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Thursday, August 24, 2006

Going Postal!

Until Tuesday, I had never had someone call the cops on me. Now I know I have you hooked and you must read on.

I decided to be a nice wife and take my husband's business mail to the post office to be mailed. One was an express mail envelope and one was a priority mail envelope. I got to the post office at 4:45pm. The line was long and there was only one person working. There were also several eBay sellers in line that had, what seemed like, the never ending mail carton of envelopes and packages to send out.

It was twenty five minutes in line before I got my turn. The guy behind the counter started processing my mail. He wrote down that the express mail was guaranteed two days later and I asked why not overnight. He said there cut off was 2pm. I then said I should probably send it priority to save money and he said whatever you want to do. I got my cell phone out and dialed my husband to see what he wanted me to do. Everything seems to be going fine at this point but here is where everything started going wrong.

My fat fingers hit the wrong contact and I got my brother in law. It took us about 30 seconds to realize who each other was talking to. At this point I went to dial my husband again and the clerk said to me in an irritated voice, "You need to hurry this up." Now this was the wrong thing to say to someone who had just patiently waited (wasted) 25 minutes of my life to get to the counter. I replied in an irritated voice, "I just stood here in line for 25 minutes. You can wait one minute while I find out exactly what my husband wants done with his mail."

I realize that my reply was snotty. I was extremely irritated and fed up with the whole situation as was everyone else in line. Keep in mind that I was only up at the counter for 2 minutes when this exchange took place. He stunned me with his next words. He handed both envelopes to me and said, "You can take your mail elsewhere." What? You made me wait here until 10 minutes after closing and now you are going to tell me to take my mail elsewhere? I told him to just mail them out as they were. He refused. He would not mail them. I told him I would not leave the counter until he processed my mail and slammed the envelopes down on the counter. He then called 911 on me and told the dispatcher he had an irate customer that would not leave.

I was snotty yes, irritated yes, but not irate until he called the police on me. I've never had anyone call the police on me. I am a church going, volunteering, PTA mom. Who is this little man who decided to raise an angry fist in the air at someone who voiced a complaint about how long he made me wait in line? I didn't know that was a crime. I do know that I was completely and utterly humiliated. I do know that I cried and think I even slammed the door as hard as I could when I left.

I waited around for the police because I didn't want the story to be one sided (which it was anyway). The little man wouldn't even come out of the post office. He told the police that I used a particular four letter word and that he felt threatened by me. Whatever. He had a bad day and took it out on me. I hope he felt mighty and powerful for those couple of minutes because there will be repercussions.

I have made a formal complaint to the post office. He wouldn't take my mail for what reason? He processed other people's mail after me. He also lied to the police officer. This particular police officer attends the same church as me. I have about 2 weeks to attend this church before we move. I don't want everyone to remember me as the "woman who got kicked out of the post office for cussing out that little man who works at the post office."

I have requested a face to face apology. If I don't get it I am requesting to see the security tape. He made a mistake when he decided to lie and discredit me to someone who attends my church! Arrrggggh!

We didn't get any mail on Wednesday. This has not happened in a year. Between my husband's business, bills and all the junk mail, we get mail everyday. Today, Thursday, we got an armload of mail. Maybe they realized it was a bad idea to mess with us like that when they were holding onto so much mail.

I know that one day I will laugh about this. My friends are already laughing their butts off. They think it is the most hilarious thing that has ever happened. I went to the post office on Wednesday, (thank God there are two of them in my town) and mailed those letters out. As I went out the door, my loving husband reminded me to not be "irate". I stomped off.

1 comment:

Tracie Nall said...

Oh my goodness! What an unbelievable little post office worker.

Good for you for standing up for yourself--I can't believe he called the cops!

But I do have to admit that your story had me laughing....I'm sure you will be laughing too once some time passes.