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10 July 2003 - 01:51

noteworthy

Take an envelope out of the box. Stamp the address on it. Put it away in another box.

Repeat.

Our youth organization is a member of our local United Way. But my wife seems to be the only one who knows that. She is our representative, and a familiar face to the other community groups that belong. Each service organization is expected to provide manpower towards the functioning of the United Way program.

Our volunteer task is addressing and stuffing envelopes.

Now mind you, this isn't something that each of the dozen youth groups in our organization participate in. They should, and are expected to, but they don't. And nobody else from our group helps out, either.

Just the wife.

Hand signing address after address. Carrying the burden for the hundreds of us who benefit, but don't share the load.

Including me.

So, this evening, the wife is methodically stamping a box of return envelopes on her lap. One at a time. Keeping her hands busy as we watch tv.

I watch her for only a few moments. The twisting 'round with the right hand to grab an envelope. Turning it to make sure it's facing the right way. Holding it down with the left hand and smacking it with the self-inking stamp that was picked up by the now empty right hand. Reaching over to place it in another box. Set stamp down and twist again for another.

There has got to be a better way. I love efficiency at times, seeking the economy of motion. And there is. See a better way right off.

Just takes four hands to do it.

So, without a word, I kneel on the floor before her, and take a pile of blank envelopes in hand. Slip a blank envelope onto the book that is her workbench.

Whump! It's stamped with her right hand, and she neatly places it in the "completed" box with her left. No swapping hands. No setting the stamp down, only to pick it back up again.

And we repeat. Close to 300 times, I guess. Moving so fast we had to intentionally slow down, because the ink didn't have enough time to resoak the stamp. Guess we got done in well less than a quarter of the time it would have taken her alone.

I mention the assistance I gave her, on a project that benefits many, including me, not because it is commonplace.

But because it is rare enough to be noteworthy.

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