The postal ‘service’
Don Coldsmith, Syndicated Columnist
Monday, May 18, 2009
WITH THE RECENT postal stamp increase, I was reminded of a few years ago when an editor at The Emporia Gazette made a snide remark about the Postal Service in one of his editorials. Almost instantly, there was a rebuttal from an official of that worthy organization. An official, I might add, not from this area.
He rose up in righteous indignation that anyone should complain about the system. After all, postal employees work hard, are faithful, efficient, kind to their mothers, putting in extra effort just out of the goodness of their hearts even though underpaid, etc. (This is paraphrased, of course, but that was the general tone).
I thought about it and it was tempting, but I decided to sit that one out. However, later events prompted me to comment.
I once served on a committee which administrates the Western Writers’ Hall of Fame. The annual inductions take place each June at the national convention of Western Writers of America, Inc., a separate entity. That year, the chairman of the Hall of Fame was unable to attend and asked a couple of the committee to preside over the ceremony. He would send me the materials, programs describing the Hall of Fame with that year’s inductees and listing previous honorees. The package would be at the convention hotel, the Holiday Inn in Springdale, Ark., before we even arrived.
It wasn’t. I checked with the appropriate staff people at the hotel and they had seen nothing of any package. They were kind enough to call other Holiday Inns in the area, to see if one of them had received it by mistake. Nothing. Finally, in desperation, I phoned the Hall of Fame chairman in Colorado to see when he had shipped the brochures, and how. UPS? Federal Express? Maybe we could start a trace.
This was the morning of Tuesday, June 22, and the ceremony was to be at noon. The brochures had been mailed via U.S. Postal Service on the previous Thursday morning, June 15, at Boulder, Colo., First Class Mail.
We did the best we could on the ceremony, without programs. We told a lot of impromptu information about the Hall of Fame and read from the works of the honorees. Of course, it wasn’t very satisfactory.
The real slap in the face came when the hotel notified me that they had just received my package in the afternoon mail, a couple of hours AFTER the ceremony. It was a package a little larger than a cigar box. The address was precisely correct, it was First Class and the postage on it was $4.90.
How could such a thing occur? More than five days, from Boulder, Colo., to Springdale, Ark., FIRST CLASS? It could almost be done on horseback. And what did the $4.90 buy? Very little, obviously.
It sort of reminded me of a few years ago, when I had a very important manuscript to send to New York. At the suggestion of the postal people, I shipped it book rate, with an attached letter with extra first class postage. The whole thing carried a green tag, also at extra cost, which was to be mailed back to me by the post office to indicate delivery.
The days passed and no green card. I tried to trace the shipment, but was told that they couldn’t do so until after two weeks. I’d just have to come back Wednesday. I did, to find that there were forms to fill out and no one could find them. The person who usually handled that was on his day off. Come back tomorrow. Frantic, I phoned my editor in New York. Yes, the manuscript was there, on his desk, and had been for several days.
That book is in the 11th printing now, besides a British edition and a German translation, and I’m still waiting for the green tag that certified that the manuscript was actually delivered (for which I paid extra). Meanwhile, I use UPS or Federal Express, as most writers do for something they want delivered.
In livestock parlance, a bull “services” a cow, a stallion “services” a mare. Anybody want to guess why they call it the Postal Service?
See you down the road.
Author and columnist Don Coldsmith lives in Emporia.
gardenman (anonymous) says...
I know. It's extremely hard to preform your job adequately
when you're riding in the supervisors hip pocket awaiting
the next opportunity to "suck up" in fear of losing your job.
Some superoiors thouroughly enjoy this, thus these actions
tend to put service to we the postal customers on the rear
burner. Too bad the Postal Service can't be rid of some
of this type of personnel, thereby allowing "good" employees
to take care of our needs and avoid unpleasant situations as
described in this article.
May 18, 2009 at 5:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
In Sept of 2002, I went to the Emporia post office to mail some medical papers to Topeka VA. The Large brown package was sealed more than needed, the proper postage and a tracking number and signature card was requested. The money owed was paid to the lazy a$$ postal worker and I was sure that it would probably be there the next day.....
Well, it still has not been delivered, five years later, but the local postmaster offered to pay back the cost of shipping the package because the post office could not locate it. how sweet was that!!! I REFUSED
From here to Topeka is around 50 miles, if anyone sees a brown envelope addressed to the Veterans Hospital, between Emporia and Topeka, the return address is on the package. Id rather get a rectal exam at the VA than go to the post office in Emporia come to think about it, its about the same
May 18, 2009 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Well..................... nah!
May 18, 2009 at 8:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I am truly sorry that you had problems with the postal service/VA in topeka. After the V A saved my life,(by treating an embolism and the resulting care from the staff of Topeka V.A. They can do no wrong!
For all you whiners that you had to wait 3 hours to see a doctor, I would like to say you would have to do that in the private sector and PAY FOR IT.
As a veteran you should be entitled to health care, but for Christs sake , learn to be realistic.
I for one think the V.A. health care system and the people who work in it are the best and the brightest.
Do you remember the military?
Nut's to butt's etc.
The V.A. system saved my life and you can complain all you want, but it is (the Topeka System) is the best in the world!
The ladies that come to Emporia from Leavenworth, and
Topeka are great, and they deserve a "HEADS UP"
God Bless the staff from the V.A.
Steve
May 18, 2009 at 8:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
also the girls from Ft,. Riley.
You rock!
May 18, 2009 at 9:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
I know this is a little off track from the original post office story, but the other part of the story,(the V.A. ), rocks great as far as I am concerned.
