Friday, December 16, 2005
Aspersion cast
Today the USPS cast aspersions upon my character. The implication was that I would lie and thereby cheat a government agency.
To wit, I took two packages to be mailed that were filled with books, the main thing my family gives as gifts on all occasions.
This rather disagreeable fellow at the counter had been a nuisance previously when I sent a box of books some months ago as I asked if it would get to its destination by the birthday it was intended for.
Rather than say it should based on the time frame from his computer, he kept saying he could not guarantee as he did not deliver. Ok, fine, what does the computer say? It says 3 days.. well that was certainly in time, and I did not see the point in paying for a guarantee when thee guarantee was for 3 days anyway, and the event was some 10 days hence.
Today it was different. I did not ask about a delivery date, I was instead met with the absurd statement that I should not have sealed the box. Incredulous I said I never have been told not to seal a package I was shipping, and I frequently sent books via media mail from this post office.
He persisted so I suggested he open the boxes. I pointed out the books were wrapped for Christmas, and that he could still feel them and tell they were books. He stamped a paper to show me a stamp that said "opened to verify contents" and said it was a postal rule that the box not be sealed so he could stamp it. I again suggested he open the damn boxes and verify the contents and then he could reseal them.
He instead started to put postage on them. I said, "I thought you were going to open them" He said next time. Just don’t seal them.
In hindsight I realize I should have insisted he open them and verify the contents, and let the wrath of the long line behind me that I had also waited through get crankier by the time he got to wait on them.
If I had not had to get to a lab for some blood work by a specific time I most likely would have done this.
The packages got mailed, I got to my appointment on time, I just feel rather unsatisfied that I did not have the satisfaction of making this insulting jerk eat his words and be forced to apologize.
To wit, I took two packages to be mailed that were filled with books, the main thing my family gives as gifts on all occasions.
This rather disagreeable fellow at the counter had been a nuisance previously when I sent a box of books some months ago as I asked if it would get to its destination by the birthday it was intended for.
Rather than say it should based on the time frame from his computer, he kept saying he could not guarantee as he did not deliver. Ok, fine, what does the computer say? It says 3 days.. well that was certainly in time, and I did not see the point in paying for a guarantee when thee guarantee was for 3 days anyway, and the event was some 10 days hence.
Today it was different. I did not ask about a delivery date, I was instead met with the absurd statement that I should not have sealed the box. Incredulous I said I never have been told not to seal a package I was shipping, and I frequently sent books via media mail from this post office.
He persisted so I suggested he open the boxes. I pointed out the books were wrapped for Christmas, and that he could still feel them and tell they were books. He stamped a paper to show me a stamp that said "opened to verify contents" and said it was a postal rule that the box not be sealed so he could stamp it. I again suggested he open the damn boxes and verify the contents and then he could reseal them.
He instead started to put postage on them. I said, "I thought you were going to open them" He said next time. Just don’t seal them.
In hindsight I realize I should have insisted he open them and verify the contents, and let the wrath of the long line behind me that I had also waited through get crankier by the time he got to wait on them.
If I had not had to get to a lab for some blood work by a specific time I most likely would have done this.
The packages got mailed, I got to my appointment on time, I just feel rather unsatisfied that I did not have the satisfaction of making this insulting jerk eat his words and be forced to apologize.
