Bah Humbug to you Post Office

December 15th, 2008

Alternate title: A Timeline of Crazy!

Today started out nicely, its a beautiful day, I didn’t need to wear a coat, let alone gloves/hat/scarf. I had to go mail our international gifts to Canada for Matthew’s family because in all honesty, they are probably already late and we couldn’t wait another day. I tra la la’d all the way to the car skipping along humming a happy tune.

I had 3 fairly large packages and thought it would be cheaper at the post office so off I went…

11:15 Get a cup of coffee and head to post office

11:20 Drive around post office 4 times and do not find a spot, hydrant, bus stop or driveway to stop in.

11:25 Decide to drive over to UPS and just send the packages from there. 

11:40 Drive around UPS 3 times and then doublepark right out front

11:42 Stand in line at UPS

11:46 Notice someone pulled out of spot so ran to car and legally park it

11:48 Back in line

12:03 UPS guy gives me 6 forms to fill out for my 3 international packages. Normally I would have just done all this at home but since I didn’t plan on going to UPS I didn’t bother. 

12:12 Finally finish filling out forms and head to front.

UPS Guy: “You should just take these home and get a UPS pickup there because we have a lot of trouble with international shipments, UPS calls us and we can’t help them”

ME, kind of snotty and frustrated: “Then why did you make me fill out all these forms? Why didn’t you tell me this before! Why would they call you if I have an account and my phone number is all over the forms!” 

UPS Guy: “I don’t know” turns back to other customer

ME (Inner dialogue): ” F that! I’m not paying overpriced shipping if I have to schlep these all home” gather large packages as gracefully as possible and storm out.

12:19 Pull up to post office and park in the bus stop. Put on hazards and hope I don’t get a ticket

12:22 Line out the door, filing out additional customs forms (!!!) using my palm as the hard surface because there is a crazy lady using up the entire table. Post office smells like wet stinky dog.

12:25 Nice lady behind me with friendly toddler points out I may need a different form if my (humongous) packages are over 4 lbs. We look around but there are no other forms. I shrug and kick my pile forward.

12:35 Second crazy lady yells at postal service worker to open another window. He says “Lady, you do not want to start this with me right now”

12:38 Crazy lady #1 is still doing her thing at the table, I am standing next to it and can smell her breath. It is foul and I get a bit nauseated.

12:45 I step up to counter, package 1 is no problem, Packages 2 and 3 need illustrious “other form”. She rings me up for all packages, then I step aside to go fill out my new forms.

12:52 Get handed back 2 out of the 3 form receipts and my actual receipt. Leave post office with empty wallet and sigh of relief.

12:55 Back in car, headed to cafe for soup. Eat some of my soup, drive back to the house and find a spot

1:21 Look at receipt before exiting car. It says I shipped 2 packages to Canada and 1 to Afghanistan. Hmm. That seems wrong.

1:22 Debate whether it is worth $17 to go back to post office. Decide yes on the off chance my mother-in-law’s present is on the way to Afghanistan

1:24 FInd a spot up the street, put enough money in the meter for 50 minutes

1:30 Line out the door. Crazy lady is STILL at the table with her bad breath and her crap all over the place. I get back in line.

1:42 Step up to counter. Explain my situtation

ME: Hi, I was just here, I sent 3 packages to canada but 1 is listed as Afghanistan when the customs form is clearly marked Canada. I want to make sure my package gets to the right place and get my money back

HIM: How long ago were you here, an hour (shakes head all dissaponted in me) I can’t do anything about this.

ME: What do you mean you can’t, I want the money back. You overcharged me.

HIM: Well I can’t refund you the money without the package and it’s already gone. Why didn’t you notice that $40 is way too much to send something to Canada? 

ME: Are you kidding me?!! How dare you blame ME for something that is YOUR fault. How was I supposed to know what it costs to send something to Canada!!! I walked out of here a half an hour ago, not a week ago!

Argue back and forth a bit, me not letting up because come on, what assholes! – long line getting longer, etc etc.

HIM: I guess I can go see if its on the truck, You’re lucky it hasn’t left yet. (disappears for 10 minutes) 

Truck driver comes in and asks the girl who checked me out in the first place where the package is cause its not on the truck. She points to hamper 2 feet from me. I lift the top package and there it is.

2:06 They refund my money to a money order that I need to step aside and fill out. Crazy lady has finally gotten on line so the table is free. I also have to fill out a form explaining why I am getting a refund. Refrain from writing “Cause you are stupid”

2:08 Step back up to counter, give her my money order, get my $40 back. She then has to call the other guy over to see what to do next. I explain to her all she needs to do now is charge me for the package. He agrees.

2:13 I pay and leave.

2:15 Walk back to the car and the meter was out but did not get a ticket. 

 

 

 

Tags: nyc

Entry Filed under: A bit random