‘No complain’ ‘Postman’ ..................................

I do not like to separate these two words and try analyze it seen it from this angle and that angle. I like to keep it together and like to have a look at it. Sometimes it is good to see things from a distance though I can’t remember any letters receiving by post from my friends’ air mails or local mails. 

‘82 to ‘97 this was the busiest period of my life ‘writing letters and receiving letters’ by post. FROM ‘Daughter, Kandy TO ‘LOVING FATHER’, THUMRAIT, MUSCUT,  SULTHANATE OF OMAN plus other of course tiny, tiny envelopes comes hidden among a handy book some are colorful, contents were so crazy – full, very untidy  & so ugly handwriting but so touchy letters from school lanes at a different era. Some were touched with some lines from so Mr. T. M. Jayaratne .

‘Post man’- this is not the correct way to write ‘postman’. Some lessons from English my way for you ( kidding) it is Postman. Am I right?

‘Pre’ and ‘post’ of the role of postman I like to think a bit. Things were so different back then when I think of this ‘PRE’ era of the post of ‘postman’. This position and the role of postman was so close to our hearts than today. There were no emailing, yahooing or Googleing   things were not ‘mobileized’ like today. This Mobilization of Mobile and electronic devises has taken over the pleasure of the ‘letter writing’ – ‘hand written’.

This very attractive concept of ‘letter writing’ is ‘an art’ forgotten thanks to the development  it holds many ways of ‘addressing’ and ‘writing’ ‘what has to be said’ ‘what word and art one must use depending on the purposes ‘official or unofficial’ ‘personal’ & ‘very personal’ friendly and social, ‘business’ etc. 

Dear friend

Dear Sir

Dear Madame

My dear

My dearest

Some ways are so personalized and I don’t mind saying they are very unique and has own styles, colours and fragrances .

w;s  mŒcH

mŒcH

Mister Master

Miss – Missis

Doctor – Professor

Honorable

Post – cards are different to the idea of ‘envelope’. Things enclose in the idea of ‘Envelopes’ and sealed different and difficult for others to read but this ‘Post- card system’ is far away from privacy lines. You do not use it for very personalized addressing/s.

This apolitical ( I like to see this that way) but very politic idea of ‘postman’ ‘postage’ postcode’ ‘post - date’ ‘post – mistress’ has a long history  but pride and originality of this idea of course not ours but we have no ‘ ego’ of accepting something good and useful and we can thank them for sharing the idea world wide.

During the ways used to sent WW’s  messages and letters across and to the particular person commander etc were different they had very specific and strategic ways of moving their ideas and plans FROM  inner fields of one group to battle fields – the life guards of one group and enemies to some other group.  I do not like to go in to any details as to the our own ways – ‘old’ used to convey messages in the past, very long ago -‘past’. Things have changed so faster than we can imagine.  Since independence, we experienced different things in relation to our lives ‘as a whole’ socially, economically, politically during different era’s of social and political spheres ‘some were so good and changed whole old system of thinking and practicing. And some other things took a long to change and it enclose ‘both positive or negative’ or ‘good and bad’ some were in the middle path not good or bad or not extreme.

‘apita liyum thiyenawada’

Any letters for us ?

This was kind of a never forgotten conversation with our postman back then and sometimes we get the reply even without asking

Ada oya lamaita liyum neha’

You have no letters today – Kids.

At the end of each month ‘the letter we receive with a little heavy content was so important for all of us. That was the letter we expect to cover the whole month ‘food’ ‘season ticket’ some pens and pencils – stationary , ‘ice creams and biscuits’ etc.  ‘I am the one who receive such things I was at that time was not eligible to apply for a National ID – card but my father had ways to finding solutions for matters – what ever matters ‘he writes letters’ to any and to the specific person that he thought was alright ‘addressing or writing ‘ asking’ ‘ suggestions’  etc.  his ways of writing letters were so unique actually everyone says or asks ‘who wrote this letter’ he loved words – he is so fond of words – beautiful and meaningful. The way he use words was so genuine. My teachers generally received a letter from him at least once in six months back then asking ‘my situation’ of studies. They all were so happy to read them because of the way those things written. Dr. Tissa Athukorala Sir (Department of Sociology/University of Peradeniya) was one of my university lectures that I respect very, very much. I remember he was saying lassnata liyapu liyumak ‘beautifully written letter’ I felt of course so shy not because of the content generally I was not a school kid to inquire about my studies from a teacher I was a university student. He was so good in both languages.  

