I started this new thing where I send postcards to friends from wherever I am. I think it is a great idea and they seem to like it, it’s kinda like bringing them along on my trips.

Being in San Fran, I though this would be the best place to send a postcard from, great plan. The steps are easy, get said postcards, get stamps, write message and post. It turns out that step two is not as easy as it sounds.

I met up with my friend Agnes (hi A), who kindly volunteered, well she was dragged along, to mission with me on the quest for stamp. First clue that this was going to be interesting came when we were directed to the Macy’s on Union Square, apparently there was a post office on the first floor. Okay, sure why not.

Turn left to the dungeon ma’am

Okay, the lady didn’t say that but she might as well have. Firstly we ended up in the men’s store of Macy where no one knew anything but no fear the women’s store was right across: “because Macy’s takes up the block,” Agnes notes. It does.

We happen into the fragrance section of the women’s store, it smells like a brothel. We then directed to go down and keep going to the back. The very back. Yup, the post office lives in Harry Potter’s closet. It took us while to figure out where we are going between the bedding and fine china, people where queueing to post their letters and whatnots.

“This is Magic!” Agnes exclaims. She is having fun. The queue is long, I am not having fun.

Wait, what’s this? it’s a self service stamp machine. Success! No, wait… It only accepts credit card, you have got to be kidding me!

“How does it work, though?” I ask.

Agnes decides to test a theory: try to activate the machine with her bank card, it works. Okay we are winning again. What kind of stamps? International. Canada or China? Huh? Other International. Type in the name of your country. type type. How many stamps. Type Type.

Success!

We have stamps and postcards are written and ready to be posted.