A postal worker who is as passionate about her work as Lisa is rare. Package delivery was more than just a job to her. It served as a means of fostering human connection, as though every delivery reduced the gap between them. She had the opportunity to demonstrate it one day when she found a long-lost package. Lisa’s job at the post office had always brought her delight. She handled innumerable deliveries every day, each one a tiny mystery covered in layers of tape and brown cardboard.
She enjoyed her routine, and Simon, her coworker, added even more enjoyment to her work. They had developed a habit of speculating about the people whose lives lay behind the goods they handled. Lisa would smile and say, “Maybe this one’s a board game for a family night,” holding out a medium-sized box. Simon would chuckle, ever-prepared to put his own spin on things. Or it can be a teenager’s guitar. Sent by his grandmother, you know, so he can at last form the rock band of his dreams. “They would carry on sorting packages while laughing. It was important to make the mundane enjoyable rather than merely doing the task at hand.
Even if they had to make it up, each box had a unique story. The lengthy workdays flew by thanks to this lighthearted pastime, and Lisa was happy with her straightforward but fulfilling employment. After Lisa and Simon’s usual shift ended one evening, they were tasked with cleaning the storage area.
Old packages occasionally slid off the shelves and were disregarded in this dusty, abandoned part of the post office. Even if the labor was not glamorous, they always managed to make it bearable. They took their time going through unopened packages and returning each one to its rightful place. Simon’s hand brushed against something covered in dust while they were working.
A large, weighty box that appeared to have been there for years was removed by him. The label had yellowed with age and the cardboard was ragged. “It is quite old,” Simon said, wiping away some dust with his palm. Lisa leaned closer for a closer look. A tiny letter was affixed to the top of the box, however the address label was hardly readable due to fading ink. It said, “For my dearest friend Loreen. I shall always love you. “As Lisa read the message out loud, her heart skipped a beat. Though the statements were straightforward, they were incredibly sincere and full of affection.
The note was quite moving, especially in light of how long it had probably been lost and neglected laying there. A lump started to grow in her throat. “Who sent this, in your opinion?” Lisa looked at Simon and wondered out loud. Simon had already started going over the computer records, scowling as he entered the data. After a little while, he declared, “It is not in the system.”