One hates to fall back on old clichés but sometimes it's difficult not to. Never have I seen a post office worker so smug and content as she announced to the lunchtime crowd running in from the rain that: "The computers are down. Nothing is working"
"Can we buy stamps?" "No"
"Can we weigh packages?" "No. Everything is connected to the computer"
"Can we do anything?" "You can try another Post Office."
"Is their system down too?" "I don't know"
The Post Office is one of those businesses that could do everything right for months and months and the only thing that would really register would be an event like this.
Monday, January 5, 2009
A post office dream: The computers are down. Nothing is working
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2 comments:
That's nothing. Try visiting a post office in St. Thomas once. They never have more than 2 people working so the line is consistently 30 minutes plus. Then they walk slower than a zombie. Add to it 80% of the time they "Can't find your mail" (ah, because they don't look). Of course they are allowed to close for all the US holidays plus their own Virgin Islands Holidays. Today is "3 Kings Day", what that is I can't say but they're closed. They were closed Jan 2, because it's the day after the holiday. They close when it gets to hot, windy, or whatever the hell reason they want.
When entering a post office you must address the room with a greeting like Good morning, or fear being banished. Expect long conversations at the window as locals "catch up" with people they know while you wait, wait, wait in line.
If you complain...they close your PO Box down and banish you (I've never complained).
Visit St. Thomas and use the post office just once to really experience fun!
That's all part of the VI experience, right? Luckily for you my St. Thomas readership is just you--otherwise your comment might get back to them and you'd be cut off forever.
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