A day or two ago, the Times printed an article by columnist Gail Collins about her husband’s death. She mentioned along the way that before they were married in 70s, they started living together and she had had to adopt his name because the postman refused to deliver mail to two people (presumably of opposite sexes) with different surnames. Even in the 70s this seems like extreme behavior. Could they have gotten the mailman fired? I assume no mailman would dare act that way today. Does a mailman have any discretion? I am not talking about a dangerous dog here.
Doesn’t sound unusual for the 70s.
The USPS lists a few reasons the mail may not be delivered. Disapproval of the people being delivered to is not one of them (mostly it is if the carrier is not safe…e.g. a dangerous dog loose…or the route to the residence is blocked somehow).
In the 1970’s I lived in multiple mixed-gender houses, in more than one town and city, which were made up of people not legally related, sometimes some of them sleeping together and sometimes not. We all had different names. I don’t remember ever having any problems getting the mail delivered.
Based on names alone how could the mailman know it’s not a man and a widowed sister or widowed daughter living together.
It wasn’t that rare in the 1970s for married women to keep their maiden name for various reasons, including for professional purposes (my mother being an example).
We never had problems with the postman delivering mail to our address.
I could see the very occasional rogue asshole but it wouldn’t have been permitted.
Jack Tripper, Chrissy Snow, and Janet Wood never had those problems.
They wouldn’t deliver mail to my driveway because it’s not supposed to be a public road. Not so you’d know it. Certain times of the year.
So my mailbox is a long long way from my house.
I also have a box in town because of the insecurity.
I fought those people over this. They just wouldn’t be logical about it.
I could totally see this localish mail person getting all bent out of shape because of who lived in a house. She’s a big Trumper. Has the biggest sign I’ve ever seen in her front yard. Billboard sized.
I get my mail any other way I can.
I have grave doubts about this story.
Where did she say this was?
Oh, do you?
Well, come over and you’ll see. I can’t convince you other than that.
I don’t really care to want to.
I personally would rather you not call me a liar, TYVM.
I can 100% believe that about the 70s. Maybe , depending on where it was and exactly when it was in the 70s , he might have had to lie and say it was some other reason if they had complained. Like that there’s frequently a loose dog or the customer blocks the mailbox with a vehicle. Maybe - because I’m sure in some places , he wouldn’t have needed to lie.
Would it happen now ? I hope not, but I’m not sure. I had an issue in the past with getting all of the mail held when I was on vacation. The issue was that when you fill out the online form, it specifically says it will hold all mail for that address and it will not allow you to complete a second form with a different name. My mail was being held, but my husband’s was not, apparently because he had a different surname. At some point, during my quest to get them to follow their own policies * the local post office called my home. I was out and my husband explained the problem - at which point the customer service manager expressed amazement that married people could have different surnames. In 2020.
* They claimed to be unaware of the online instructions and told me I would have to physically come in to the post office to get a paper form. As to why, I can only assume it’s because many of my neighbors are renting apartments in their single-family houses illegally and Ms. Jones doesn’t want her mail stopped when Mr. Smith goes on vacation but they can’t put “first floor” or “Apt 2” in their address because that would be a tip off about the illegal apartment. Not sure why the postal workers decided it should be my problem rather than the people with illegal apartments. I think it go fixed after a couple of years - or maybe I just got a new carrier who followed the actual policies
I used a different surname from my family’s in the 1970s-80s with no problem; had a male roommate and then a female roommate with their own surnames, and from the later 1990s to present have a partner with a different surname. An older relative’s mail was diverted to our address for a few years, adding a third surname. Never any problem.
I’m not Dr Deth, but I think he meant the story referred to in the OP.
Back in those days it would not surprise me at least in my small hometown. I never did hear of such a thing though.
I once around the late 70’s early 80’s, had a mailman in full uniform during his route hand me a chic tract. I’d never seen one before. I still considered myself a good christian/methodist and I was very offended by the contents. No I do not remember any of it. I also, was pissed he was handing this crap out on the taxpayer’s dime while he was working.
I pondered that.
But it was directly after my post and they were not exactly expensive.
Not ‘reply to’ or quote.
So I took it to mean what I took it to mean.
Until I know different…
what is a chic tract?
Could you explain more of your post? I didn’t quite understand the reference to the big trumper lady.
“Chick tracts” are comic book style religious tracts. Named for the person who originated them, Jack Chick