Yesterday, I saw some new sights...
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... and was reminded that even on a simple errand, you can learn something. Or be puzzled by something. Either way, you can become more aware of the place you find yourself, and how different it is from home. 1) On the way to the post office, I passed a sign on the exterior wall of an apartment building: Fallout Shelter in Basement. And realized: I'd never seen that nuclear warning logo in real life before. 2) In the post office, I saw a notice tacked up on the wall: Males 18-25, Register, IT'S THE LAW. (Was this a draft thing? I wondered, and then: Is there anything more foreign to me, in the whole country, than this?) 3) STILL in the post office (some time later), I saw a mob turning ugly. People shouted: "This is ridiculous!" at nobody in particular. One man hurled abuse at the clerk through the glass window. I'd never seen people get angry in a post office before. I'd also never seen post office clerks behind glass walls before. It seems the two phenomena may be connected? |
Okay, somebody's gotta stick up for the only gov. agency that's consistently proven self-sufficient (i.e., can fund itself through its own profits). I've rarely had a horrific experience at my local post offices (in San Antonio, TX, and Portland, ME). Compared to the hell that is FedEx-Kinko's (grimace), I'd choose the good ole USPS any day of the week. Yeah, prices keep rising, but there are more causes for that than you can shake a stick at (email, fuel charges, etc.) Plus, when you think about it, it's pretty amazing that you can still send a physical letter anywhere in the country for under 50 cents, and USPS prices are always well under those of its privately owned competitors.
My favorite postal irony is when the sign above the self-service postal machines says "Why wait in line?" and there's a long line waiting to use them.
Better stock up on Forever stamps before the price goes up again ---- only a matter of time before rampant inflation totally sinks the U.S. economy.
And from now until about April 16, you should avoid the post at all costs-- tax season. Waits regularly grow to several hours.
Personally, I can vouch that the US Postal Service makes me INSANE. An otherwise kind and rational (most of the time) human being, a visit to the post office helps me understand why the term "going postal" was coined. Service is slow, often rude, the mantra of the USPS has become "Upsell, always upsell," and the post rarely has all the supplies it is supposed to provide (small Priority Mail boxes have all but disappeared). Just this week, my brother said, "Hey, you never mentioned whether you received the box of gifts I sent you for Christmas" and a client said "Hey! The check I sent to your post office box was returned." When talking with the manager of delivery at our post office (the big, 24 hour deal on 34th and 8th), my husband was told to call a 1-800 number to discuss his concerns. Upon calling the number, he was told to go back to the post.
And the post now wants to raise stamp prices (again) AND has appealed to Congress to suspend Saturday delivery.
Whew. You can see how much I hate the post! ;)
Ha. Yeah, I got the feeling people's boiling-over frustrations came from a lifetime of irritation... I should add: I'd never waited 1.5 hours in line at a post office before, either. Crazy!