Stamp It Out

The Central Lobby Post Office I have noticed seems to be suffering from longer and longer queues. This strange occurance seems to have started around about August 21st. For some of you this date might ring bells, for it is a historical date. For upon that day in the year of our Lord 2006 the cost of sending a letter was based on size as well as weight. Despite leaflets and commercials (annoying ones at that) nobody has a damm clue how the whole thing works, so whereas in previous days the process was, write letter, stick in envelope, shove stamp on and sling in letterbox, now it involves a lengthy trip to the post office. If you still don't believe how confusing it is, this is off the Royal Mail website, verbatum, and is a description of a packet "Length over 353mm OR width over 250mm OR thickness 25mm OR weight over 750g". What? Anyway as a result everyone has to go to the Post Office to post their letters. Even the cabinet. A couple of weeks ago I had what I thought was a letter but turned out to be a packet to post and in front of me was the leader of the House of Commons, Jack Straw. Neither of us had a clue whether we had a letter, large letter or packet and had to play with the little toy on the coutner which told you. The great minds of Lord Lucan and Mr. Straw combined and eventually the problems were solved with a little help from the chap behind the counter. There could have been a much more interesting story if I had noticed that when Mr. Straw had finished he forgot to take his red ministerial folder with him and I had 'borrowed' it. However, I didn't and in a couple of minutes he came back sprinting (yes sprinting) across Central Lobby to collect it. This story leaves though a few questions. 1. Does anyone understand the new post pricing? 2. Would I have been done for high treason had I nicked the file? 3. Where was Jack's dogsbody/researcher to post his letters for him?