Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Books in the mail
I got a package of books today in the mail.
Usually this is a time for rejoicing. I like books. I own too many of them. I buy too many of them from Amazon, so many arrive via mail.
But this was a package of books I'd sent out, and it returned to me, undelivered. I think it says "insufficient address" and it has stuff crossed off and a new address written in.
I'm a bit haunted by this. I don't know what happened.
As some of you know, I belong to a group called Operation Paperback. I send care packages of books and magazines to servicemembers overseas, often in the Middle East (I don't know where my packages go, since I send them to a military APO or FPO address, and the military takes it from there. But I get warned when a package will be sent to the Middle East, since the censorship laws there are so strong against material that promotes Christianity or shows photographs of women). I sent a package of books and a letter to Justin (I'm not giving his full name). The package came back to me.
It could be anything. Maybe I didn't have the right address. Maybe he'd moved. Maybe he'd come home sooner than the OP people expected.
But I don't know. I wish I did. And at some point I will open the package I sent him and re-send the books to other service members. But right now it just feels eerie.
Usually this is a time for rejoicing. I like books. I own too many of them. I buy too many of them from Amazon, so many arrive via mail.
But this was a package of books I'd sent out, and it returned to me, undelivered. I think it says "insufficient address" and it has stuff crossed off and a new address written in.
I'm a bit haunted by this. I don't know what happened.
As some of you know, I belong to a group called Operation Paperback. I send care packages of books and magazines to servicemembers overseas, often in the Middle East (I don't know where my packages go, since I send them to a military APO or FPO address, and the military takes it from there. But I get warned when a package will be sent to the Middle East, since the censorship laws there are so strong against material that promotes Christianity or shows photographs of women). I sent a package of books and a letter to Justin (I'm not giving his full name). The package came back to me.
It could be anything. Maybe I didn't have the right address. Maybe he'd moved. Maybe he'd come home sooner than the OP people expected.
But I don't know. I wish I did. And at some point I will open the package I sent him and re-send the books to other service members. But right now it just feels eerie.
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