What's Bothering Me Now: The United States Postal Service (USPS)

THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE (USPS)


For starters, ALWAYS always ALWAYS use FedEx or UPS when dealing with packages. It has come to my attention that the USPS cannot handle anything larger than a letter.

What can I say? Government run organizations are clearly only in existence to ruin the lives and happiness of others. At the DMV, they never smile at you as you walk in. I mean after all, for some people, the day they walk in there is the most exciting day of their lives and Franny-Frowns-A-Lot greets you at the desk with a noise rather than words yet seems to find those missing words when you don't understand her gestures...you know, enough to make you feel like you should not be allowed in public for your ignorance of gruntish (that is a language commonly used by people who hate their lives and wish to inaugurate you into their life of frustration and no high school diploma). But this post is not about the DMV. No. This is much more awful than the snarl and verbal beating you receive when getting your license. This is about the postal service. Rain, sleet, or snow. Maybe it means to get your package, you need any of three or a combination of them to get it. Maybe their trucks do not operate on the dry pavement and the sunshine is too blinding and hopeful to allow the government paid employees into the elements. I do not know, but here is my story:

It was a crisp cool evening in March. I had been searching for days for the most beautiful and practical purse I had ever seen. I finally found it for a great price and could not resist the purchase. I finished all the payment information and went to boast of my internet adventure's success. I received an email the following morning telling me the package had been sent through the United States Postal Service. I was on the wings of love. I was triumphant, even. I saved the email so I could start tracking my prize...watch it's journey through sunshine and potential rain and maybe a light breeze until it landed safely in my arms. I had a skip in my step and a song on my heart. The fateful day arrived when the tracking website said it had arrived in my city. OH THE JOY!!!!!!!! OH THE THRILL!!! I wanted to cartwheel and flip and put my old wallet in my new purse. But alas! it never came.

I waited the whole week. nothing. not a sign, not a trace, not a whisper. I started to worry. What if it fell off of the truck? What if some girl had it and was parading my treasure around campus? I had to do something. I waited a few more days, my hope in the government system still quivering. I called. They answered. They seemed polite, but it was all a joke. They told me procedure, I followed. They transfered me to different people, they all listened but none helped. My hope was sinking. I finally got a life preserver though!! They said they knew where it would be and would call me back when the supervisor could talk to me. I waited another two days. NOTHING!!!! My hope began to falter, waves of doubt and horror crashed over me as my raft began to sink. I called back. again, and again, and again. nothing at all. I left 3 voicemails. nothing. I was hurt. The world became gray, the sun refused to shine, a little cloud of depression followed me. It had been almost a month since my little darling package had been sent.

Finally, I got in touch with someone. No one called back, my persistence won. The woman told me they didn't have it. After calling some places and other stuff, she said it was not there. She told me they did everything right. Apparently, if they don't feel like delivering your package they don't have to. They don't have to tell you they stopped by or give it to the front office of your apartment. They get to hang on to it. The best part about the USPS is that if the intended receiver does not claim the package they send it back in 15 days. This way, everyone is happy. Except all the people who don't get their packages and are now out of $25.00.

So, I'm a little bothered. A little hurt. A little angry. Luckily we have a president who is all about Hope and Change so maybe, just maybe, I'll get my purse...someday, somehow. But he plans to fix it like health care, I will have graduated college and have paid 500 times more than what the purse is worth when it finally gets here and my heart will be happy again, my soul will be less gray, and maybe the sun will shine a little brighter. Next time, I'll ask myself, What can Brown do for you? (UPS)

And that's what's bothering me now.