Do you remember paperboys? My brother delivered morning newspapers during the WWII years, following the great depression. Most women didn’t work, and money was scarce. Buddy’s paper route was a source of much needed cash. Not for household expenses, but for extras like a bicycle. He often provided his baby sister (me) with treats like Eskimo Pies. He sometimes bought me new shoes. Decades later, during a recession, my son took a paper route for the very same reasons. But during the 90’s, adults took over those paper routes as they became more lucrative and teenagers could work at McDonalds’. Nowadays, there’s hardly anyone who wants such a low end job, so newspaper delivery is nearing a dead end.
Reading the newspaper with your morning coffee is a special treat. Especially if you’re still in your pajamas. The newspaper has something for everyone: local news, editorials, international news, comic strips, advice columns , supermarket ads. It starts the day off right, and life feels more satisfying as you go about your business. Unfortunately, those days are fading into a distant memory. Why? Because there’s a labor shortage, and jobs with better hours and more pay are readily available.
The decline started gradually a couple of years ago, when our local newspaper went to 5 days a week. Then, we noticed the Indianapolis newspaper often wasn’t delivered to our door. Yes, we were newspaper junkies, wanting the luxury of reading a big city newspaper. But they were often late getting here, so we were supposed to read the news online, instead. However, reading the news on the computer isn’t nearly as satisfying as holding a paper in your hand, putting it down to take a sip of coffee and rest your eyes, going back and forth between the obituaries and the classifieds.
Yesterday, we received a letter informing us that the INDY Star will no longer be delivered to our door. It will come via the US Postal Service, which means It will arrive somewhere between 10:30 a. m at the earliest, and 5 p.m. if they’re running late. That will never be the same as having it delivered to our door each morning. Especially for seniors who don’t care to navigate the internet. Newspaper Delivery is nearing a dead end,