PSA: Politics and mail don't mix.

After P.C. washed my car a week or two ago, I put my "Vote Nov. 4" (Obama / Biden) circular car magnet on my mailbox, since it was the only metal thing in the vicinity, intending to return it to my car one morning on the way out, after the wax had dried. (That's right -- he waxed Betty, too.)

I found it on my steps one day after work, but assumed it had fallen off and returned it to the mailbox before heading up the stairs with whatever I was carrying. I don't remember which day it was, but since I'm always carrying something up the stairs when I come home, it's guaranteed that I was loaded down with things, possibly things I had just recently paid good money for.

Which is why I was shocked on leaving the house with P.C. today to find that my landlord had put the magnet inside my mailbox with a note that said roughly (or verbatim):

Free speach is fine
on your car
on your house
But please don't put anything political or any other posting on my house.
Thanks, [Landlord Guy]

If you read this the way I did, you're bound to hear the emphasis on my in the last line. And the line breaks are as written, not ones that I made up.

Also the spelling of "speach," though I realize it's petty to point that out; I've gotten that one wrong a few times.

Still, the hostility I read into this note -- and into the fact that he didn't come talk to me in person, or call me on the phone -- caught me off guard and stung. I did what I always do in these situations, which is to immediately formulate the perfect reply before allowing myself to think of anything else (in the world).

At first I explained, in my perfect reply, that I use the magnet to remind me which side of the car my gas tank is on, that I like that the magnet says primarily "Vote Nov. 4" with a small in-between "Obama * Biden," and that I had been using the mailbox as a convenient location rather than a soapbox.

In mental editing, though, I removed the first two notes from my reply. My landlord doesn't need to know what value I place on that magnet. He doesn't need to be placated into thinking I'm in favor of voting (which I am) over and above a certain candidate -- because I did vote for Obama, in the primaries and the general election, and I gave money to the campaign to get that magnet originally, but more importantly -- because it's not really any of his business what my politics are or who I support. I pay rent every month and except for the time my bathroom sink overflowed into his kitchen, I'm a good tenant.

I suppose he has a point about his house appearing to support a candidate he apparently didn't want in office.

But I think mine about personally being allowed to support whatever candidate I want without even passive-aggressive/WASPish hostile reactions is a better one. And I'm pretty sure that renting from someone doesn't make me less qualified to expect this.

On the other hand and on further reflection, it was probably illegal of me to post something political on my mailbox. I know from past complaints that it's illegal to put something without a stamp into someone's mailbox. They're like federal property or something.

So one point for each of us.