Postal gatekeeping

Speaking of Global Priority Express envelopes, Grandma Dianne sent a Valentine gift to Chloe and put it in the preaddressed envelope with the pre-filled-out customs form I'd provided and completed and affixed to the front. She taped around the edges and across the flap, as I do (there was nary a spot left untaped on the last two envelopes I sent, and the postmistress at our tiny local post office couldn't have been more pleasant as she happily sent my envelopes on their way). I've seen the envelopes that come from Spain to here and they look like they've been dragged behind the plane on their edges until wheels-up.

Pleased with her packing job, Grandma Dianne took it to the post office:

"We're really not supposed to allow tape on these."

But I did that just for a little reinforcement and because I couldn't get the flap closed nice and tight and I didn't want it to open at some point during its multi-thousand mile trip.

"That's because they're made for documents. You aren't supposed to put things in them, just paper. They're made for paper. And they're not supposed to have tape on them. And I like to put my stamp right there, but it's all bumpy from the tape and the things inside and now my stamp will look all messy."

Horseshit. The envelopes say right on the front:

The efficient FLAT RATE ENVELOPE. You don't have to weigh the envelope [then how would you know if it's under four pounds?] . . . Just pack all your correspondence, documents or merchandise inside and pay the large envelope rate. We Deliver For You.

Unless you give it to a power-starved clerk who clings to any shred of control she can fabricate so she has something, anything, to lord over her customers. Unfortunately, Dianne didn't know about that little message (apparently she has better things to do than read the fine-fine-fine print on assorted USPS products), and so had no ready response. Next time, though, she'll be fully armed and will approach the window with a taped-up bulging envelope and a knowing smile on her face.

Comments

[Katy]

I had trouble with the clerk at the PO a mile from my house so now I drive 4 miles so I don't have to deal with said idiot. Do you know about postal M bags for books? Very cool.