Now there's a line you'll never hear again because a) there are no more cheques (soon) and b) there is no more mail (already). People my age aren't supposed to recall the good old days, so I'll leave that up to any younger readers who may have stumbled across me. Instead, as a broad-minded old-timer, I am supposed to rejoice in this best of all possible worlds, cheering the defunct post office and rejoicing in the disappearing cheque, thereby staying with it (whatever it is) and young. Can you remember the first time you wrote a cheque? Okay, try this: can you remember the last time you wrote a cheque? Bulk and dollar stores want cash; baby-sitters now (according to a recent commercial for a bank) will take their pay on their cellphone; your bank has a list of hungry creditors who will take online payments, including ones made to your monthly credit card, on which you rack up a sizeable load each month. What's left? Gifts and charities. No, not charities; they will accept credit card payments. I send money orders to my American grandchildren because American banks are wary of Canadian cheques (they spell it differently), and charge exchange - even when I clearly state US FUNDS - and a service charge above and beyond. Last Christmas I sent a money order in a large amount covering the whole family and guess what? The Canadian Post Office LOST THE EXPRESS POST. What was I discussing? Oh yes, the disappearing cheque. In the mail? Or in outer space? At least they won't bounce any more.

Letters. They are the reason most writers start writing, used to start. . Haven't people told you that you write wonderful letters? You have to be - had to be - careful, not to write out all your best thoughts to mail away. Not everyone saves other peoples' letters, you know. Oh, and that's another thing, with the demise of mail. Books, volumes, of letters have been published revealing relationships, insights, undercurrents, and even gossip of the time. Where will they be now? Nowhere, that's where. That isn't the post office's fault. that's because 140 characters in a Twitter don't allow for many insights. To my knowledge, no one has published a serious book of Twitters, not yet. IMHO a book of shortcuts won't cut it. Have you noticed that rude business people, working in whatever medium, don't even use email or Twitter to reject or discuss your proposals? Since when is silence a suitable response? You'd think they could at least have a permanent signature on their computer so they could push one key and say, "Stuff it." Sorry, I'm just going to get mad again. The trigger of my explosion of was the prediction that the post office will disappear in my/our lifetime. It's going to affect so many people, already has. Mindsets will change as has lifestyle already. SOW - I guess I can go on to something else that is related - was related - to mail: the cheque. Perhaps you had better save one from your current no doubt meagre supply, because when it's obsolete it may be a collector's item. The disappearance of the cheque signals another change in lifestyle. More anon.