Package Love

Yesterday I was welcomed to the office with a package slip! Yeah. So today I rode my bike to Petta and went through the fake communist hell of the Main Post Office to collect my package and bring it home. If Sri Lanka does air quality warnings I'd say today was at least red, possibly purple. Seriously, I ride all the time, but I've never been so filthy from a ride into town. I was covered in small black particles when I returned home -- enough that my loofah is black and I can't get it clean!

I'd really like to know how the post office officials determine what I pay in duty for each package. This time it was less than last time, but this package was bigger and the contents probably cost a little more. Plus they charge you for every day that passes and you don't collect your package and since I'm fairly certain this package slip came Saturday (technically the office is open on Saturdays, but I ignore this fact and no one has admonished me for it), I should have been charged storage fees. Who knows.

I'd also like to know how someone who has one job (writing out the receipt for the paid duty) can see that a package's contents are being examined, meaning a duty receipt will be pending in the very near future, and still decide now is a good time to go take a nap or something. As the duty receipt officer (do you get a title for that type of job?) walked away I even said to him, "Um, I'm going to need you to do your job real soon." Yet, this was totally ignored and he disappeared. Then I stood by his station for what seemed like forever until finally I started yelling. I'm not joking, I was the only customer and there were possibly 20 men (I'm not exaggerating) talking to each other behind the counter seemingly content to let me stand there forever. So I started yelling that I'd really like to receive my package in my lifetime. After repeating this at a high volume three times, someone decided that if they got the duty receipt officer to return, they could carry on with their conversations without the interruptions. And thus, I was provided the opportunity to pay the Sri Lankan Post Office a fee for being so kind to rummage through my package and waste my time. Thanks.

But inside the package, care of Sarah, was all kinds of love. I'm still making my way through the last great booty sent from Audrey, so to have more put me in an insanely happy mood today. This is hilarious because I was in such a bad mood yesterday. My office mates totally noticed and mentioned what great friends I have and how happy I was.

I think it has everything to do with the slinky! That is right, the desk slinky, the toy with which I whiled away hours at RTC is now in my possession. It sits on my desk at Sewalanka. Slinkies apparently didn't make it to Sri Lanka because no one knew what it was, but now they all know the glory that is the desk slinky.

And with the arrival of the desk slinky and a bunch of other great and amazing things (especially the incredible cooking pot that has already been used by me), I make a request that no more packages be sent before Christmas. I know this sounds crazy and if you knew me when I was in Peace Corps you know this is an odd request. Seriously though, I have everything I could possibly want or desire and there is definitely enough to keep me happy until Christmas and then I'll be home.

Speaking of which, I'm coming home for Christmas. I'll be in SC/NC from December 22 to 31 and then in DC from December 31 to January 7. So if you are in the area please let me know and we'll plan something. I'm hereby putting all DC friends/aquaintences/people-who-want-to-know-me on notice to meet at Teaism (Navy Memorial) on Jan. 6th for high tea (4:00 p.m. for those of you not in the know). The beauty of Teaism is that if you don't actually want high tea, you don't have to have it. Ha. Don't worry, there will be other times to meet, but I thought I'd claim Jan. 6 before you could possibly have anything else scheduled. Aren't I tricky?