I used to be a big fan of our local Post Office.  I guess the key phrase here is "used to be."  Now I understand that there have been cut backs of all kinds...but the folks who are left just don't seem to care one way or the other.  I stopped by the Post Office today to mail a plate to a customer all the way across the country in California.  Even with delivery confirmation and insurance, it shouldn't have come to much more than 12 bucks.  So what's the problem?

The problem was I never made it to the window.  When I got there, 6 people were in front of me, including a gentleman at the window who was inquiring into the whereabouts of a package he was expecting.  There was no one at the window...the postal worker went into the back and never came out for over 10 minutes.  Meanwhile the line in back of me got bigger and bigger.  Finally, the worker came out and informed the gentleman that, according to their records, the package had been delivered.  When he inquired about the address...all the worker said was.."Oh...that doesn't sound right"...and she disappeared again.

By this time I had been standing in line for over 20 minutes...and hadn't moved.  You guessed it...there was only one employee at the window...the one who went into the back and never came out.  I finally gave up and left, trailing 2 people behind me all muttering something about writing letters to the Post Master General.  I decided to go down the road about a mile and use the local Popcorn Packers.

I just about fell over when I found it the cost of shipping the package from Popcorn Packers was 17 dollars!  The girl informed me, with a smile of course, that their fees had "risen slightly."  I'll say!  The last time I mailed something to California, it weighed more...it was bigger...and it only cost me 14 bucks!

So I guess I'll be back in line at the Post Office the next time.  I just have to set aside about a half hour for each trip.  Wonder when the next rate increase is?