I tried to send my m-i-l a box of chocolates for Thanksgiving, but made the mistake of putting actual stamps on the package and leaving it for my carrier to pick up from my home via a note in the mailbox.

He took the package, but it was brought back to me two days later by a different postal employee who brought it to my door, rang the bell, and handed it to me with a sticker on it that said that packages over 13 ounces must be handed to a postal employee at the counter or they can not be placed on a plane -- because they don't know who I am. (Despite ringing my bell and having me answer my door,... )

Never fear -- Mr. Lupine was able to take the package into the post office near his office and hand it in over the counter -- no id required -- and don't we all feel safer now?

I'm not sure what seems more absurd: the notion that an anonymous person handing a package over the counter adds to flight security more than the local carrier picking the package up from a customer on his everyday route, or the strange logic that sends packages over 13 ounces (weird number) to special handling when the bulk of people killed through stuff sent via the mail were killed with anthrax poisoned mail that weighed under an ounce.