Remember a few posts back when I said I was going to have to get a handicapped placard and also submit a request for door delivery of my mail?Well, I went to my local Secretary of State's office with the form my doctor had signed requesting that placard. I went in and came out approximately 10 minutes later with said placard that's good for 5 years. Better yet, it was FREE. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe things are getting better for me, I surmised. Maybe, at this ripe old age, it won't be such a chore to get things done. That was before I wrote my letter to the Postmaster of my local Post Office.
I wrote a very nice letter and enclosed the note from my doctor requesting door delivery after my mishap this winter. My daughter used to be a mail carrier before her accident and she had several residents on her route that received door delivery for one medical reason or another. I was hoping that things would run as smooth with the post office as it had with Secretary of State. Sigh....WRONG.
After 10 days passed and I hadn't heard anything I decided to call and find out the status of my request. I finally got the Postmaster on the line and was surprised to hear that he was one of the most rude people I've ever spoken to.....and believe me, in my career I've had the experience of speaking to many rude individuals. I could not believe this man held a job in which he was supposed to deal with the public. He was very condescending and attempted to humiliate me several times. He started out by saying that he'd never received my letter.
Ever just know when someone is lying to you? Well, I felt that he was lying to me about that. You know I feel bad enough that my physical health has deteriorated enough that I have to have special service....I really don't need to be treated so badly. He gave me one excuse after another as to why I didn't meet their criteria for door delivery. He said I had to be not only wheelchair bound, but housebound as well. Then he made ludicrous suggestions such as asking friends, neighbors and relatives to get my mail and when I said I didn't want to be a bother like that....he said "well, you don't have to have your mail EVERY day, do you? Then he even suggested that I get in my car and drive to my mailbox. Hmmmm, last time I checked, we did not drive a vehicle from the passenger's seat and that's where I would have to be sitting if I were to reach the mailbox from my car. He fluffed me off at the end, saying he'd look into it and get back with me....and when I said how are you going to do that when you don't have my contact information and he said...well, its on your letter, isn't it? And I said...."I thought you said you never received my letter". I gave him my information....which I sensed he wasn't even writing down and we hung up.
I had made this call while at work and when my boss stepped out of his office I told him about what happened and how awful this man was to me. My boss said....well, let me give you a couple phone numbers to call. I ended up calling my Congressman and faxing him copies of my letter and note from my doctor, as well as a statement detailing the conversation I'd had with the Postmaster. They promised me they would DEFINITELY look into this. And yes....if your doctor thinks you should have door delivery, that is reason enough for you to have it.
So I am waiting to hear. This Postmaster had better wake up and smell the coffee. I am from the "Baby Boomer" generation and there's going to be plenty of us that are going to require special needs in the coming years. I'm sorry about that, but its a fact of life. If he can't deal with this in a compassionate and professional manner, then maybe they need to give that job to someone else who can exhibit those qualities. See....its never easy for me. Consider this post like a public service announcement...in case any of you have the same problem. I was told my complaint will be forwarded to the big guns in Washington. Stay tuned.
