drone office

Aahhh the post office. I forgot how much I missed it, since I entered the world of electronic payments for everything. I don't remember the last time I bought a stamp and it was so long ago, I think the price of a stamp was thirty five cents. With all of the e-payments and shipping carriers out there, one seemingly could cut the post office out of one's life entirely, it would seem. Ah, but not forever.

I'm back in the office de post about once a week now, for various reasons and I feel that the series of experiences I'm accumulating will help me to both call up and then manage my rage, as I will be doing silent, standing meditation the entire time I am in the halls of the pony express. Here are some reasons why I am brought to near-expolsive interactions.

Only about 20 - 25% of the patrons come in prepared. In fact, I noticed the bins at the side of the front door, catching the harried brain cells of most folks, as they dove away to freedom, doing their part to keep the post office running at it's amazingly inefficient pace. Secret agreement, I can only assume. With fewer brain cells getting in the way, patrons don't feel guilty about ignoring the huge bar in the middle of the room with all of the shipping and postage supplies necessary to prepare a package, prior to reaching a teller. Whatever attempt the post office has made at trying to make mailing and shipping expedient, is happily ignored for approximately 20 slow, plodding minutes as people lean against and shuffle past this trove of potential assistance. Noteably however, in typical usps fashion, what you need is probably out of stock in that bar anyway, so fuck it.

But even if we assume that the sender is lacking in both intelligence and preparation, has anyone ever seen the post office firing on all pistons? I think not. This means that the stupidity of the clientele is exacerbated by the lack of competence of the post office employees. I notice each time that I go in, that there are approximately 7-8 stations, which could be servicing the line (which is always out the door). Never in all of my mailing years however, have I seen all of those stations occupied with working employees. The idea of beating the shit out of the 3 poor suckers who are there must be too enticing for those napping in the mail bins in the back.

Maybe that is the punishment that the letter carriers receive when they drop a bag of mail in the gutter or fail to stamp packages in the proper location; time at the front. But lets just quickly take a look at why a person would work for the post office in the first place. I mean, I have nothing against working at the post office, but why did they take those jobs? A passion for letter carriage? Love of a matronly and unattractive uniform? Ability to wear a pith helmet in public without fear of mockery? Or perhaps, the reason which troubles me most, perhaps these people took the job because decided sluggish, unexcited and uninspired work habits are not only accepted there, but offer growth potential within the organization. Frightening.

There is no big solution I offer here, merely a quizzical look-see at the unavoidable, weekly sore I now have to add into my routine. Super good.