Neither Snow nor Rain nor … Secret Service?

Security sweep took away mailboxes

Rain, snow, heat, gloom of night... these are all things that won't stop the U.S. Post Office from getting mail to its destination.

The Secret Service, on the other hand, well ... that's another story.

We're several days removed from President Barack Obama's inauguration in the District.  The crowds have gone home.  The trash has been collected.  But where are the mailboxes?

That's what local blog Penn Quarter Living wants to know.

It appears that mailboxes around their area that were removed as part of the security sweep before Inauguration Day have yet to return.  And they'd really like to pay some bills.

So one blogger decided to write a letter to the Postmaster General to see if the on-street mailboxes can be returned.  Part of the letter is below...


Dear Postmaster General,

I am writing to you today because I’d like my favorite mailboxes back. You know which ones I’m talking about - the two that stood sentry for the lightpole on the northeast corner of 7th and D Streets NW next to the relic we now call a pay phone and in front of Oyamel’s window. All that remains are the bolt holders on the sidewalk.

... Tuesday came and went without incident (except for the purple gate ticketholders), life has now resumed its usual sonata and I need to mail my bill payments.


Sure, one could say that if you're competent enough to blog about the situation, you should be able to do some online banking to avoid having to spend money on a stamp.  But even still, this seems like a reasonable request, right? 

And what are the mailmen and mailwomen who normally work this route doing?  Do they bust out their mime school moves and pretend to check the boxes?  Actually, that might be entertaining...  The Post Office could charge money for that and maybe stop raising the price of a stamp every two weeks...

But we digress.

The people have spoken, and they want their trusty mailboxes, and they're going to blog until they get them back.  Yes we can!

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