In Line

What was it Henry used to say? "A friendly smile is never wasted." Yes. So I smile at the clerk, even though I know he won’t smile back.

You’d think he’d welcome a little cheer, just standing there handing out stamps all day. But he looks foreign. Maybe he’s from one of those places where they never smile. Myrna told me they were like that when she went on that package tour two years ago. My goodness, has it been two years already? Now, what was the name of that country? Well, they’ve probably changed their name three times since then anyway. Those places always do. I don’t know how the people who live there can keep track of it. Maybe that’s why they’re so serious all the time.

That girl behind me thinks I don’t know she’s rolling her eyes. What’s her hurry? I know I’ll find that nickel in a moment. She’s dressed very casually, and I can’t believe she’s late for an important appointment or anything like that. She probably just wants to hurry home to watch some television show. Myself, I watch it very little. Just my quiz shows. And the news. I don’t really care much for the news, with all the talk of crime and disasters, but Henry never used to miss it, and I suppose now I’m in the habit.

Ah! There it is. My, how the price of postage has gone up.

I ask the foreign clerk how long it will take for my letter to arrive. I can’t understand what he mumbles back, but I suppose it would be rude to ask him to repeat it. He might be sensitive about his English. Well, I hope the letter gets to Jennifer by Saturday. That’s her birthday, so I enclosed a ten-dollar bill. Maybe this time her mother will get her to write me a little thank you note. Just so I know she got it. Henry and I always taught our son how important these things are, but his wife, well, I’ve always said her family background wasn’t as good. Lovely woman, though, and she buys such beautiful things. I don’t know how they afford them all. Most likely they charge everything on their credit cards, which is what people do nowadays. Henry always said if you can’t pay cash for something, you can’t afford it.

I’m a little worried the postmen won’t read the address right. My handwriting used to be so neat. In grammar school I won a penmanship award. Sometimes now I can barely hold the pen. I’d like to ask the clerk to read it to me, but I might not understand him anyway. Besides, he’s not even looking at me anymore; now he’s waving at the eye-rolling girl.

Well, look at that! A big smudge on my slacks. They don’t keep this place as clean as they used to. It looks like something greasy, too, that will never come out. I’ll have to ask Myrna to take me shopping again, and she always wants to go to Wal-Mart. She says you can get the same things there, cheaper, but I keep telling her the quality is just not the same. And the clerks are even ruder than this foreigner. They all speak English, though.

The man keeps waving, and mumbling again. I have half a mind to complain about this stain! Not that it would do any good. I just close my purse and smile at him, because Henry was usually right.
 
 

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