There’s a similarly named street a couple of blocks over that has a house with the same number as ours on it, and we’re always getting pieces of their mail in our mailbox. If I’m feeling lazy, I just stick it back in the box with the flag up, or if I feel like a short walk, I sometimes run it over there myself.
Anyway, today we got their copy of Teen People. This is not a magazine I have the slightest desire to read, so the question is moot as I will be hand-delivering it to their address later this evening, but I started idly wondering about what I would have done if the magazine had been, oh, The Economist or Smithsonian or Games Magazine or something else that I’m interested in. Would it be wrong to read the magazine first before forwarding it on to the rightful recipient? I am leaning towards “yes” but am interested to hear what other people think on this sticky ethical issue.
I don’t know about the ethical aspect, but I wouldn’t read it purely for practical reasons. I look at my mail while I’m at the box. I don’t want to take it up three flights of stairs, read it and try to keep it looking pretty, then have to remember to take it back down three flights to leave for the postman to redeliver. I’ll just put it in the designated “oops” spot for the postman while I’m down there. Besides, I don’t enjoy reading magazines nearly as much when I have to be careful with them.
I got one of my neighbor’s catalogs (for linens) and I glanced over it before I returned it to her. It’s not like my reading it will interfere with her enjoyment of it.
Of course, I did make a mental note that my neighbor spends waaaay too much money on sheets (we’re talking $500 sheet sets).
Well, in her defense, she might be getting it because she accidentally got on a mailing list somehow. I get the Anthropologie catalog all the time, and it sure as hell doesn’t mean I’m dropping $250 on a blouse and pair of pants. I don’t care how trendy they are.
I think it depends on how long you keep it and what condition you give it to them in. Keeping it for a week and/or returning it with coffee stains is unreasonable. Looking through it for an hour or two before carrying it over to them in the same condition you got it in seems fine to me.
I probably wouldn’t read it only because I can’t seem to get around to reading my own subscriptions, but I don’t think it’s all that wrong. It’s not like a personal letter. As long as you return it in good condition, I don’t see the problem. I wouldn’t unwrap anything (some of my magazines come wrapped in celophane–I have no idea why).
You’re a much better neighbor then mine. They never return my misdelivered mail! I had a UPS shipment of horse supplements delivered to my neighbors by mistake and they kept it for a month (even after I put a note on their door asking if it had been delivered there and saying I’d come pick it up whenever it was convenient for them). What would they want with a giant box of horse supplements?