This idea was generated via the submissions page. I was tasked with “making it funny” but to be honest, It was already pretty dang funny.
I have an axe to grind. I may catch some flack for it, but I think it’s time someone took the time to call out a practice that should have long ago been outlawed:
The free return address stickers that are mailed to you by organizations that are trying to raise money.
I don’t have any problem with people trying to raise money, as should be apparent from reading any of the rest of the posts on this blog.
I have a problem with organizations who get the gender wrong on those address labels. At least that’s the story I am going to go with.
I got a note with the first month’s check from a new ministry partner with what appeared to be one of those guilt-you-into-giving-by-offering-a-free-gift-of-fifty return labels adhered crookedly to the top-left of the envelope.
In my admittedly biased mind’s eye, that sticker had a dark green background. Also, as I remember it, the prefix “Mr.” was firmly attached to the beginning of the name.
It didn’t help that the name was something pleasantly androgynous like Pat or Tracy.
Long story short, I got the gender as wrong as you can get a true/false pop quiz. My thank you note thanked Mr. Pat with absolutely no regard for the fact that Mr. Pat was not-so-mister.
It’s really tough to get a foot out of your mouth when it’s so deeply lodged. Luckily I have this freshly ground axe.
Thanks for the submission and the funny story! If you haven’t passed along your story just yet, it’s not too late to go ahead and click here.