The Postman Doesn't Even Ring Once

[ciphergoth]

Today I got a card through the door saying "We were unable to deliver this item because it's too big for your letterbox". It says the card was delivered at 9:18AM, and I know that's true because purplerabbits and I were standing next to the front door having a conversation at the time, and I watched it drop through the letterbox and flutter to the ground. By the time I'd read it, worked out what it meant and opened the door to shout down the stairs, the postman had already made it down all three flights of stairs and out the door; you could hear them starting to bolt for it as soon as the card was delivered, as if they'd been holding it with outstretched arm, one eye on their route of exit.

As I mentioned in yesterday's LJ, I'm rather looking forward to the parcels on their way to me: my brain charger which I really need, my books I need for work and my German course. Also, this has happened to me really quite often, but usually I'm just scratching my head thinking "I can't have missed the doorbell, I've been awake the whole time" rather than actually seeing the card being pushed through the letterbox.

So I 'phoned the number on the card straight away to complain, and after listening to the ringing tone for about ten minutes was put through to someone who confirmed that they are supposed to ring or knock before delivering those notes. It seems that they can't arrange for another delivery attempt today, because if the postman can't deliver a parcel, they just drop it back into a postbox with a note, so it takes time to reach the delivery centre.

I'm guessing the scam is to pop all your heaviest parcels back into the postbox at the start of your delivery round, and deliver these cards instead. Bah!

Anyway, I'm now awaiting a 'phone call from someone in Edinburgh customer services, who will apparently chase up my parcel.

Comments

Cynical old me

[bootpunk.livejournal.com]

Speaking as a someone who worked for the post office at Xmas times throughtout my time at Uni, I'd guess that your postie didn't fancy lugging the parcel around during his/her round and left it back at the office to start off with. Hence if you'd opened the door in time, they'd have been shafted. The idea is that you drop round the office, pick it up and lug it home yourself (we weren't allowed to this at Xmas time tho').

Of course, I could be totally wrong about this. Maybe I shouldn't be so cynical. Tbh, I actually enjoyed those Xmas jobs, altho' the hours were a bit of a killer. One year I worked 6am-1pm as a postie, and 2pm-10pm at Wimpy right thru the hols :o/