Now I really understand why people go postal

I was really hoping I could just come post about how great our Barren Bitch Cronefest was last Sunday. I knew I'd wait too long (can I blame too much red wine? and several glasses of a lovely pinot grigio--that's my story). Everyone  else  has already beaten me to the punch, of course. And written much more eloquently about it (so go read what they had to say).. I was going to get all schmaltzy but instead I'll just go back to freaked out and cynical, if you don't mind.*

So why might I be going postal? Our lovely US Postal Service.

When we last left our heroine, she was mooning over Howie the pharmacist. He was sending her drugs and telling her not to worry. What more does a gal want?

Well, it turns out when she gets the tracking number for the package and decides to check on the status when it's a day late that she really wants the package delivered to her. At least to her state. Not her neighbor to the north. Now, I've got nothing against the great state of Oregon, except I happen to live in California. Call me crazy for wanting to have my packages delivered to my actual address.

I hoped that lovely Howie had merely given me the wrong tracking number. But of course he'd gotten it right.

After a few emails that escalated to frantic and a voice-mail or two, I got to talk to Howie. He gives good phone, btw. Turns out he sent the right tracking number. And addressed the package to the right place. But, unfortunately, our lovely USPS took over once the package hit our soil.

Howie, to his credit, arranged to send me a back-up stash ASAP but he thought I should be able to get the original one sooner. Oh, poor naive Howie.

He tried to work through the red tape on his end but our government workers were having none of that. So he called me with a few 'helpful' numbers.

Here's where the fun really began. The 'helpful' folks at my local package office were adamant that the package was delivered to the right address. In Portland. And since it was signed by someone who shared no part of my name they said it was out of their hands. In fact, they accused me of being in cahoots with the Ms. LS who lived at that address. They said there was nothing they could do.

A little later they admitted that when packages arrive stateside, they put a NEW shipping label on that, covering up the original one. How nice! The original label was British and Correct so we couldn't have that, right? Made in America must be better.

We went round and round. No one could help me. They knew where the package was but refused to do anything about it until I could prove the original label. Of course it took them until after close of business in the UK to even get them to admit this.

Now luckily I put the Mister on the case. He consulted a higher power (the almighty Google and Anywho) and the Lovely MS LS was listed! He left a message and she, being the lovely person that she is, returned his call! Turns out she'd already taken the package back to the post office. Seems like she was a Friend of Howie as well and got her own package as well as mine. She peeled off the incorrect label and took that along with the correctly labeled package to her post office. Yay for the Lovely Ms. LS.

She'd done this 3 days earlier and still no package for Millie. And no helpful government workers either. Today started off with a call from the amazing Howie and another frustrating call with the local incompetent postal workers.

At some point during all this, someone tried to deliver the package. Without ringing the doorbell. How is that even possible?

So now I can at least pick up the goods tomorrow morning. It will be just in the nick of time. See, I'm supposed to take a huge shot of lupron on CD1. Not CD2, not any other CD. MUST BE CD1.  As I took my last pill yesterday it could happen really soon.

Maybe I'll even be able to sleep tonight because that sure hasn't happened since this whole medicine mess started.

*I did truly love meeting each and every one of you amazing women last Sunday. It was awesome to be in the company of so many fierce and fabulous women. Special thanks to Julianna and Susan for arranging it all. Another shout-out to the blogless ones of the group. We hope to get you to our side soon!

Comments

[Kate]

Oh my gosh, I'd have been SCREAMING at some damned postal workers! Its not like you ordered a bunch of tic-tacs, for crying out loud! Who can I kick????

Hugs,
Kate

[statia]

Ugh, I had an issue with a gonal delivery once. They insisted that it was delivered and signed for, only no one in my house had signed for it, and I think an untruthful neighbor sold it on the black market, but I digress. I made them send out another shipment and I never ended up paying for the first one, even though they insisted I had to.

[Pamplemousse]

Howie really does sound like a dreamboat. And hooray for our other heroine too! Ooh, we are getting closer!!!

[chris]

I would have lost my mind. Oh wait, it's too late for that.

Hope you get your package today.

[wessel]

IDIOTS! Why is it that we pay more for postage, but get less service? I don't get it.

Well, glad to hear that the drugs are within your realm now, sort of.

:-)

[thalia]

Oh what a nightmare. I've had a similar problem with a fedex package, so it's not just the USPS. There must just be something about postal worker training that involves disconnecting the common sense pathways in the brain.

[Lynnette]

Damn. And I just posted about how great my P.O. was! Sorry for that bit of suckiness!

[Emily]

I had a screw up like that once. Very frustrating.

[fisher queen]

That kind of stuff makes me bat shit insane. I'm glad the drugs are in your neighborhood at leat. Ms LS rocks. Leave it to the Friends of Howie to save the day.

[Julianna]

What a fucking nightmare. I hope you get everything soon.

It was so nice meeting you last weekend.

[Ann (AusMarchBride)]

I hope the drugs turned up for you by CD1. Friends of Howie and especially Ms LS are good people.

[mm]

What spectacular displays of idiocy! Those fucktards at UPS... argh. Glad this ridiculous sitch is on it's way towards being resolved. Knock wood.