Once Again, Laurel Post Office Screws Up

You know, I would never say that they built that carrier annex in Laurel in order to do this, but ... now that it is built, they have certainly - at least to all appearance - settled on using it as an excuse to screw up. Whatever happens, the carrier annex blames the main PO, and the main office blames the annex.

I can't tell you the number of times I've scheduled a redelivery, only to have the carrier show up without it, and claim the main office never gave to him. It's been fewer times - but it still happens - that I've shown up to pick up a package only to be told that the carrier didn't drop it off. Their favorite stunt: I schedule a Saturday redelivery and the carrier brings it by on Monday - when I'm not at home, of course. I've finally learned to call over there and see if the package is actually there before I go.

(Why am I making such a big deal out of it? Well, besides the fact that there is a minimum level of competence I expect out of these people, I don't drive. I can get to the post office on a bus, but it eats up two hours, three on Saturday. Or I can take a cab, and spend $10 from the Metro stop at the mall ($20 from home on Saturday) - if I can get a cab. Or I can beg a ride from a friend, which I hate to do.)

So, again, today I wait around for the carrier and when he shows up, he has no package. So I called the 800 number (since of course both the main office in town and the annex are closed by now) and finally managed to get through to a person (thanks, Barry: I had to say it four times before the machine gave up but I did get to one at last). She tried to tell me that no carrier would bring the package on the wrong day; it was all I could do not to laugh loudly and bitterly. I did tell her that I knew for a fact that they would, because they have. So she finally let me file a 'customer will pick up' order.

So, we'll see if the package is there Monday. I will, of course, be calling there Monday morning. Because although I used the word "expect" when I said "there is a minimum level of competence I expect out of these people", that's "expect" in the "consider reasonable, just, proper, due, or necessary" meaning, and certainly not in the "anticipate" or "look for" or "consider probable" meanings...