Tweet
I want to preface this by saying the last two days have been sweltering, above 100 degrees, which unusual for this time of year in this part of the country. I don't do well in this kind of weather; my brain starts to shut down above 85-90 degrees.
On Thursday I ordered an Express mail (overnight) package, which for personal reasons was and is very precious and time-sensitive which is why I paid $25 for shipping. The United States Postal Service attempted delivery Friday at 10:30 AM but I was not there to sign for it (didn't know I had to this time around, my fault), so back it went to the post office...
I had work from 2 PM to 6:30 PM and arrived at the post office around 1:45 PM to see if the package was back. It was not, and I was instructed to come back before the post office closed at 6:30 PM. It was also around this time that I noticed, for some reason, that there was no air conditioning or cooling of any kind at the post office and it was already about 80+ degrees in there.
I worked out the timing of my 15-minute break at work to 'take it' at 6:15 PM so I would have enough time to race and sprint over to the post office before it closed, and so I did. When I got inside, I'm positive the temperature was at least 90 degrees. Now obviously I felt and feel way more sympathy for those poor people WORKING under such conditions than the customers like me who are in and out in 5-10 minutes. So I handed the paperwork over to the gentleman working there who went back to look for it, and after a long time he came back empty-handed. Explanation? There was one car still out and I was told to come back tomorrow.
People, when they're angry, tend to manifest reactions in one of two ways. Some externalize it (acting out the aggressions, making their anger known), some internalize it (remain relatively calm on the outside because all the anger has been squeezed inside, which is me), and everything in between those two extremes. Something about the extreme disappointment mixed with the excessive heat made me lose it for a little while. I just couldn't process what was happening, and (calmly, but persistently) asked two or three more times how I would go about getting the package that evening, to which the response was: "You don't." Fair enough. I exited, very slowly.
Okay fine, we all deal with disappointments and so forth -- can't always get what you want and all that, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't start fantasizing about what might be accomplished with extreme violence. (I'm male, what can I say. I was in a temporary, unfocused rage, in 100 degree heat.)
Later, when I got home and calmed down, I meant to call the post office to apologize if I was rude but they were closed. I think this is as much about the heat as anything else.
On Thursday I ordered an Express mail (overnight) package, which for personal reasons was and is very precious and time-sensitive which is why I paid $25 for shipping. The United States Postal Service attempted delivery Friday at 10:30 AM but I was not there to sign for it (didn't know I had to this time around, my fault), so back it went to the post office...
I had work from 2 PM to 6:30 PM and arrived at the post office around 1:45 PM to see if the package was back. It was not, and I was instructed to come back before the post office closed at 6:30 PM. It was also around this time that I noticed, for some reason, that there was no air conditioning or cooling of any kind at the post office and it was already about 80+ degrees in there.
I worked out the timing of my 15-minute break at work to 'take it' at 6:15 PM so I would have enough time to race and sprint over to the post office before it closed, and so I did. When I got inside, I'm positive the temperature was at least 90 degrees. Now obviously I felt and feel way more sympathy for those poor people WORKING under such conditions than the customers like me who are in and out in 5-10 minutes. So I handed the paperwork over to the gentleman working there who went back to look for it, and after a long time he came back empty-handed. Explanation? There was one car still out and I was told to come back tomorrow.
People, when they're angry, tend to manifest reactions in one of two ways. Some externalize it (acting out the aggressions, making their anger known), some internalize it (remain relatively calm on the outside because all the anger has been squeezed inside, which is me), and everything in between those two extremes. Something about the extreme disappointment mixed with the excessive heat made me lose it for a little while. I just couldn't process what was happening, and (calmly, but persistently) asked two or three more times how I would go about getting the package that evening, to which the response was: "You don't." Fair enough. I exited, very slowly.
Okay fine, we all deal with disappointments and so forth -- can't always get what you want and all that, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't start fantasizing about what might be accomplished with extreme violence. (I'm male, what can I say. I was in a temporary, unfocused rage, in 100 degree heat.)
Later, when I got home and calmed down, I meant to call the post office to apologize if I was rude but they were closed. I think this is as much about the heat as anything else.
Comment