I waited in line while the person ahead of me was being 'attended to' - though this seemed to be more of a performance than an actual effort at finding a parcel. Yes, perhaps it could vaguely qualify as looking - it was definitely not determined, nor focused. After many half-hearted explanations from the office worker that the parcel didn't look as if it was there, and having questioned the customer's veracity, the parcel was located, haphazardly placed on top of a post office filing cabinet, away from other parcels, and clearly visible from the vestibule.
The customer then asked the attendant if she could possibly use her other address for ordering parcels in future, since she had two residences, and there was nowhere to leave packages at her current address making it a pain to have to drive down to the P.O. to fetch them.
"Oh no" the postal worker said, "that would be too confusing! We wouldn't know where to deliver it." He looked positively dumbfounded.
"Okay then," the customer said, accepting this bizarre explanation.
I couldn't resist getting involved ... so I waded in, unsolicited ...
"Wait! This lady's not asking you to expect to know when to use address (a) or (b) for delivering her mail. She can use whatever address she requests it to be sent to. All you have to do is deliver to the address specified."
"But we don't advise that! She has an address in East and North Waterboro. How would we know which one to deliver where? They’re separate mail routes."
"Yes! But as I said, she’s not asking YOU to make that determination. Listen lady," I said. "Don't ask questions! Just do what you need to do! Just use the address where it will be delivered."
"We still don't advise it," said the P.O. worker.
"... But it's invisible to you. All she needs to do is use the address she knows will get a parcel delivery. You can send parcels to a friend using their address! Don't you see? It's got nothing to do with the postal service ..."
"But sometimes my order is delivered by USPS and not necessarily the carrier I ordered from!"
The customer then asked the attendant if she could possibly use her other address for ordering parcels in future, since she had two residences, and there was nowhere to leave packages at her current address making it a pain to have to drive down to the P.O. to fetch them.
"Oh no" the postal worker said, "that would be too confusing! We wouldn't know where to deliver it." He looked positively dumbfounded.
"Okay then," the customer said, accepting this bizarre explanation.
I couldn't resist getting involved ... so I waded in, unsolicited ...
"Wait! This lady's not asking you to expect to know when to use address (a) or (b) for delivering her mail. She can use whatever address she requests it to be sent to. All you have to do is deliver to the address specified."
"But we don't advise that! She has an address in East and North Waterboro. How would we know which one to deliver where? They’re separate mail routes."
"Yes! But as I said, she’s not asking YOU to make that determination. Listen lady," I said. "Don't ask questions! Just do what you need to do! Just use the address where it will be delivered."
"We still don't advise it," said the P.O. worker.
"... But it's invisible to you. All she needs to do is use the address she knows will get a parcel delivery. You can send parcels to a friend using their address! Don't you see? It's got nothing to do with the postal service ..."
"But sometimes my order is delivered by USPS and not necessarily the carrier I ordered from!"
"It will still be too confusing … it’s not advisable."
"Don't ask. Just do it. The P. O. just needs to know what address to deliver to. It won't matter that you have another address, and they won't know that you had a parcel sent to another address."
"Okay, thanks. But I'll tell my husband the P.O. doesn't advise using our other address," she said, looking directly at the postal worker.
I rolled my eyes as she left, and stepped up to the glass divider, hoping that I'd get my letter mailed without any unforeseen hurdles, and that I hadn't incensed the office worker unduly. Who knew what I'd incur for my forthrightness?
"Don't ask. Just do it. The P. O. just needs to know what address to deliver to. It won't matter that you have another address, and they won't know that you had a parcel sent to another address."
"Okay, thanks. But I'll tell my husband the P.O. doesn't advise using our other address," she said, looking directly at the postal worker.
I rolled my eyes as she left, and stepped up to the glass divider, hoping that I'd get my letter mailed without any unforeseen hurdles, and that I hadn't incensed the office worker unduly. Who knew what I'd incur for my forthrightness?
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