GOING POSTAL: WHEN THE BULLSHIT HITS THE FAN

[HJSWritergal]

GOING POSTAL: WHEN THE BULLSHIT HITS THE FAN
By Harriette J. Schwartz aka HJS Writergal


As many of you already know, I moved from Tarzana to Fresno California with my daughter Merelle in late August. I love Fresno and am very comfortable with the move. I find I have everything I need to be happy, healthy and wise right here where I need it. You will note I left wealthy out of this catchphrase and to find out why you really must read on. In reality I guess its more like settling for getting by. No matter which you subscribe to, keep in mind as you read that this story is true.

Merelle and I had done all the necessary things one must do when you change venues. Making the mandatory notices to friends, family and to people we deal with of the new address . The shut down and start up of necessary services and accounts et al. Of course we also changed our address with United States Post Office (USPS) and our mail began being forwarded on our move date, August 28th. All seemed to be going as scheduled.

I’ve been doing part time work from home for an office in Woodland Hills, California. Since the work is all done online, on the phone and via email, it was easy enough to continue doing this after my move to Fresno if they approved. I was pleased that the company agreed to this. As an independent contractor I submit a bill via email. I am paid by check every two weeks which is mailed to my home. Note the key word in the last sentence is mailed.

So on August 31st I submitted a bill and awaited a check. I awaited and I awaited but by early September it was clear the check had gone astray. I spoke to Linda, the accountant in Woodland Hills. It had not come back to them. So I called the new local post office, who could really tell me nothing. Finally, Linda decided she would put a stop payment on the check and write a new one and send it to me by Federal Express. I apologized for the mishap and figured it was just fluke; a one time event.

September 15th I emailed yet another bill, warily thinking about what had happened with the last check. Lo and behold, it arrived in my mailbox on the 18th. Well okay then, onward we go and all is really okay. Shit happens and had happened but was over now…or was it?

So comes September 30th and I email a third bill. Linda got a check out to me the same day, which is what she normally does. Well everyday afterward I check the mailbox and everyday the check is nowhere in sight. I am angry and frustrated here, I have bills to pay too. What the hell????

I finally called Linda this past Monday, October 5th to let her know it had not arrived yet. We confirmed the address she used and it was right. Nope the issue was not emanating from Woodland Hills. I had done my part and notified the USPS, other mail was being forwarded and even large packages of X-Rays from two different labs in Tarzana had been sent to me here in Fresno and arrived safely at my doorstep. The Postal carrier literally did have to leave them at the door, as they would never have fit into the box. So again, what the hell???

Yesterday I called the USPS office here in Fresno that actually delivers our mail once again. This time I am not as accepting because face it fellas, I need answers. After all, I have had three checks mailed to me and two of them had gone into some black USPS hole, heaven knows where. First class mail had only yielded one check, the other two cost my employer far more than forty some odd cents to deliver.

Today I receive an email from Linda, telling me the check was returned to their Woodland Hills Office, marked “Return to Sender, Undeliverable as addressed”. She included a copy of the envelope with her email. The glassine window of the envelope clearly shows my correct name and address and the necessary postage had been affixed. Once again and now a bit louder: WHAT THE HELL!!!! Okay, so this time it is not a matter of them having to pay to put a stop payment on a check, but Linda is sending the check back to me, envelope and all once again by Federal Express overnight. I will receive it tomorrow, October 9th. Despite the fact that the company does not seem to mind, I most certainly DO and am not comfortable with them having to spend the money.

I am a proactive person who does not go gently into any goodnights. I wrote a fax letter to the man I had spoken to yesterday at the USPS office in Fresno in ALL CAPS. I fired it off with a copy of the envelope. I then called him to discuss it. How does something like this happen and happen twice? I went out to the mailboxes to see the carrier and luckily she was there. The carrier is a young woman who handles over 2,000 box deliveries everyday. Did she remember what happened to my checks? Of course not! That girl doesn’t even remember if she even had the checks to deliver. With that kind of route volume, how could she? Did the decision to return the check to Woodland Hills emanate from inside the Fresno office, prior to it getting to the carrier? If so why? I live here they know it or they should. The envelopes were both correctly addressed and posted. The thought that there could be a rotten apple at the Fresno USPS also occurred to me. I have spoken until blue in the face and have no clue as yet. I do know that this never should have happened and so does the USPS. Apologies accepted and aside, it better not happen again. If it does I will be on that USPS Fresno office like white on rice as they say…believe it.

I was phoned late this afternoon by a woman, apparently the head honcho of this particular Fresno USPS office. She wanted to know if anyone else gets my mail. I informed her that I get it everyday myself but that is beside the point. We went back and forth over points and asking questions to which neither of us truly had answers. My final question was, “can you guarantee me that this will not happen again?” Her final response was, “I can guarantee you I will do my best to make sure it does not.” Well of course..There are no guarantees in life, I knew that.

So next week on October 15th I will email yet another bill to that office in Woodland Hills. From now on with any luck the checks will arrive as they ought to in my mailbox in due course. From my vantage point it is crucial they do and with no further drama thank you very much. You see I value this job and have since 2006 when I first began it. You never know whether or not something like this will jeopardize a good thing. On the bright side at this point both the carrier and the USPS Fresno office are very much aware of exactly where Harriette J. Schwartz lives in Fresno. I hope that this will help to correct the problem but I readily admit that my confidence level is not high.

This is a tough time economically and the recovery is slow. Both private industry and government organizations are suffering with the rest of us. I know that the USPS has felt the pain of reduction of staff and hours of operation which makes doing a massive job that much more difficult. Furthermore, I understand it will take longer for the checks to get to me now. However, let me state that non arrival is an non-option. Call me crazy but the woes of the USPS are just not my problem, nor are any rotten apples they may have in their bunch. I am not going to “go postal” but by the same token I am not going to accept a total lack of postal capability without self defense. Make no mistake, this was indeed a classic case of the bullshit hitting the fan – all non answers and no real solutions in sight. It seems to be a comedy of errors which I definitely do not find at all funny. I am certain that the USPS Fresno office will be watching my mail closely and I will just have to settle for that. My mandate to them: watch all you like but deliver too.

Hey maybe the USPS should consider bringing back the Pony Express? Just a thought…

[HJSWritergal]

LOL Martha, I see the comedic side of it too, believe me. I have laughed over it too when talking with friends. You are right though, I do not laugh after I've gone to the mailbox and the proverbial check is NOT in the mail...lol...

[Martha Jette]

I can't help laughing just a little, Harriett, although I do realize how important it is for you to get those checks on time. Canada Post does some strange things too sometimes, like letters being delivered years after someone died. Hope all goes well for you now.