Tales from the dark side...of mail *LOTS of language...*

[Aethian]

Back story time! Woot...you know you all love it.

About six to seven month ago, guy is in the wrong place at the wrong time and...he get arrested. His...ahem...babies Mama (his words) told the carrier at the time that "He don't live here." So my coworker held his mail for a month waiting for a change of address. One never came so he was marked as "Moved Left No Address" so that things get sent back to sender.

Now it's...well...today. And this lovely guy is home from jail. Home to live with his babies mama and her new boyfriend and her kid with him. *twitches* So he called the post office and told the office that he is home and that it's okay for his mail to be delivered at that address again. My boss M comes up and hands me the note and I nod and make a note of it to leave a new name tag in the box. M tells me to look up the name and make sure there is no order on it but this morning I really didn't have time to do it right then and he just nods and tells me to get to it when I got back or tomorrow morning. Easy enough, I know it adds time to getting things changed but I was already behind schedule. Can only get so many things done... *sighs*

So I get out to that address and this lovely man was sitting on the porch waiting for me. We exchange pleasantries and he tells me that his name is to be added to the names left. I tell him I got the message this morning and had a note with me to add the name to the box tag. (Even held up the note.) So he asks what a lot of people ask, "When should I get mail?" It's a good question a EXCELLENT question and one I really don't have a answer to.

Did you fill out a change of address when you left the residence?
No.
Did you fill out a change of address when you returned to the residence?
Not yet, do you have one?

So then he has a few more questions about what happened to the mail from the time he left till now. I say I'm not sure but I bet it all got returned to sender...and thats when she cuts in. The Babies Mama...

BM: Well thats not goo enough why didn't they just hold it?
Guy: Cause you all told them I didn't stay here no more.
BM: Thats nothing they should hold it.
Me: We don't have space like that to just hold mail for a indefinite amount of time.
BM: Well then what the fuck is he supposed to do now? The food stamp people said that they have sent out TWO cards and he hasn't gotten a single one.
Me: Between now and then it was thought that his last name wasn't at this address, it should have been returned to sender and they should have that recorded. Have the cards been activated?
BM: How the hell am I supposed to know that? Do you even know what the fucking hell your doing? I don't think you know what the fuck your doing I've never seen you before.
Me: I just came to this route two months ago.
BM: Oh great so you've only been working two months, see I knew you didn't know what the fucking hell you were fucking doing.
Me: (getting seriously pissed) Mam, I said I came to this route two months ago I've been working for the post office for quite awhile now.
BM: Well fuck it, where the hell is his mail, why didn't you hold it?
Guy: Woman...you need to shut it and go back inside.
BM: I'm calling the post office this little... (she's shaking) bitch doesn't know what the fuck she's doing.
Me: (looking like I'm seriously annoyed and pissed)
Guy: Just go the hell inside and let me deal with this. My mail not yours.
BM: You know she's just doing this cause your black. Keeping you down and making you be a poor black man. The little racist slut.

Me: (mental blue screen of death)
Guy: Inside...NOW. (looking at me) Uh...just leave me a change of address and I'll call to the food stamp people. You um...have a good day huh?

Me: (still standing there with the nice mental blue screen) Uh...yea...good day eh? (wanders to the next house and then waits to the end of the loop to let off a good long string of swear words)

I still need to talk to the boss about this. I'm sure he already got a call about me but...damn...I'm still pissed about it.

[scruff]

If you get a phone call/complaint from her, it's a complaint from someone who isn't your customer.
So if your boss takes her side over yours, it's a darn good indication to get out, now.

[Aethian]

No not to get out...to stick the union on his but. Besides M knows I'm not racist since I've told him several times that he's a great boss. And that I like being in his section.

And she does live at that house and is one of my customers. But it's true she's never seen me on the route before, I've only heard her shouting at the kids before, never seen. Her kids know who I am...so does the current boyfriend.

[elysia]

Wow talk about someone lashing out at someone else for a thing they know is their own fault. BM, that is. At least guy seemed to recognize the issue. Don't let it get to you, some people are always looking for someone else to blame. *hug*

[Nyoibo]

Guy: Woman...you need to shut it and go back inside.

Don't know why, just

[depechemodefan]

Ugh, BM is a retarded, um, retard.

Kind of off topic, but I remember one day I was in line at the post office with one of those orange cards that the postal carrier leaves on the door when it's something that needs to be signed and you have to go to the post office to pick it up. A lot of people were in line too with those orange cards. Then this white woman in front of the line. The clerks kept on calling the people with the orange cards while this woman waited in line. It was finally the last straw and she said,

I've been waiting in line for a long time! What's wrong with you people?

Unfortunately for her, people of a different race were the clerks. Two looked up and one said, "You people?" *snort*

Though in back of my mind, I figure the white woman meant "postal workers" then a race. And I get tired when people think the only thing people base interaction with them is based on race. Not because they are assholes (though these postal clerks weren't assholes; just the woman was frustrated), or impatient, or just nasty. Nope, it's just based on race. *sigh* Thank you, current job, for showing me this side of the public.

[Aethian]

Though in back of my mind, I figure the white woman meant "postal workers" then a race. And I get tired when people think the only thing people base interaction with them is based on race. Not because they are assholes (though these postal clerks weren't assholes; just the woman was frustrated), or impatient, or just nasty. Nope, it's just based on race. *sigh* Thank you, current job, for showing me this side of the public.

I don't think the window clerks did take it as race... Just as being belittled by someone who thinks they are better then them. *shrug* But I dunno...I know our clerks get overwhelmed sometimes and people start making comments until someone else shuts them down and then get snickered at.

[Bright_Star]

Their lack of planning on their part does not constitute an emergency on your part. In other words.."why should you give a shit simply cause they fucked up?"

[jerkface11]

I don't know what to say about this one.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I think I saw that woman on COPS awhile back...

[PossJB]

I'm willing to bet she was the cause of whatever he went to jail for... probably having to back up her mouth.

[Rapscallion]

Is it possible for the postal service to refuse to deliver to certain addresses?

Rapscallion

[Aethian]

Raps, it is possible but it takes quite a bit of work to do so.

[otakuneko]

I'd be kinda too, if I was in front of the line, and people behind me were getting called. Sure if it's take a number, it's luck of the draw, and if they have a sort of "express" lane for orange-carders or other quickies yeah, but one line?

[Aethian]

If a window clerk has already had their cash drawer pulled they are signed out of the computer. the peach (and yes we call them peach slips...or by their number 3841's) slips don't require the selling part of the computer. So mostly someone was probably staying later after already standing for who knows how many hours to try and get the line down somewhat before they left.