Special Deliveries

When Ben Franklin was named postmaster general in 1775, he had no clue that one day U.S. mail carriers would deliver more than 200 billion letters and packages annually, and that mail would traverse the country--and even the world--in fewer than 24 hours. He also would be surprised about the contents of some of those packages, which hold everything from sneakers to turkey dinners. We stopped by a mid-Wilshire FedEx office at rush hour, where we peeked into four of the 3-million-plus packages the company delivers each day, and asked their harried senders to express themselves.

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Marnie Goodfriend

Event operations director, speed-dating firm

Los Angeles

What are you sending today?

Materials to hosts of speed-dating events. There are pens, scorecards, name tags, stopwatches and whistles.

Most interesting package you’ve ever received?

When I was at summer camp, my father, who is a carpet manufacturer, sent me a roll of carpet for my cabin. It was sweet, but embarrassing.

How dependent are you on speedy delivery services?

Well, I work for a company called HurryDate.

What are your holiday shipping tips?

Don’t wrap. If they need to open them, everything has to be rewrapped. And put an invoice inside, so if the package gets lost

or the label peels off, they can

get it to you.

Packing popcorn versus

bubble wrap?

Bubble wrap. I like the little bubbles.

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Stacy Ekstein

Producer

West Hollywood

What are you sending today?

We just bought a place in

Pacific Palisades. I am sending topographical plans to the architect in New York for the house that we have to remodel.

Why does it have to go quickly?

We’re behind [in] getting the plans approved. Last week, we FedExed flooring samples. It was a huge box.

Most interesting package you’ve ever received?

When I first moved to New York, my mom in Texas FedExed me a frozen turkey dinner with homemade gumbo just to make me feel at home.

How did it taste?

It was great. My roommate and I almost fought over it. We had the best Thanksgiving.

Packing popcorn versus

bubble wrap?

I don’t like packing popcorn, because I don’t think it’s good for

the environment. With bubbles,

you can play with them.

Do you pop your bubbles?

I have been known to do that.

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Chris VanArtsdalen

Production assistant

Los Angeles

What are you shipping today?

Two packages for my boss. One is

for my boss’ dad for his birthday.

Most interesting package you’ve ever sent?

One of my friends put a bunch of stamps on a shoe to see if it would

go through the mail. And it did.

Most interesting thing you’ve ever received?

I had told my girlfriend that your pupils expand when you look at something you like. And she found a Snapple cap that had that very fact on it. So she mailed that [from] the East Coast.

Any mailing horror stories?

When I was 9 or 10, my best friend and I found this magazine where you could order a drinking glass. It had a picture of a woman on it, and when you put cold water in, the woman’s clothes came off. We thought that was awesome, so we tried to order it through the mail and our parents caught us. That was traumatic.

Packing popcorn versus

bubble wrap?

Usually bubble wrap, because I like to pop them.

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Connie Shoquist

European clothing agent

Los Angeles

What are you sending today?

Some clothes to a store in Texas.

It’s an item that someone requested, and they didn’t have it in the right size. We have it in stock and they need it tomorrow.

What kind of clothing?

It was a little brocade jacket that’s dressy and great for the holidays.

It’s a very good client of ours.

How dependent are you on speedy delivery?

Very. I have to send things to Europe, receive things from Europe

What’s the next wave in

speedy delivery?

What else could there be but same-day service. I don’t know

how we’d get same-day service

from Europe.

Packing popcorn versus bubble wrap?

I’m a bubble-wrap person, because

I recycle everything.

Do you pop your bubble wrap?

No, because I reuse it.