Aaaargh....post office stories..rant

[cally]

So, I waited until today to mail packages. :dunce: I wait in line for 25 minutes. I'm not sure which form to fill out for International mail, so I fill out both choices. I get to the counter and I put down my two packages. The clerk starts on the International one first. I say I want to insure it. She hands me a third form. I suggest she starts on the other one while I quickly fill it out. She starts with the highest price mail even though I ask for the lowest price mail rate. We go round and round. She mumbles answers looking away from me that neither my daughter or me understand. We finally agree to send the package without a guaranteed delivery before Christmas which was what I said I wanted to do in the beginning. Three people have gone to the clerks on either side of me in the time it takes 'my clerk' to mail the one package. :eyes:

Then she starts on the Russian package. I hand her the three forms. I ask that the package goes the cheapest rate as long as it's insured. She quotes a price for next day delivery. I again ask for a cheaper rate. She tells me I can't insure the package because I'm sending it by Air. I respond that I don't care how it's shipped, I just want to insure it. I point out that I always insure my packages to Russia. At this point, the other clerks have handled about 5 customers. A supervisor walks up and shows her how to use the computer and the proper rate to use when insuring packages. She prints out the stamp, puts it on the package. I think we're done. Nope, another supervisor steps up and says that I have to re-pack my box since it's insured. I agree to but ask that the stamp be re-issued since I have to get another box. The two supervisors and the clerk start arguing about this among themselves. Finally, all agree that if I just re-tape the box then I can mail it.

This transaction took about 30 minutes to mail two boxes. :shrug:

So, do any of you have a worse story?