My first ‘English teacher’ – ‘My father’ he said that he went to a place in Maradana to learn bit of English once he showed me the place but the class was not there but a building. And rest he has learnt from ‘thepal margika’ (trust- full back then, he told me once) ‘his hand writing – everyone liked so much.

I have seen no female here in SL work as ‘Postwoman’ my computer- dictionary ‘English’ indicates this as a wrong writing.  But I know that ‘post mistress/s are there all over’ ‘ULPOTHA KUMBURA SUB POST OFFICE’ this is my ‘every time visit place’ we have a post mistress there.

I know this ‘Main post office’ ‘sub post office’ are always busy places. The non stop sound of sealing STAMPS AND LETTERS local and air mail indicating the ‘date of obtaining from the ‘sender’ to the ‘ safe hand of post office and then I know there is a particular time that ‘the post van comes to collate all the letters that they have to be sent to the ‘main post office’ the ‘categorizing area/place of letters’ reading the ADDRESS ‘CAREFULLY’ WRITTEN  I know that they sometimes complain ‘ unclear hand writing ‘ ‘blotted’ ‘ink spilled all over’ they are unable to read. Takes your letter to a wrong direction.

About I guess a decade or so or less ‘introduced postal code system’ was useful and helpful for both ‘postman’, post officers main and sub. 

Thepal sankethaya/ postal code - 2016

 ‘stamps’ one really can not ignore discussing when it comes to ‘post letters’ pre or pro era of this ‘thepel seveya’/ post services ‘ this posting I am talking of now is different to the now a days ‘posting’ ‘posts’ – that are very, very electronical and no stamping or registering fees, and we hear no ringing bells near our door bells. The we are so used to and no harmful sound ‘bicycle bell’ when we hear its sound ( familiar) ‘ringing tone’ ‘alerting system of his visitation’ ‘here you have a letter’ ‘the good news letters and  the arrival of  postman’.

The bicycle popular and the bell and the ‘ army colour luggage – small’ which carries  all the messages FROM to ‘TO’, some written with love and kindness, or anger, notices of ‘may things  

When you hear the sound of

‘à%¡ ……….. à%¡ ....................

à%¡ ………….. à%¡ ……………….

Gamen liyumak awilla

Akkagen waagei

Mokak kiyalaada danna ehi giyeth nehane ………………

I like to allocate some time – mine to analyze an ‘envelope. I really like this little cover that sometimes carry ones ‘told and untold - aims and hopes, desires ‘things to be shared’ to be shown, this may contains something that change your current situations’/ positions to a different situation.

Letter of contract (carrier /business)

‘You are dismissed’

‘We consider you are no longer a member of our company’

News from a friend, news of a friends’ friend that you have not seen for a long time including  heart beats type letters or heart stops kind letters, letters from strangers also possible saying ‘this and that about a person dear or near’ or sometimes not at all relevant to yo

An invitation of an art exhibition/ show etc

 I like to imagine an outer shape of an envelope’ now you get these in one or two more colours depending on your need. If you are sending any birth wishes or other wishes ‘the envelope generally comes with the card – greetings you buy.

‘Right top corner’ is the stamping area. The stamp costs depends on the heaviness of the letter’ things it contains) the distance matters only when it goes overseas - ‘Air mail’. The air mail envelope is different in its appearance four corners of the envelope has a little border 

The ‘TO’ corner is very important here.

Some ‘TO’ s are very ‘PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL’

I like these two words a lot ‘private and confidential’ though now a days in the concept of e –mailing you find no ‘confidentiality’.  Confidentiality – hacking has become so popular and common. There is no heart hacking systems established at least a relief for hearts –real though you find everything is easy to know through the CCTV cameras and hackers of all type.  Actually it is no necessary for hearts when the hearts no what is in their hearts and their heart’s heart.   Hacking become ‘alright’ and applicable for hearts in love if necessary but this hacking is not allowed for the ones ‘outside heart borders’. 

