"Dad, I just read your column about the new two-cent stamp," my daughter Sharon said excitedly over the telephone (see Magnolia News, Jan. 18, www.MagnoliaNews.net). "Do you want to hear my story?" she asked.
How could a father not be interested in his daughter's story-especially one related to his bimonthly column?
I pulled up my chair to the kitchen table, grabbed a pad and pen and listened. I was prepared. I sensed a good tale forthcoming.
Sharon's demographic is typical of middle American families: married, has a job, two teenage daughters and a mortgaged home. Thus, when she began her tale by prefacing that she wanted to avoid long lines by running into the 24/7 section of the post office at 6 a.m. to buy stamps from a machine-it made perfect sense to me.
Sharon's saga involved her plan to purchase the new two-cent stamp, and it began with stress and ended with even more stress.
She continued: "Well, I figured I needed 40, two-cent stamps, so I inserted 80 cents into the postal dispenser. My mind was spinning ahead, ticking off the list of errands I needed to do next. I knew I had to return home to pick up Megan (her daughter and a high-school freshman), drive her to school, then continue on to the local Albertson's to purchase flu meds for my sick husband, and finally report to work on time."
I jotted notes, sipped my coffee and encouraged her to go on.
"When I pushed the button I immediately saw the pop-up 'empty' sign and blurted an expletive under my breath. 'Now what do I do?' she asked herself.
"Dad," Sharon said, "do you know that you cannot get your money back from those postal dispensers?"
I didn't. I hadn't used a stamp machine in years.
Continuing, Sharon said she'd scanned the displays for other potentially useful stamps to use up what was left of her 80 cents. "Two options looked good to me, but they, too, displayed the empty tag. Would you believe it?"
Her voice was now decibels higher, as was her pitch. Sharon was in full boil. I made more notes and quickly took another gulp of coffee. I made a quick note to myself that this was good material for a follow-up column.
After catching her breath, Sharon continued with her saga. "So then, realizing what time it was, I decided to use up my original coinage for a package of penny post cards. They came five in a sealed cellophane envelope.
"But-get this, Dad-It required I add more money to the darn machine in order to complete the deal. I left in a huff, promising myself I'd return later and deal with a live person.
"After work, on my way home, I returned to the same postal branch. I truly expected to simply exchange my cards for the two-cent stamps I really wanted to begin with. But the agent became befuddled and acted in a weird manner. I thought it was odd the postal worker actually asked me what I paid for the package of pre-stamped post cards!
"I was shocked that he didn't know, nor did he have a list in front of him to tell him. I wasn't exactly sure what I paid because all I could remember was fuming over putting more money in the machine to buy something I didn't want. I couldn't remember if the cards were 23-cents or 24-cents each, so he actually had to go out to the machine to check the price. I thought that was funny!
"I expected him to be able to at least do a barcode scan to check the price like most retailers. But I was abruptly reminded that the USPS is definitely not like most retailers.
"Then he ordered me to complete some official postal form requesting a refund. He took back the cards and pushed my refund across the table. I pushed the money back.
"Finally I got my stamps. Actually more than I needed but I was just happy as heck to get out of there without any additional stress."
I scribbled another note to myself to make certain that I personally visit the Magnolia postal station to inquire about this type of potential frustration for customers. A qualified conjecture would be that many other postal customers suffer in lines like this, or they have some other equally stressful tale regarding the issue, and issuance, of the two-cent stamp.[[In-content Ad]]
