By Tiiu Lukk Santa Monica
Our mail delivery in the Sunset Park area of Santa Monica has been “intermittent” for many months now, but today’s delivery wins the prize. Today, Aug. 21, we returned from delivering our son to UC Berkeley, where he is beginning his freshman year. When I went to pick up our mail, which had been on vacation hold at the Seventh Street office of the Santa Monica Post Office, I was given a Priority Mail Package for my recently departed Berkeley student, postmarked March 23, 2006. I opened it to read: “Dear David: Congratulations. I am pleased to inform you that your application to the freshman class entering the School of Engineering at Vanderbilt University for the fall of 2006 has been approved.” Some months ago yet another notification of admission for our son was delivered to neighbors blocks away, who were kind enough to personally deliver it to our doorstep at that time. There are many important documents, such as college acceptance notifications, that the post office should deliver reliably, in a timely manner. What a shame that we can’t rely on this basic service in our community. When I have a choice, I use Fed-ex.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 23, 2006. Read the original PDF.