I visited a post office after a very long time. Even as I was entering the post office I was greeted by a loud shout of ‘backside’! I stopped, puzzled and looked behind, and in front.
I realised that was the instruction from behind the counter to a customer making enquiries regarding the booking of large parcels. He was being asked to go to the rear of the building — the backside.
Nonplussed, I joined a queue. I had a speed post to do. Before me, there were two persons. One with a very large number of packets, the other was a soloist, like me — just one measly letter. I looked closely at the packets the person was carrying. It was evident he was from a bank.
This was no Sherlockian deduction — all the packets had the bank’s logo prominently emblazoned. I waited while he finished booking his post.
The person came with very exact cash in his hand to pay for the booking of the letters. I realised that while digitisation was happening elsewhere in the country, it had gone past the post offices.
Next was the solo packet gentleman. His cost for the speed post was very precise: Rs 41. I wondered if he could have the exact cash. He gave a Rs 100 note. “Change?” asked a voice from behind the counter. The customer said “No”.
From behind the counter came a Rs 50 note. I waited for the balance of Rs 9 to be given. So did the customer. “Next time, Sir?” “Yes”, said the customer. I got the distinct feeling that both the person behind the counter and in front of the counter knew that there would be no next time.
I presented my packet — and it was also Rs 41. I looked around for any UPI signage. There was none, despite all the Digital India campaigns. I gave a Rs 50 note and waited. “Change?” I shook my head. The postman looked at me. So I volunteered, “Next time?” He shook his head and said: “Stamp.” It was said more in the nature of a statement rather than a query. I wondered what this would mean.
He took out stamps of Rs 5 with the image of Deenadayal Upadhyaya and Rs 4 with the image of Homi Jehangir Bhabha. They are in my purse. Awaiting my next visit to a post office. In the meantime, if anybody needs stamps you know whom to ask!
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