7/22/2005
US Postal Service doesn't want my business
I was supposed to be in Zambia this week, but I had a really bad rash and the doctor wouldn't let me go. I'm fine now, but it's too late. So I had my travel insurance claim form with it's doctor's form and the ticket all ready to mail back to my travel agent in Canada. I tried to find prices online first, but didn't get much of anywhere. I couldn't tell which of the products would get me what I needed, tracking. This is one set of documents that absolutely cannot get lost, given what the ticket cost me.
When I finally got to the front of the line at the post office, I asked the clerk how I can send something to Canada with tracking. She said it can't be done. She offered me "return receipt." I asked her what happens if they don't sign, if it gets lost. She said we could "trace" it. I asked what that meant and she said that I knew what it meant. Trace is to search. I said what if it can't be found? She said why are focusing on the negative. I said because if it's lost, I'm out $2000 (it's more than that, actually). I told her I was pretty sure UPS and FedEx would be able to track this for me so was there any way she could do it or should I go see them? She looked up Global Guaranteed but claimed that doesn't work with Canada.
So I sent it UPS for about $15.
When I finally got to the front of the line at the post office, I asked the clerk how I can send something to Canada with tracking. She said it can't be done. She offered me "return receipt." I asked her what happens if they don't sign, if it gets lost. She said we could "trace" it. I asked what that meant and she said that I knew what it meant. Trace is to search. I said what if it can't be found? She said why are focusing on the negative. I said because if it's lost, I'm out $2000 (it's more than that, actually). I told her I was pretty sure UPS and FedEx would be able to track this for me so was there any way she could do it or should I go see them? She looked up Global Guaranteed but claimed that doesn't work with Canada.
So I sent it UPS for about $15.