If you careless about this ‘TO’ corner you might get in to troubles. ‘Do not trouble a trouble’ I remember one TW ( Tuk tuk ) slowly moved ahead passing me letting me to read what was written behind it.

You know my friend sometimes the ‘things that you teach become important and valid or useful only when one focus truly on the things they learn and if they do not practice them in reality what they learn the things you teach them go in vain.

Remember, troubles do not always relates to love or family there are other troubles too one must not forget  so that ‘do not trouble a trouble’ when you notice things so attractively written back and forth on something you tend to read them if that captures your mind  you store them in your brain and you move on towards your ‘aim’ if you were heading towards some shopping, meeting etc. Some troubles don’t have the abilities to trouble you and you move on and you don’t stop there.

Let me come back to this most honored two letter word ‘ TO’ again.

This ‘TO’ word I like  so much says a lot about a ‘right’. The name of a person who you see little below ‘the written line of ‘TO’ – is the authorized or the rightful person who has the authority to read or open the letter this ‘envelope’ contains. Others they just can obtain it from the dear postman unless the person really have to signature to prove ‘right person has received’ it is kind of an assurance to the department but this obtainer who signed it too can’t read it. We have to remember here ‘TO’is the ‘right person’ not the others.

Important;

Write the RIGHT ADDRESS & RIGHT NAME .

TO,

Dear Postman

C/O ‘kind mind – post master’

Post code – 2016

Office of ‘full of work’

‘Thank you for the service’ – lane

‘Long live’ - District.

Budusaranai !

Dear postman we respect

Hope everything is alright in ‘your service area’. How are things there? How is your ‘you love so much bicycle’? How old (not you) is your bicycle? I thought one day ‘you might get a gift’ – a motor bicycle easy to handle kind for the service you do ‘climbing up and coming down’ of hilly but fully happily ‘ knows each and every household ‘ who stays and who lives abroad’,  what father does and what loku kolla and loku kella does for A/L s, ‘ah now he is retired’ ‘even the house number of distance – ‘loku nenda’ ( aunt) ‘very close loku amma (elder sister of mother)’, ‘loku mudalali – gama’( the big trader – village) ‘loku sir – iskole’( Principle of the school)’ Samithiya – lekam ( secretary of village societies)  things become easy for you then.    

I have something to say but this is ‘NO COMPLAIN’

I have letters not to be postponed posting

Letters never arrived

Letters never posted

Letters misplaced by post again I have ‘no complains’

Letters lost – change of address

Letters not forgotten

How is your ‘Mr. Good friend’ when you stay at home ‘emergency’ situations comes and do your job on behalf of please give my kind regards to him as well.  And the always has something to share  girl at the counter ‘stamp – smiles’ that takes all who comes miles and miles in happiness. please tell her that I like her smile very much.

Denata ethi

Adata nawathimi

I am,

Ms. Service received with satisfaction

Any reply’s welcome to following address

(FROM)

Ms. Service received with Satisfaction

Thank you for reading - Foot path

Budusaranai – Village.

And this FROM side is also important. Do not write from name on to side. Once I wanted to post a very important letter. I think I was in a hurry for some work as well. Got limited time. I have written My own address in the section of ‘TO and their address in the FROM section. I was waiting for a reply and couple of days later again dear postman appeared before me with a letter ‘ada liyumak thiyenawa’ ‘you have a letter today’ (direct translation pls pardon)

Ow mama balaporoththu wuna ekak

Yes , I was waiting for this letter

You know what I noticed ‘very familiar hand writing similar to mine’

I was thinking for a while ‘who has got same handwriting – similar to mine’

‘I was addressed the letter wrong way’’ wrong address in the wrong corner’

So friends,

I believe that both ‘From’ and ‘TO’ equally important ‘components’ when it comes to ‘sending letters by post’

Happy mailing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!