The Postman Cometh ... NOT!

The BBQ Pit
1

So I try very hard not to complain about things like this. I would say that I am an EXTREMELY forgiving person.

That’s what makes this post so difficult.

My postman does not like to ring doorbells. That’s the only explanation I can come up with, because it surely is not a waste of his time to just RING MY DAMN DOORBELL WHEN HE HAS A PACKAGE FOR ME. He doesn’t have to bring the package all the way up to the fourth floor. I’d be happy to run downstairs and get it. If he could just signal me in some way when he’s got a delivery for me.

Fortunately, even if he doesn’t ring the doorbell, the post office has devised a way to let me know that my postman has, indeed, been in my building, and he had something to give to me. All he has to do is leave a little note stuck on the front door, stuffed in my mailbox, whatever. The note will say “I was here to give you your eagerly-awaited goods, but for whatever reason, you didn’t recieve them. I will come back (whenever)”, or “pick up your stuff at the post office”. Well, I can only dream of such a note. The only note I ever get shows up over a week after something was to be delivered and it says “If you don’t come pick up your package RIGHT NOW, we will have no choice but to return to sender.”

Why should I have to wait for two and a half weeks, when it only takes seven days for my order to work its way over here? Why should I sit out in the hallway for hours on end, waiting for the postal guy to come on the off chance that he’ll have my package? Would it kill him to just once press a button or leave a not?

What makes this even worse, is that my local post office requires no ID to pick up packages, just the note that was left in your mailbox. Oh, I mean, they say they check ID. But they don’t. So I’m always wondering - did some punk-ass kids downstairs decide to pick up my $50 imported DVD set? Cause they could’ve. I wouldn’t know.

I’m thinking of complaining to someone, but I’m terrified to think of what it might mean for me and all my packages if the guy found out I ratted on him. Should I report him, or should I continue my life of comparitively minimal torment?

2

My husband is a postal worker. He says to first be sure that your doorbell works, as he’s had customers who didn’t realize it. Then, call your local post office and ask to speak to a delivery supervisor. Explain the situation, give dates if possible. If you notice more mail “disappearing” in retribution, they could call out the postal inspectors to observe this guy.

He also adds that if you’re in an area with a lot of apartment buildings, some carriers like to give away that part of the route, and you may get someone who doesn’t really care about it and is just running to finish it - so maybe some jerk isn’t bothering to ring your bell or write out a note.

3

Check. I use it every day.

Well, I’m in AN apartment building. There are about five of them within a three-block radius, none taller than four-story. As far as I know, it’s always the same guy delivering. I know because I always used to see him eating lunch in the lobby when I left for work. Although, admittedly, I haven’t seen him around lately. Hmmm.

Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Ferret Herder, for the advice. I’ll do this on Monday and see where that gets me.

4

Goodness, now I know where they transferred my last postman. D’you know he once threw a package marked fragile up onto my balcony? Knocked over a couple of plants and I didn’t know it was there until a couple of days later when I went out to water. Anyway, the exact same stuff happened to me all the time until the new, super-fabulous postman (“just call me Adam, sweetie”) took over. Besides all of the other good advice by Ferret Herder, is there any way to get to know this guy? Maybe if he sees you as more than a number he might become inspired to improve service.

5

Good thinking, BadBaby. But … I can’t report him and be friends with him at the same time. Hmmm.

Yes. Yes, I will befriend him. I mean, I REALLY hate being a tattletale. If this can be solved with pleasantries, I’d much rather do that, although I can’t imagine how I could approach this without it looking suspicious. Maybe I should bake some cookies or something and just “accidentally” happen to be going downstairs with them? What does everyone think?

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By the way, BadBaby, how did you manage to get rid of the old postman?