Rebuild the missing context
Assume the recipient will not remember every date, promise, or earlier conversation. For a message about how to ask someone to forward your mail, use this factual base: list the specific item, ownership, condition, current location, and any real deadline.
Say what needs to happen next
State the decision, information, or practical action you need and include a real deadline only when one exists. Offer a neutral handoff, tracked delivery, or authorized third party and confirm when the matter is closed. Make the immediate next step clear enough that the recipient can answer without reconstructing the entire history.
Avoid making urgency into pressure
Do not enter property, withhold unrelated items, attach emotional conditions, or arrive without agreement. Use a public place, third party, workplace process, or legal support when ownership or personal safety is disputed. Do not make the other person responsible for reducing the discomfort that prompted you to write.