An Italy-like experience at the Post Office

A couple of weeks before Christmas, I walked into our local post office at what I thought would be an uncrowded time and saw a line that stretched to the door. A glance at the counter showed me that of four stations, three were marked "closed," probably for agents to take a midafternoon break. Only one postal worker faced about thirty people, most carrying packages.

Many times Al and I have waited in line in Italian post offices and I've noted the settled and good natured spirit of those who wait, a very different attitude than we hurried Americans, who see time waiting in line as time wasted.

As I looked down the line of people who had many things to do at this busy season, I felt sure that everybody would be complaining about bad service and the sorry state of the U.S. postal system. I expected to hear (as I had before at other times in this same post office) complaints about the missing agents, and even hostile comments to the lone woman at the counter, about the unacceptable lack of service and customers' wasted time.

Amazingly I was wrong. Maybe it was the spirit of the holidays, but, as I waiting for nearly an hour, instead of hearing complaints and anger, I saw people settle in with acceptance and good humor. A few people talked quietly into their cell phones or texted. A couple of mothers with babies in strollers struck up a conversation. A young man and woman in front of me chatted casually until they found a business topic of common interest and became engrossed in talk. Instead of conveying hostility toward the lone methodical agent, customers seemed to empathize with her situation and make a point of being friendly when it was their turn.

Impatient as I myself had felt when I saw the long line, I relaxed too, and enjoyed imagining the whole experience from an "Italy in Spirit" context. Maybe it was the spirit of the holidays or maybe we Americans are becoming more mellow. But, when it came to waiting with patience, I could have been in a small town in Italy, except that we were all speaking English. Maybe this spirit will last beyond the holidays.