(no subject)

[trinityvixen]

So my Netflix DVD got eaten yesterday.

After working without lunch for a full day, I had a headache and was cranky and tired. None of which mattered to my kitties, who got to eat first when I did get home. I looked through my mail and I found the outer red flap, and nothing else, contained within a little plastic baggy from the Post Office.

Remember how I've said that the Post Office is the most miserable place on Earth? It turns out they're at their most happy and considerate when they've royally fucked you over. The little baggy said, in big letters "WE CARE" and then went on to tell me why the fact that there's a piece of paper in my mailbox where a DVD should be is really nothing they can control. Oh, and they're working so hard to be sure this doesn't happen often.

Now, forget that I was irritated that I couldn't watch my show last night (the Netflix people immediately fixed it and will send me another today or tomorrow; of course, problem there is that they're re-sending one I just sent back since the lady heard me wrong ::SIGH::). This is just...stupid. Is there no recourse for mail that's lost, I wonder? How much money does Netflix just have to eat because sorting machines chew through DVDs in the mail?

This isn't even the first time this year this has happened. First time to a DVD, but I lost most of a tax form to the same thing, with the same amount of fake sympathy and pleading that I not hold the Postal Service responsible. I've had this happen many times, actually. Why do the machines hate me? They've eaten whole magazines, newsletters from my old volunteer job, letters, and now my DVDs and tax info. My thought is--what if you were expecting something you'd paid for in the mail and this happened? I mean, I know I've paid for magazines that look like they went through the shredder (or met the Shredder?) and a disc that's probably now bunches of broken pieces, but suppose it was a one-time dealy--a piece of software, a program on a disk, something less replaceable than a tax form? The company you bought the thing from shouldn't be under any obligation to replace it, so who will?

You hear me, Post Office? Sorry for my inconvenience!? RARGH!

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

The post office has lost a present I mailed and all of my tax forms last year. They also crushed one of my mother's paintings--it was painted on board. They broke it in half, which means that they shattered the frame, too. It takes effort to do that. It was a painting that had been purchased, too, so my mom had to paint another one.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

My god. I hope there was some insurance on it or something. Not that it could be replaced, but compensation at least...

That's impressive.

As for the tax thing, yeah, I was seriously tempted to do the forms online this year (you can still print them out), but the one that got eaten isn't even something I have that option with anyway. Stupid Post Office.

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

Yes, there was insurance. But do you think my mother's seen a penny? Noooo.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

You're kidding. Fucking bureaucracy, I tell you.

[ecmyers.livejournal.com]

Yeah, this is why I refused to ship all my critiqued manuscripts from Clarion West and signed books; I didn't even check the luggage, I bought a new bag so I could carry them on the plane with me. Those are completely irreplaceable. I heard one horror story from someone in the 2006 class who did lose his manuscripts, and I immediately felt justified.

Really, I have no faith in anyone.

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

Having no faith in other people is often the only way to keep your things protected. Makes me all sorts of uncomfortable even letting my purse go through the scanner at the airport when I'm just going to collect it in two seconds on the other side. Because I know that if it could get messed with, someone will. And I am not a sanguine enough personality that I could work through losing my wallet well...