 Wrapping up the message
by Tissa Hewawitarana
In ancient times, messages were
exchanged between people and countries through birds, doves which were
specially trained. During the past, handmade covers were used by
commercial establishments and the public to send letters. Success
depends to a very large measure upon individuals as a result of their
hard work. In 1845, British-born Edwin Hill and Warren De La Rue were
responsible for bringing me into this world. They invented the first
machine to enclose messages.
So from my young days, I was subjected to various biological changes
in my body. But the product made by the Hill/De La Rue machine was not
up to standard as we know them today. They produced flat diamond sheets
which have been pre-cut to shape and made ready for folding to form a
rectangular enclosure.
The edges of the overlapping flaps were treated with paste or
adhesive and the method of securing the wrapper was the user’s choice.
As I grew older, the symmetrical flap arrangement meant that it could be
held together with a single wax seal at the apex of the topmost flap.
The flap can be held together by applying a seal at a single point.
 By now, I had developed to womanhood and my body needed further
modifications, if I were to survive any longer.
With the issuing of the stamps, operation and control of the service
in the communication medium, the British model spread around the world
and the diamond shape wrapper became popular as an envelope.
Manufacturers, therefore, designed and produced diamond shaped
sheets. I was in full demand.
As I advanced in age, the number satisfying the world demand remained
high. Needless to say manufacturing companies sprung overnight and
turned it into a multi-billion Rupee industry. Everyone needed my
services - the state, the private sector, business people, the legal
profession to even the public.
To send valuable information or preserve it, I was the best choice.
For letter-writing, business transactions, love letters or to keep any
secrets in a document form, I was in great demand especially during the
Christmas holidays and on St.Valentine’s Day. My admirers were
schoolchildren to adults but I was feeling bored. I thought to myself,
“How nice it would be to go abroad!”
Meanwhile. my company decided to expand the business to world markets
through exporting. Finally, I was shipped to Sri Lanka where I found a
suitable climate to settle down.
 One day, a beautiful teenaged blonde took me under her care. She was
a terrific writer to her lover. I had two-hundred envelopes in my pack
and every time she pulled one and wrote her lovers’ name and address,
she engraved my skin with a dipping pen. The nib of the pen was sharp
and I screamed in pain for no one felt sorry for us and there was no
human consideration for us. On the other hand, my female colleagues did
not speak a word against the torture. On the top of all this, a stamp
was fixed to my face and I did feel a bit awkward when she used her
tongue to fix the stamp.
Later, I was sealed and dumped into a red colour box which stood by
the road side with an open mouth. I found thousands of letters, like me,
swallowed by this ruthless postbox. The following day we were taken to a
state building where they sort out our destination. To add insult to
injury, I was given a thundering blow to my face which was described as
a date stamp. I wasn’t prepared for all these. But I thought that if I
resigned my job, I will have nothing to eat. I argued with myself,
realised my predicament and remained silent knowing that we were born to
serve others.
Today, the envelope manufacturing industry has become a
well-established international industry, churning out millions of
dollars as profits. |
