Cranky Mailman

Our mailbox sits smack dab in front our house, right in the middle. It is one of the secure kind with several mailboxes all together, which I hate because you need a key, can't mail packages and there isn't a fun flag. I also am glad that we have one because I am SO not down with identity theft.

So, the thing about our mailbox is that you aren't supposed to park in front of it between 8am and 4pm but there isn't quite enough room to park along the cub without blocking a driveway or the mailbox, well, there IS enough room to park but there isn't enough room to park AND allow the mailman to drive up to the mailbox and deliver the mail without getting out of his truck. I would like to point out that the sign does not say "Do not park within 4 feet of the mailbox" it simply says "Do Not Block."

From time to time someone parks at the curb, not blocking the mailbox but also not allowing for an easy pull up. Sometimes these people are our guests but mostly they are people I do not know. This really makes my mailman angry. He used to leave nasty notes on the windshields of cars but the recently he just started honking his horn until someone moves the car. If I happen to be outside he glares at me, if I am inside I can see him from my window glaring at my house as if it were my fault. The other day my Netflix movie was severely delayed and required me to scramble to find a copy of a movie in time for Cinema Domingo. Coincidence or malice? You decide.

Last week, I started noticing a new behavior. My mailman has started parking on the sidewalk as you can see by the photo.

I don't even know what to say. Happily he hasn't done this when my kids have been outside playing on the sidewalk.

I am all for convenience and a fast efficient postal service but seriously, how hard is it to get out of your truck once in a while? I know that there are mailmen who have entire routes where they don't even get a truck, and have to WALK.

My friend, Celia, the daughter of a postmaster who used to be a mailman with a walking route, thinks that I should report him to the postmaster. I kinda think that I should let it slide or at least wait until I move and then report him so as to avoid any mail related retaliation. What do you think?