Steve
May 18, 2009 at 9:10 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justaflushaway (anonymous) says...
Steve, you TOTALLY misunderstood, it all was the post office, NOT the VA, I sent to the VA, Some there still share a joke with me when I see them, we ask each other if we have gotten a package lately. NO way was it ever the VA fault,, totally the damn post office. I too have been saved by the VA system, and owe my life to them, its to damn bad that this sorry post office cant even get my medical records from another hospital to the VA fifty miles away.
OK everyone go back and read what the hell I said in my first post. and then say to yourselves, damn should of read it closer. and then apologize to me! AS I said nothing against the VA. and ya it feels like a damn rectal exam every time I go to emporias sorry post office
May 18, 2009 at 10:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Justaflushaway;
I know you were talking about the postal service and not the VA. Sorry I got carried away.
Observation, I wouldn't drop the insurance yet. Services at the VA are based on service, disbilities, etc. Some get free or reduced cost treatment and some don't. Your insurance info is taken when you check in.
Back to th post office, maybe if they cut out bulk mailing rates, and charged full rates for all the junk mail we get, that would help with their revenue as well as save a few trees from becoming "special offers"
May 19, 2009 at 6:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ZaneRokklyn (anonymous) says...
I wouldn't deliver a package from Colorado to Arkansas for $4.90, on time or otherwise. Would you? I'm as frustrated as anyone by the frequent rate increases -- I wish they would just sell "forever" stamps all the time: any economist will tell you that money now is worth more than money later, so they should be glad to get it now -- but the fact is, their service is absurdly cheap and always has been. Nobody else will do it for the same price. If you want it there faster, pay somebody else more.
May 19, 2009 at 8:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jibberish66 (anonymous) says...
I say that the post office should raise the price of stamps to $ .50 a stamp and LEAVE IT THERE! I'm talking a good long time. I don't like the frequent increases, but I think I dislike even more the fact that they never seem to settle on an even numbered amount for the stamps. They went from .39 to .41, and didn't even stop at .40. I like to be able to figure out the price of 20 stamps without even thinking, instead of having to carry the one in my head.
As for lost mail, I sent a $400.00 check on Expressmail a few years back. I paid an inflated rate from Nebraska to Alabama to get it there in a day. Three weeks later, it showed. Think I got a refund? Not just no, but Hell NO!
May 19, 2009 at 1:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
joe145 (anonymous) says...
I am sure most of us have a story about how the USPS has screwed up a delivery of something important in his or her life, but if one looks at their record on a percentage basis of how many pieces of mail get delivered very quickly and correctly we really don't have anything to squawk about. We live in a community where the temerature range is from below zero to over a hundred degrees and many of us receive our mail from a walking-route carrier, such as my carrier, Mrs. Janet Way, who does an amazing job, rain or shine. We could all strive to do our jobs as efficiently as she does hers, and that includes a certain retired health care provider who began this discussion by dusting off a story about a package that he should have mailed a week earlier. Two incidents in his lifetime hardly justify his ill-conceived and poorly-executed sarcasm. Before beginning my current job, I worked as a clerk in a mail-order business and we received mail intended for us, delivered without any significant delay, that had been addressed improperly and I often wondered how some of it got deciphered. Sure, I remember four-cent stamps for first class mail, and a gallon of gas was twenty-nine-nine.
May 19, 2009 at 10:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hottopics (anonymous) says...
Im tired of being hassled for next day air, insurance, confirmation or and a TEDDY BEAR? Who wants to shop or buy over priced stuff toys. Get in and get out. Thats all we want. But what ticks me off is that if you pay for insurance, they still try to make you think you need confirmation delivery. NOPE, thats what the insurance and claim number is for. Does the same thing. They scan that code on the ins. to show delivery so WHY do I need confirmation? Only to jack up the extra costs. Just like 'priority mail? It gets there the same time as first class for less. The workers at the counter didnt know that either. They cut their own legs off with constantly raising rates. Now I pay all my bills on line. Cheaper faster and no 'postal' worker to deal with. I only now use TWO stamps a month. I only have to deal with one long line and two workers at the counter and the other two MIA every few months.
But I will say in defensive of a couple of them, I like them, they are nice. I havent been in there for months till today. I was not asked to extras or to buy any bears. AND I heard a have a nice day from the one who acts like its agony to work there. Even if it was a boss telling them to do it, I appreciated it.
I wish they would move it to a better location, easier parking and step up the speed but I think we will be waiting for that brown package to never show up either.
May 19, 2009 at 10:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
biscuitboy (anonymous) says...
When I first started drawing my social security a few years ago I initially opted for home delivery rather than direct deposit. Soon some security concerns arose and I called the post office to see what could be done. In a nutshell...I was told nothing could be done ....and the postal employee I was talking to said you need to do direct deposit.
I had resisted direct deposit and direct payment in all aspects of my business dealings because of my still strrongly held belief that the government and the banking business is ultimately trying to do away with cash. A move I vigourusly oppose primarily due to privacy concerns.
But, in this instance, I yieled and went to direct deposit and everything has worked out ok. But at the time I couldn't help but be struck by the attitude of the postal service that if you don't like our procedures and policies just take your business (delivery of my check) elsewhere.
With that kind of an attitude it's no wonder they are losing business......thereby always raising rates.....thereby losing more business.....and on and on and on.
May 20, 2009 at 5:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
P.O. makes mistakes. Please list the organizations and companies that never make mistakes. I wish to patronize them.
May 20, 2009 at 4:20 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )