wait for the voice "SIR, POST" of the Postman to deliver my Dad's Inland letter bearing our results. We had moved to Chennai when I was in 6th, my brothers in 4th and 1st. At those times we were needed to give self addressed post cards to the school just before our exams in April. Again our wait to hear the captivating voice "SIR, POST" continued, to receive the results personally, which will be addressed in our names (It seems silly now). I remember that particular Postman still, who used to bully us in the first week of May till we get the results by saying that except me, other friends (R and K) of mine had got the results. Though the result was going to be "PROMOTED" the thrill of receiving it was there. The ring of his cycle bell made us run to the gate. Then on the day he brings the card I tip him with chocolates. We did have three deliveries a day, he bridged the gap by bringing the letters from relatives living all over India and more importantly bulky letters from my Dad who had gone to gulf for a period of two years. He had been a person who did know all people in that particular area. He knows all in the household. He will be one of the few first persons who come to know the good and bad happenings in each house. During summer my grandma used to give him buttermilk to quench his thirst. I remember him giving us his wedding invitation, brought his marriage album home. For some reasons he opted to be a Postman till his retirement. Even today when we happen to see, he enquires about my well being, about R and K, who live abroad now.


At the beginning of married life myself and husband were living in Chennai and Bombay respectively. At that time blue mail was introduced in metro cities. The delivery will be on the next day itself. Almost everyday I started expecting the Postman. When we were in US I used to write 5 or 6 pages of letters to my parents as well as to my in-laws. It took a week to get delivered, then after another week my expectation of receiving letters from them will be on high. Whenever I cross the mail box I checked for letters. The mesmerizing voice "SIR, POST" was starting to fade. During 1997 when we were in UK slowly the frequency of letter correspondence reduced, every week we called both parents, keeping track of time. Again in US we started getting deals and phone cards, all the more writing letters had come to an end. Even then we posted the pictures, which my mother-in-law is preserving as treasure. 


Two years before when I missed the delivery of my son's passport, pathetically I had no clue as to who was the (speed)postman of our area. Nowadays the postman also doesn't know the names in each house, many times I get letters from bank, bills addressed to some other person.


I agree the technology has drastically improved, reduced the time of communication. It is all done at the click of the button, tap on the phone, saving on papers. It is heartening to receive few marriage invitations along with printed personal invitation.    


1 comment:

  1. I can still imagine the nervousness with which we used to await for our letters, even if we were sure we would be promoted. And the relief on hearing / reading the letter saying that we are promoted.

    The next one week would pass only on discussing the results with everyone we meet, distributing chocolates... Missing those school days, already!

    Thank you for taking me to those memories, during my work hour :P

    ReplyDelete

SIR POST


In April I see many of us are getting nostalgic, as it had always been holiday season here. All have their childhood memories of playing on the streets, the time spent with grand parents, things we learned from them and it goes endless.



Today, as I was sipping my coffee sitting on the steps of our verandah told my daughter also to sit there to catch up some fresh breeze while handing out her health drink. She was telling her school happenings of the day. Now, the next academic year have started already, she is excited being in new class. Just then, the Postman came and inserted two covers at the gate. My daughter hurriedly got up to fetch it. I told her that we could take it later as I know they were only junk mails as we receive bills and pay those online. Though my daughter was chattering about her friends, my mind was thinking about the Postman , what an important person he had been in my life. How much importance these people had a decade ago. I have seen in movies, they were respected in villages where he will be a lone person who knows to read and write. 


When I was in primary classes our school used to display results in the notice board. I have not seen those results even once as always we would have gone to my Uncle's house for our vacation. My Dad who stays back due to his office work will see the results and write to Mom. First week of May, we eagerly wait for the voice "SIR, POST" of the Postman to deliver my Dad's Inland letter bearing our results. We had moved to Chennai when I was in 6th, my brothers in 4th and 1st. At those times we were needed to give self addressed post cards to the school just before our exams in April. Again our wait to hear the captivating voice "SIR, POST" continued, to receive the results personally, which will be addressed in our names (It seems silly now). I remember that particular Postman still, who used to bully us in the first week of May till we get the results by saying that except me, other friends (R and K) of mine had got the results. Though the result was going to be "PROMOTED" the thrill of receiving it was there. The ring of his cycle bell made us run to the gate. Then on the day he brings the card I tip him with chocolates. We did have three deliveries a day, he bridged the gap by bringing the letters from relatives living all over India and more importantly bulky letters from my Dad who had gone to gulf for a period of two years. He had been a person who did know all people in that particular area. He knows all in the household. He will be one of the few first persons who come to know the good and bad happenings in each house. During summer my grandma used to give him buttermilk to quench his thirst. I remember him giving us his wedding invitation, brought his marriage album home. For some reasons he opted to be a Postman till his retirement. Even today when we happen to see, he enquires about my well being, about R and K, who live abroad now.


At the beginning of married life myself and husband were living in Chennai and Bombay respectively. At that time blue mail was introduced in metro cities. The delivery will be on the next day itself. Almost everyday I started expecting the Postman. When we were in US I used to write 5 or 6 pages of letters to my parents as well as to my in-laws. It took a week to get delivered, then after another week my expectation of receiving letters from them will be on high. Whenever I cross the mail box I checked for letters. The mesmerizing voice "SIR, POST" was starting to fade. During 1997 when we were in UK slowly the frequency of letter correspondence reduced, every week we called both parents, keeping track of time. Again in US we started getting deals and phone cards, all the more writing letters had come to an end. Even then we posted the pictures, which my mother-in-law is preserving as treasure. 


Two years before when I missed the delivery of my son's passport, pathetically I had no clue as to who was the (speed)postman of our area. Nowadays the postman also doesn't know the names in each house, many times I get letters from bank, bills addressed to some other person.


I agree the technology has drastically improved, reduced the time of communication. It is all done at the click of the button, tap on the phone, saving on papers. It is heartening to receive few marriage invitations along with printed personal invitation.    


1 comment:

  1. I can still imagine the nervousness with which we used to await for our letters, even if we were sure we would be promoted. And the relief on hearing / reading the letter saying that we are promoted.

    The next one week would pass only on discussing the results with everyone we meet, distributing chocolates... Missing those school days, already!

    Thank you for taking me to those memories, during my work hour :P

    ReplyDelete