Check Your Pige

Today marks a momentous occasion- my first piece of mail arrived from the US!! So a big thanks to Jessica, even if it is an invitation to a party that we both know I can’t attend; it’s the thought that counts. And this brings me to a unique little Oxford oddity called the pigeonhole. Everyone has a little mailbox near the porter’s lodge and “check your pige” is a common instruction around here as the intercampus mail system is the source of information on upcoming events, departmental deliveries and actual post mail. More often than not I get junk mail from clubs like the Oxford Business Society who wants to help me find a job or NatWest, my bank in the UK who insists on sending six different letters to explain how my ATM pin works before they finally send me an actual ATM card. But every once in a while, I find something interesting there- like my student ID card, which I seem to misplace with alarming frequency in the dining hall and about town. But my unique ability to lose this indispensable piece of plastic is a separate issue. Two weeks ago I emailed my first paper to my supervisor and when we met the next day it wasn’t ready so he promised to return it later in the week. I asked if I should come pick it up or if he would email it to me, and he looked at me quizzically and said no, it will be in your pige. Right, because sending an essay across Oxford is obviously as efficient as sending an email? But I guess if Oxford has it, then it intends to make use of it. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the pigeon hole system predates the establishment of England’s Royal Mail system four hundred years ago.  Anyway, that’s about all I have time for today but in case anyone was wondering, this post is not a shameless plug for more letters from the US. Although, if you are so inclined my address is St. John’s College, St. Giles, Oxford OX1 3JP, United Kingdom.