Sunday, August 23, 2009

Going Postal

package I am beginning to have a real understanding of why an otherwise sane person might have a small melt down at the post office.

Several months ago my friend Glenda asked for suggestions for hostess gifts for the various parties honoring her daughter and fiance prior to their marriage this fall.  I always thought those round return address stamps were nice and suggested that we look for some at a good price on eBay.  Chris in Malaysia had just what we were looking for.

Knowing that shipment from Malaysia might take a while, we decided to order two for a test run.  Chris told us that shipment normally took 10 day to two weeks.  Sure enough, the first two arrived right on time, so about a month ago, we ordered 29 more for the different parties.

On Thursday, August 13, I received a notice in my mailbox that they had attempted delivery of a registered mail package containing rubber stamps.  I picked it up on Friday, and when we opened it, we found that Chris had shipped the order in two packages.

By Monday, when the second package had not arrived, I had Chris send me the tracking numbers.  I found at the USPS website that both packages had arrived in Los Angeles on August 5.  In fact, they were scanned within a minute of each other.  Armed with this information I trotted down to my local post office.

The gentleman I spoke to “went to the back” and came back empty handed saying, “We get the same information you do.  The tracking information on the second package stops in Los Angeles.”  And he gave me a number to call at the downtown post office.

Danny at the downtown post office explained that once foreign registered mail arrives in the U.S. it is treated just like domestic mail, so he was not very encouraging about tracking my package.  He asked me to call him the next day, and at that point he gave me an 800 number to call.  Let’s just say that they lady on the other end of that 800 number was not a nice person.

Skipping ahead to yesterday, when I went to the mailbox I found a slip telling me that they were sorry they missed me when they attempted to deliver my registered mail containing rubber stamps.  I was not happy.  I had been standing at the dining room window when I saw the mail person drive up to my mailbox, place my mail inside and drive off.

Still fuming, Glenda and I headed to the post office to see if we could get the package in time for today’s tea.  And just what do you think we discovered when we got there?  You would be correct if you guessed that the package had been sitting there all week.  Makes me wonder just what the post office guy really did when he “went to the back.”

Don't you sometimes just want to say, "Let me come look.  I'll bet I can find it."

8 comments:

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Yes, I would believe all of this and more. It just seems like they don't know what's going on. What a story. I am so glad you finally got your packages. Hugs, Marty

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

UGH!!! all's well that ends well. But it DOES make you nuts!!!! xoxo~Kathy.

Unknown said...

Don't bother "going to tbe back". While I've not tried it, the last time something like this happened to me, I made a scene and someone else "went to the back"----and guess what they found??? My package, which was sitting, properly addressed, right where it was supposed to be.

Candy said...

I'm with you on the "Let ME come look"...maybe all packages start to look alike after awhile.
Looking forward to Thursday pics, you gals do such a great job decorating.
Happy Monday adventures!

nanny said...

I would have probably not been too nice!!!! Then I would regret it! I don't like to lose my temper, but the gentleman who went to the back needs a peptalk about customer satisfaction, among other job related subjects/ha

Tonja said...

I wonder how soome people cn be so inefficient? How much smarts does it take to look for a package? Not much if you really look! Most people just do not even want to bother to look. Customer Service???HAH!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Oh yes, I have been there!

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

I know it! And what's up with the nasty attitudes -- I can put up (almost) with incompetance, if you're at least nice about it -- or if you're nasty but do a darn fantastic job -- but give me both and I'm ready to go "postal"!