There was a fair bit more activity in front of the Star office when the Methodist Lane United States Postal Service mailboxes were inaccessible during work on the railroad trestles nearby. But, since the East Hampton postmaster decided not to replace them, even though the trestles have been raised and the lane reopened, the visitors to a box on a tiny square of grass between our driveway and the library’s continue.
Some people accustomed to driving right up to the old site on Methodist Lane and depositing their mail without getting out of their vehicles have raised objections with the Postal Service. This might not be a big thing except that it dovetails in an ominous way with what is thought to be a deliberate attempt to shake Americans’ faith in the U.S. mail in advance of the November elections.
Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, a big-dollar Trump donor appointed in June, delivery delays have increased amid several rounds of cost cutting. This is turning into a health issue, with major U.S. pharmacies telling Congress that prescription drugs sent by mail were being significantly delayed.
No drugs means worried and angry patients and caregivers; the pharmacies told Senate leaders that they had a fourfold increase in incoming calls and messaging between May and August. Not that the White House cares, as evidenced by Bob Woodward’s big scoop that the president knew in February how dangerous Covid-19 was.
I do not mind the additional traffic in front of the office. I enjoy seeing all the sorts of people — and what they drive. The bigger the car, the more likely they are going to block either our or the library’s entrance. But they are gone in a flash, and I wonder who they were and what they were mailing.