The Post Office...

they are dumb over there.

When my husband was away (for a 2 week trip that got extended to 3 weeks) he ordered some toys for our son. He paid for 2 day delivery so that son could enjoy them right away. When my husband got home, he found out no toys had been delivered (well, no toys from THAT order, all the OTHER orders he placed, they arrived on time)...

He called the toy company. They said they mailed it and confirmed the address. My husband got the tracking number - according to the USPS website, it was delivered to the wrong zip code. What? The odds that our unusual street name existed in a neighboring zip code are slim to none. Where did the package go? My husband called the main Post Office number and they gave him the local number. The local number goes to a machine that gives the main number. Nice. So he calls the main number back and explains that. They find out that the zip code it was delivered to is actually a special local zip code for State Department packages to be shipped out overseas. Lovely. BUT where the hell did OUR package go, if it went into that part of the post office? He decides to GO DOWN to our local post office to find out. He waits in line. The post office lady says she doesn't do package tracking. He explains that he doesn't need tracking, it's in this building somewhere, in a big pile probably. She says she has other customers to help. WTF? So he, that paid for 2 day shipping, is NOT a customer? He tells her to find someone else to help him. She refuses. She says he needs to use the "white courtesy" phone to call someon. He can see the guy he needs behind her 1/2 door. He tells her to just yell over to him. She refuses. He goes to get him himself - telling her that if she won't do her job, he'll do it for her.

He leaves his info w/the other guy (who WAS the right guy, btw). That night we get a phone call from a very nice employee who says, that once things go into this "State Department" black hole, they are as good as gone and we should file a claim.

The next day, the package arrives! Interestingly enough, it DID have our zip code and address on it correct. No idea where it had been for so long.

THEN yesterday's mail brought me a postcard. It was a postcard my sister-in-law filled out for a scrapbooking magazine where, on the BACK, she puts her name and address as buying a gift subscription for me, and gives my name and address. On the front is the magazine's address, the return address, and a postage stamp.

Guess where they delivered the post card? To the address, my address, on the back, even though the stamp is on the FRONT. And on the front where the stamp is, is a post office mark of which zip code it should go, listing MINE instead of the one that is 1 inch away from the mark, with the magazine's zip code.

It must be WORK to be that incompetent, no?