See, this is why people don’t snail mail anymore.
I moved about a month ago. It took me a week or so to realize… I do not have a mailbox key.
So my landlord hooks me up with a locksmith, who was set to come today. And last night, when I returned from a few days in the Keys, there was a notice in my door to pick up my mail, or on the 20th, it’d be returned to sender. Whew, I have another day.
Remember, I’m new in town, so I look up the post office on the internet and get directions.
And then spend the next hour driving in circles, looking for the damn place, because people, I have an announcement to make. SOMETIMES THE INTERNET LIES. Internet location: off Young Circle. Actual location: past downtown, nowhere near Young Circle.
I park illegally, and walk right up to the counter – no line! Maybe some luck?
But as the postal woman peers through the 19 tubes of mascara that are coating her eyelashes all at the same time, she wants to know all kinds of information about WHY my mail isn’t being delivered, but really, shouldn’t, “Don’t have mailbox key, locksmith coming today” be enough? What’s with all the questions? It’s not really her business, and besides, I’m parked illegally and I hate you, Lady.
After all that, she goes into the back for so long that a postman walked up and handed me soliciting materials from AARP, and as I’m planning my retirement, she finally comes back out.
And tells me that it’s been Returned To Sender, even though they said they wouldn’t do it ‘till tomorrow, because apparently, people, THE POST OFFICE LIES, TOO.
I eventually turn around and walk out empty-handed, but for one brief moment, I clearly understand why it is that people sometimes open fire in post offices.
October 19th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
See, I think there is a law that everyone has to have a bad experience at the post office periodically, to remind you how the rest of your life is not this frustrating and randomly horrible.