Interesting Town

Quartzsite is a bit of a sleepy desert town but sure comes alive in the winter. The Rock Gem and Mineral Shows that are held here attract thousands of people and the population of Quartzsite increases from two thousand to many thousands. In fact, it has been said that a million people pass through Quartzsite during January each year.
Thousands of snowbirds come to spend time here; to enjoy the shows and the climate.

As you will read from the above link about Quartzsite it all started with rock, gems and minerals being bought and sold at one show. These days there are a number of shows and a variety of vendors selling anything from rocks and gems etc to antiques, T-shirts, Native Indian memorabilia, beads, crystals, petrified wood, rock carvings, tools, wrought iron products, and many items that have nothing to do with rocks and gems at all. But it all makes for wonderful browsing. And the people-watching is interesting too.

The Post Office
Residents of Quartzsite do not have street mail boxes. They all collect their mail from the post office and there is only one. When there are thousands of people in town this becomes a problem!
For some reason the powers that be do not feel it necessary to increase the number of staff at the post office for this busy time. If I'd known this I would have come prepared. It was about 11am and I decided to take a walk in the fresh air across the freeway bridge to the post office to buy some stamps. When I got there the queue was so long it came out the door and into the mail box lobby - about twenty people. I turned straight around and thinking maybe early next morning would be a better time.
Next morning I got there at five minutes to eight.. along with thirty other people who thought being early would be a good idea too. There was much laughter and joking from the patient queue members who had no choice but to see the funny side of it all.
This time the queue came out the door, snaked around the mail box lobby, right down to the back then up to the main front door then out the door into the cold morning air! I saw a friend of ours in the queue, about half way along. He'd been there for a while and was holding a cup of coffee (with lid) that he'd brought with him. He lives in Quartzsite and has to tolerate this each year. He needed to collect a parcel and the general mail window was closed (for some reason) so had no choice but to wait with everyone else. He said to me that he was considering learning a language while he waited.
As these delightful people waited and waited and the queue grew longer and longer so the comical quips came thick and fast; "shall we send out for lunch?" "This package is going to Brazil, maybe I'll start walking, it may be quicker." and so on.
Meanwhile, the post office staff remained deadly serious and appeared to work at what seemed to be a 'work-to-rule' speed but it was probably my imagination.
One customer did 'lose his rag' as it were and let rip at the staff. Surprisingly most of the people waiting defended them, as I did. It wasn't their fault their superiors left them to cope. The silly man must have thought he was speaking for the majority, but no.
This year we are prepared and hopefully will not have to use the post office.