neither rain, nor snow, nor dead of night.........

tuesday found me dropping off a package at the neighborhood post office for good buddy ski. i tried to do this on monday, but they close promptly at 5, and i'm just not that prompt.

on the way in i noted a significant amount of trash and yard debris on the grass, and lots of loose and missing bricks from the retaining wall/step area leading into the building. guess that the proceeds from steadily raising stamp prices aren't being diverted to station beautification.

inside i found a box from the display that would hold the items to be mailed. i went to the post office based on their flat rate commercial. you've seen it, if it fits it ships. normally i use fed ex, but they are all the way across town and my free time is at a premium. as i took the box to the clerk, she told me i didn't want that box, i wouldn't get my money, (value), out of it.

s'okay, whaddua got in mind? she proceeds to stuff the shit into envelopes. ah, darlin' if i wanted it in an envelope, ida put it there myself. ok, stand by, let me find a box. scratching my head wondering what just happened to the box i had, the clerk returns with a slightly larger box than what i started with. the medium flat rate box cost $10.35 to load and ship. slightly bigger generic box loaded was going to cost............$10.05, a whopping 30 cent savings!!! that's the kinda shit the wife will drive across town for, but i just have trouble getting amped up about.

what ever, tape 'er up let's go. do you want 2-3 day delivery for $11.95? no. do you want package tracking for an extra .70 cents, or insurance? thought we were looking to save me money here. ok $10.05. after paying and on the way out, i found a dime on the ground in a trash free area, so i actually saved 40 cents.

i was reminded of my dad who retired from the post office. that guys got more funny stories than anyone i know. he worked there 33 years and hated that job. they follow the letter carriers around, counting the number of steps they take per minute. they get out a ruler/yard stick and measure how much mail they throw/sort an hour. dogs chase them and the weather sucks. shit, with that type of shit going on, it's a wonder more people don't get shot. it must make them all a little psychotic, like the trade the little box for the bigger box to save money clerk, cause he used to try to convince me to get a job there!!



lemme get this straight, you can't stand it, but i would fit right in. sign me up. i know what he meant-job security and excellent health care, but damned if it made sense all those years ago. he's still got the best stories however.

had i been thinking, i'd have cleaned her out of the $10.05 boxes and sold them out front for ten and a quarter, truthfully telling people how i was saving them money, while turning a profit.