Yesterday (Patriot Day, if you are reading this later), I thought I might go to the post office to check my P. O. box mail. Then it occurred to me. It is Patriot Day, a federal holiday, to commemorate 9-11. Mail people get a lot of holidays off, as they should. They have a hard job. And I can’t tell you how many times I have gone to the P.O. and found it closed, because I forgot it was another federal holiday.
Then I was out and about, running other errands, when I saw all these letter carriers, delivering mail. And sure enough, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I did get mail yesterday. And I did go to my P.O. box. And sure enough, my box mail was available. But all the windows were closed.
What gives? Is Patriot Day a federal holiday or is it? It is listed on all my calendars. And there were commemorative ceremonies. What is the answer? And I know that this is GQ. But I have to ask. Are any of you as confused as I am?
Patriot Day is not a federal holiday; schools and businesses remain open in observance of the occasion, although memorial ceremonies for the victims are often held. Volunteer and service opportunities are coordinated by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
Not sure why you thought it was a federal holiday.
Probably a cost-saving measure. I suspect there’s probably a buzzer/bell with a sign reading ‘ring for service’. This lets one person run the counter when there are customers and do some easily-interruptable task in the back office when there isn’t.
