I hate the post office. I'm sorry if that is unkind or hurts any postal worker's feelings, but it is how I feel. Just going in the door brings me anxiety. The lines. The unfriendly workers. The knowledge that I probably forgot something important or wrapped something wrong makes me fear even walking in the door. I feel like I am in the Soup Nazi episode of Seinfeld (if you haven't seen that episode -- watch a clip on YouTube and you'll know just what I mean). Exactly.
I thought I had made it through the holiday season without needing a trip to the post office. Through the modern marvels of online shopping and group gifting with siblings I had avoided mailing any packages.
Until today. I needed to send off one little package. The post office at Christmas time is 10 times worse than at any other time. I just couldn't face it. So I drove the 5 extra blocks to the UPS store. What a difference!!!! I love this store. I am usually the only one in there. This time there were 2 other customers, but the counter was big and there was a friendly worker ready to help me as I walked up. Friendly is an understatement. He told me what packaging material I should use, where to find it, and then handed me a sharpie so I could address the package. When I messed up, he handed me a new label to put on top of the old one (free of charge). Then he asked, "Is this a Christmas present?" I said, "Yes." He replied, "Then you'll probably want to decorate it." Then he gave me a handful of sharpies in various colors so I could decorate my package. A little kooky...yes...but I had Sadie with me and she was so excited! So while I filled out the label she went to work on a Christmas masterpiece on the padded envelope. She could take all the time in the world...there was no line behind us. We left the store with smiles on our faces.
Can you even imagine that happening at the Post Office??? I can't. Not in a million years.
5 comments:
That is the beauty of the free market vs. government funded and run operations. Ahhh...now if we could just apply that to the Department of Motor Vehicles...and healthcare...and education...and the list goes on! Sigh...
I'm with you!!!
Wow! I wonder where our UPS store is?!
Wow, I wish I would have thought of that. I spent 45 minutes in line at the post office on monday. And the worker who helped me was VERY unpleasant.
Smart girl! I was so sad when the UPS store right by our house shut down. I waited in line at the post office for about 10 minutes Monday, but the gal there in our small town office was nice.
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