The Mailman's New Uniform

Every day, the same mailman delivers your mail, dressed exactly as you’d expect. One day, though, you glance out the window — and there he is, in a full clown costume, nonchalantly delivering the mail as usual. A bit perplexed, you mention it to your neighbor George later that day. “Did you catch Ed the mailman wearing a clown suit earlier?” “Yeah,” he says. “Pretty weird, right? Any idea why?” But he had no idea either.

After that, he returns each day with the mail in the same clown outfit. For a couple of weeks, it still feels a bit strange. But eventually, it fades. One day, you step outside, see Ed in the clown costume — and barely notice. “Morning Ed.” You don’t question the clown suit any more than you did the standard uniform.

If Ed showed up in a powdered wig today, you’d think it was bizarre — but that would’ve been perfectly normal in the 1700s. Honestly, if you take a moment to look at today’s mail uniforms, they're kind of quirky — and those little trucks with the steering wheel on the wrong side? We don’t question it because it’s what we’re used to.

We often equate normal with right, when it’s really just what we’ve gotten used to. What we accept as “the way things should be” may be nothing more than seeing a clown suit, worn enough times to stop seeming strange.