I support the US Post Office.As someone who still prefers print to electronic, having something actually delivered remains a thrill.I have to confess, however, that electronic bills are much more convenient.In any case, with Trump’s war on the mail (he seemed to hate everything), and lack of interest in the Covid-19 pandemic, shipping has been slowed down considerably.People stayed at home and had Christmas shipped this past year, and, combined with the idiotic cuts to the Post Office budget, things were (and continue to be) delayed.In this extended season of shipping I’ve had two packages that tracking services have told me had been delivered but, in reality, weren’t.At least they weren’t delivered to me when the tracking indicated they were.Of course, package thieves do exist.I suspect that, if stolen, my items raised an eyebrow or two.
Most recently I had a notice of a Saturday afternoon delivery.Said item wasn’t there when I checked my mailbox about half-an-hour later.Someone could’ve idled on by and taken it in that time, I suppose, because the USPS said it was “in or near the mailbox.”Now, my mailbox is down at sidewalk level.The porch is a short distance away.When I went out on Saturday it was in neither location.Back before Christmas Amazon did the same thing, telling me that a package (small enough to fit easily in my mailbox) had been left in “a secure location.”So secure that I couldn’t find it.I even went outside in the dark with a flashlight after watching a horror movie to search for it.That one, it turned out, had been delivered to an honest neighbor who brought it over after daylight returned.
The tracking notice that says “delivered” means nothing if the package isn’t actually there.Hide-n-seek instructions simply aren’t helpful.The way our mailbox is situated the only “near” is on the open ground.Pandemic life is difficult.If 45 had had any compassion for the average person needing a lifeline (rather than his self need to be in the spotlight) he would’ve strengthened the Post Office rather than gutting it.Many people rely on it for the delivery of their medications.For some of us it’s more a matter of awaiting some token of our preserved sanity.As it is the tracking notice claimed I had items never received.This may be a parable for the Trump Nightmare Administration after all.Then, about two weeks after it had been officially delivered, my package arrived one day unannounced.Parable indeed.