How Buying One Envelope Can Help You Fall in Love with Life Again

“We’re dancing animals. How beautiful it is to get up and go do something. [Gets up and dances a jig.]”

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In 1995, INC magazine about their thoughts on the role of technology in society. One topic the interviewer covered with Vonnegut was the idea of replacing human contact with electronic contact. In response, he shared a story:

I’m going down the steps, and my wife calls up, ‘Where are you going?’ I say, ‘Well, I’m going to go buy an envelope.’ And she says, “You’re not a poor man. Why don’t you buy a thousand envelopes? They’ll deliver them, and you can put them in a closet.’ And I say, ‘Hush.’

So I go down the steps here, and I go out to this newsstand across the street where they sell magazines and lottery tickets and stationery. I have to get in line because there are people buying candy and all that sort of thing, and I talk to them. The woman behind the counter has a jewel between her eyes, and when it’s my turn, I ask her if there have been any big winners lately. I get my envelope and seal it up and go to the postal convenience center down the block at the corner of 47th Street and 2nd Avenue, where I’m secretly in love with the woman behind the counter. I keep…