Our Wee Pos' Office

I never thought a village this small could get caught up in big time politics....

Take for instance our post office— a well used and essential part of this village. It doesn't just provide a place to buy stamps— one can do one's banking, exchange in foreign currency, buy umpteen licenses, pay bills, collect pensions— you name it and it probably does it. Without it, the shop it's attached to would close and loads of disabled and/or elderly people (of which this village has many) would be up a creek— not to mention killing off the life-line to the "outside world" this village has.

Unfortunately this government sees it a different way.

It started when they decided to sell off Royal Mail to the private sector. He-who-shall-be-obeyed immediately began closure proceedings— just lopped off over umpteen little post offices around the country, one of them being ours in Old Newton. I was outraged and quickly got on my soapbox about "...how this would never happen in the 'States blah blah blah..." without scandal, shame, loads of negative publicity, and a damn good ol' fight. I couldn't believe how all the post offices laid down and died— without qualm, without fight.

But I was wrong.

Little did I know that the person in charge of the Save Our Post Office campaign was already rarin' ta go with his six-shooters a'blazin by serving papers— actually suing the conglomerate who closed our location in the first place. Ha-le-LUya baby and pass the ammunition!!

How quickly news spread thanks to our brave soldiers. Out came the news reports from all the major channels— our little village got its fair share of its fifteen minutes of fame that's for sure. Surprising how a little scandal DOES work.

For now, we've a reprieve until they can settle this— which may be months.... could be years. As far as I'm concerned, as long as its opened, I'm happy.