I love going to the Post Office, yes I admit this with great anticipation for just strolling in & seeing the staff that have worked there for years. I like it when there are 20 people in line and Eddie & I talk about the latest Jazz album that just came out.....or his views on Hillary Care! They get pissed, but they are the ones that don't know Eddie. He thinks she is the biggest fraud out there, you see Eddie is a smart guy. This Internet world of e-mails is terrific and serves zillions of people a day (including me!).....but nothing will replace getting a letter in the mail with an old fashioned stamp on it. Theres the mystery of what lays inside etc etc. So here is my point for this blog. I'm at the Post Office the other day and Eddie helps me get this package sealed up correctly to mail to my Son & Daughter-in law down in Southern Cal. It is a real art taping up a package & he could see that I was struggling with it. So he brings out the glue tape and the cup of water to get it done correctly. That's SERVICE folks! We get talking and I ask him when he will be retiring. Eddie tells me that the powers that be at the U.S Postal Service want him to take early retirement. I ask him why (because this place will be lost when this guy goes fishing)......He explains that this Christmas he will be pretty much alone behind the counter & our wonderful Government will be out sourcing most of the Post Offices. He pointed out an example. Up the street we have a grocery store and in that building is a post office annex. But I don't trust Grocery Store clerks with my packages & stuff! It's not that they are dis-honest, but what do they know about the secrets of Postal madness? These people are paid by the Grocery Store to work in this faux U.S Post Office. He said that their master plan is to have machines that Customers will use (they have 1 in there now) to weigh packages, buy stamps etc and have one clerk. But he thinks more machines will replace great guys like Eddie who knows his Customers and loves what he does. Half the time those stupid machines don't even work! So it's coming folks....Post Offices in shops operated by Phil the guy that knows everything about lettuce and pork chops but knows squat about the Postal Biz. How sad is this Blog today? Damn sad.I asked him if they will hire temp-help workers, he said no way...He is terrified that Customers standing with their big packages for an hour or two will be mad as hell at him! at HIM! You might think that the stereotype Postal worker behind the counter could care less about service, customers etc...But theres one guy that really has a passion for the world of mailing...and that's my Eddie.
1 comment:
It's nice to see things haven't changed much at the Post Office. I had a similar experience 30 years ago at the old Lents Post office. There was an old silver-haired guy named Louie who was famous for carrying on long animated conversations like your postman. It was during the Christmas season and there must have been 20 people in line snaking through the post office and into the street. After seeing Louie conversing with a customer, obviously oblivious to the long and impatient waiting line, one red-faced man yelled at him. Louie looked him right in the eye, pointed out the door and bellowed, "Hey buddy, if you don't like my store there's another one right down the street."
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